30 NOVEMBER 2015

Fredericton – On Tuesday, the Legislative Assembly will meet to end its first sitting, and all unresolved bills on the order paper will be left behind, including the Vote 16 Bill introduced by David Coon, MLA for Fredericton South and Leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick. It had passed second reading and was waiting on the government to send it onto the committee stage for detailed examination.

“Vote 16 had broad public support, especially from young people across the province,” said Coon. “When this bill passed second reading, it did so with the support of every MLA in the legislature. Unfortunately it will die on the order paper.”

The Speech from the Throne signals the beginning of a new sitting and clears the legislative agenda for a new set of bills. The government could introduce its own Vote 16 bill in this second sitting.

“My Vote 16 Bill could have proceeded through committee and third reading before the Legislature rose for the summer, but the government chose not to do so,” said Coon. “It is my hope that the Liberals will reintroduce their own version of the Vote 16 Bill in the coming sitting to extend the right to vote to 16 and 17 year olds.”