Canadians may soon be able to submit electronic petitions to members of Parliament, now that Kennedy Stewart's e-petition motion has passed in the House of Commons.
"At a time when more and more Canadians are feeling left out of the political process, it is encouraging that MPs from all parties put aside partisan differences and agreed to improve grassroots democracy," Stewart said in a media statement.
As a member of the Official Opposition, Stewart's motion stood little chance of being passed but he managed to secure support from a few Conservative backbenchers, and the motion passed by two votes.
The House of Commons accepts petitions on paper but not online versions, which are becoming more and more popular.
Stewart's motion also proposes that short Parliamentary debates be triggered when a petition receives a significant number of signatures and is sponsored by at least five MPs.
A Parliamentary committee is spending the next year, developing recommendations on how to best implement e-petitioning.
