MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that the House now rise to meet again tomorrow at the hour of 2:00 p.m.

Before I go to the moment of interruption, it was brought to my attention by my staff that they noticed a page that was included in a petition yesterday by the member for Richmond, on behalf of the member for Clare, was photocopied, which is not permitted under our practices.

I have directed that the one page be removed from the petition but the rest of the petition remains tabled.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. Before I go to Oral Questions put by Members, it was brought to my attention that the petition tabled by the member for Preston is not addressed to the House or to the government, it is addressed to the Halifax Regional School Board. I will return the petition to the honourable member.

ELIZABETH SMITH-MCCROSSIN: Speaker, there are 356 signatures and I have affixed my name to the top, as per the Rules of the House.

THE SPEAKER: Unfortunately, the petition is out of order, due to the fact that there are phone numbers instead of addresses.

HON. ZACH CHURCHILL: Speaker, I beg leave to table a petition, the operative clause reads as follows:

We, the undersigned residents/taxpayers of the Town of Antigonish and the Municipality of the County of Antigonish, were denied meaningful participation prior to our two Councils' October 20, 2022 vote on consolidation of our communities. We demand a pause to the process to allow for residents to vote directly on consolidation and the future of both Antigonish Town and Antigonish County.

Speaker, I have also affixed my signature, as per the Rules of the House of Assembly.

MR. LLOYD HINES: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to table a petition. The operative clause, which provides the Department of Community Services Sheet Harbour office is slated to close, therefore the undersigned oppose the decision made by the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services to close the Sheet Harbour office.

This petition contains 271 names, to which I have affixed my name.

MR. SPEAKER: Could I request that the honourable member read that petition again? I couldn't hear. Sorry.

FRED TILLEY: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to table a petition entitled Install a Flashing Light on Park Road Crosswalk:

"We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge our leaders to act now to have a flashing light installed at the crosswalk of Park Road by Dr. T.L. Sullivan School.

Park Road is a very busy road, with a school and many seniors. The sidewalk crosses from one side of the road to the other and is joined by a crosswalk. Vehicles travel very fast on this road, and it is unsafe for pedestrians and the citizens want to prevent a tragedy."

MR. GORDON WILSON: On behalf of the residents, I wish to table a petition. The operative clause being:

"We, the undersigned citizens of Nova Scotia, call on the Premier of Nova Scotia - Stephen McNeil, Health Minister Randy Delorey and the Nova Scotia Health Authority to give your immediate attention to the issue of:

...

MR. SPEAKER: The petition is tabled.

I just remind all members that even though members of the House may be named by their proper name in the prayer of the petition, it's not parliamentary to actually use those names in the Chamber.

MR. SPEAKER: Just in the few seconds before we move on to Question Period, I'll take the opportunity to revisit the petition brought forth earlier today by the honourable member for Sackville-Cobequid. For the record, I will reread the prayer:

We the undersigned object to the current practice by the Nova Scotia Health Authority to permit various hospitals under its auspices to accommodate both men and women in the same room without the express permission of the patient(s) involved.

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MR. TIM HOUSTON: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to table a petition that calls on the government to twin a certain stretch of highway and, specifically, to come up with a plan to do that over five years. The petition reads:

MR. SPEAKER: Also, I have had a chance to review the petition as submitted by the honourable member for Timberlea-Prospect, and unfortunately I have to reject it. The petition is not in order in a couple of items. There is no ask identified here that is within the power of government to do and also the prayer is not on the signature pages. They are stand-alone signature pages and unfortunately that does not meet our minimum requirements.