The Canadian Press features an interesting piece on the legal validity of electronic petitions. The article notes the need for government to adjust the rules to accommodate online advocacy.
The Legal Status of E-Petitions
January 24, 2008
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E-petitions more democratic
E-petitions are more democratic in that they require less resources (such as money, manpower, or time) to implement. Going from door to door, for example, is a lot of work which only a few can afford to do. Both methods have their drawbacks, but I don’t think that paper petitions are nearely as representative of public interests.