Building Strong MP Relationships How-to: Meet with an MP
1) Planning 2) Preparing 3) Execution! Step 1: Planning
1) To set up a meeting with an MP, call the constituency office. Find your MP and their phone number at: (http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx? Menu=HOC) --- At a chapter, you may have members living in a few different constituencies. Try to build relationships with a few MPs if you have the capacity, or focus on the ones you think will be the most valuable allies! 2) Give your name, your postal code, and the reason that you’d like to meet with the MP. Ask when the MP will next be in town, and when she will be available to meet with you. 3) You can also go to the constituency office directly to request the meeting. Making a good impression will also increase your chances of gaining access to your MP. 4) If the MP is unavailable for a meeting, request a meeting with a member of his staff. Staff have more time to meet with you and they can bring your particular concerns to the MP. 5) Check out the parliamentary calendar to get an idea of when they will likely be in the office. Fridays are good bets, as well as break weeks. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HouseChamberBusiness/ChamberCalendar.aspx?Language=E 6) Contact the office in advance – ideally at least 3 weeks before you would like to set up a meeting. Understand that MPs have a lot of demands on their time, and may not be able to accommodate your request. Provide several possible meeting times for them to choose from. 7) Depending on the purpose of the meeting, you may want to time it strategically. Ex. before a key vote coming up, before an important international meeting, or a committee review that they are part of. 8) Members do not have access to an abundance of information on specific topics a. Ask the MP’s staff how much info they will have, and tailor the meeting accordingly, even ask if it would be valuable to send background info in advance 9) Decide who is attending. It is usually best to limit it to between 2-4 volunteers; make sure you work together before hand so that you are on the same page. You may want to divide up certain sections or questions. (See docs: “Developing powerful talking points”, and “Preparing volunteers for MP meetings”)
Page 1 of 5
Step 2: Preparation
! ! Read the steps to effective meetings below to ensure you have all the information and materials that you need! Do your homework! Stay informed; do the research you need in order to: o o Define problem, outline current situation (& why its inadequate), propose solutions, identify potential support, address implications (how to get it to reality) Frame the issue in a way that will speak to the MP ! A big part of advocacy is using language in a way that connects to what people already think, aligns with what they already know, and helps them see new ideas in a context that acknowledges their values (like fairness, respect, equality, etc. Consider developing Talking Points – see document Developing Powerful Talking Points
o ! ! !
Take it as a given that your representative wants to do the right thing, and will hear your perspective. Prepare your material with time in mind; stick to the time frame, respecting their other commitments. Dress appropriately - don’t worry about looking fancy, just look respectable! Ideally, wear an EWB tee-shirt and snap a picture after the meeting!
Step 3: Execution!
Meeting Outline Summary: ! Start with the good news ! State your objectives ! Identify the problem ! Present a credible alternative (this and the above two could be summarized in talking points) ! Listen to contrary arguments ! Outline the support for your position ! Acknowledge and respond to opposing views ! Ask questions ! Re-state objectives, leave a one-page brief ! Photo-Op! ! Show your appreciation 1) Start with the Good News Starting on a positive note sends the message that if they choose to champion your cause, they will not be alone, and that you are reasonable Focus on establishing a good relationship based on mutual respect, and understanding the constraints and criticism they deal with on a regular basis Acknowledge areas where you can find common ground. o o Look up their background, and their recent press releases/newsletters on their website Find out if they sit on any important committees, or have a role that might have particular sway on your issue; ministers and parliamentary secretaries tend to have more of a voice, as well as ‘critics’ from opposition parties
Page 2 of 5
o o
Find out if they have met with EWB or similar organizations before, and what the response has generally been Determine whether they have spoken publicly or to the media about this issue before
2) State your Objectives - Outline your SMART objective, framed in a way that links to the agenda of the government, or the opposition party Emphasize the common values you hold and common things you are trying to achieve Have a clear “ask” for the meeting at hand; make sure it is actionable and specific Examples of asks (this is not a complete list!): o Ask them to make a statement in the House ! ! o Statements by Members: A daily 15-minute period before question period, when any MP may make statements on matters of national, regional or local importance. Statements are limited in length to one minute. By making a statement on a particular issue, they help boost the recognition and legitimacy of a cause!
Give them questions to ask in Question Period ! ! Note: you do not want EWB to be identified as partisan, so suggestions are great, but ensure EWB’s name would not be attached (this is unlikely anyway) They could also pass questions on to other MPs in their party, or even other opposition parties
o o
Give them questions or ideas to raise during a committee hearing or meeting they are part of Ask them to ask questions to a certain Minister or a critic within their party, even the party leader, to get answers or more information on a topic, and to demonstrate that there is concern over the issue Invite them to participate in a community activity, public awareness campaign, or media event ! ! ! If they like your cause, they will want to get on the record and be identified with it Could issue a press release in support of the effort MPs also have many travel credits they can use to visit other areas of Canada, so if you wanted to invite an MP champion out to your chapter, or do a speaking tour of several chapters on a certain topic, this is very possible!
o
o o
Ask them to table a set of petitions you have collected. Encourage them to make a motion, which is essentially proposing a new piece of legislation (a Bill) ! This takes more thought and research, but planting the idea of a potential Bill could get them interested/excited and follow up with the issue at hand.
Page 3 of 5
o
Ask them what course of action they think you should take to be most effective in the cause you are pursuing!
3) Identify the Problem Give a concise, to-the-point briefing that is directly related to the issue and does not waste time o Use analytical rather than descriptive language – the WHY of the problem Give a specific, constructive critique, leaving lots of time to explore solutions Include why you are making this request, and what you have done to further the cause so far Again, think about how you are framing the problem – make sure they can relate, tell a story, etc. Ask good, hard-hitting questions o Ex. if questioning the Dept. of Citizenship trying to prevent people with criminal records from entering Canada, politician can’t ignore the question “What about Nelson Mandela?”
4) Present a Credible Alternative Outline the game plan of what needs to be done! Recognize any obstacles you know that the government is facing in meeting your objectives Back up your recommendations, explaining why you have credibility Offer yourself as a resource to help work out solutions to problems as they arise Explain why this can be a good story for the government to tell, and offer public support if these steps are taken *Do not leave a feeling of hopelessness!* 5) Listen to Contrary Arguments “A common mistake groups make is that they fail to thoroughly consider the consequences of the actions they propose. Members want to see that your recommendations as thought through and well-researched” – Bill Casey, MP While you want to cover your key points, you also need to leave room for them to speak Listen carefully to hear any possible bottlenecks or sources of hesitation o This can also help you re-shape or rethink your proposal if gaps are identified
6) Outline the Constituency of Support Describe who else is with you; especially powerful if there are other groups from different backgrounds who are supportive Be up-front about who you have met with; working with more than one party is completely legitimate but be open about it, and provide consistent information to all
Page 4 of 5
7) Acknowledge Opposing Perspectives and Respond Acknowledge and address other points of view, and meet criticism head-on. Offer responses that are easy to understand and remember.
8) Ask Questions, Restate Objective, Leave a One-Page Brief Ask any questions that came up in your research, that could help you determine the next steps Bring discussion back to the specific task Reiterate why it is relevant and a good thing, and why now is a good time to act A quick “cheat sheet” including responses to common criticisms is very helpful – this is most effective in the form of a one-page brief (see One-Page Brief in EWB Advocacy Toolkit) Request a clear response to your question verbally or in writing by a specific date
9) Photo-Op & Showing Appreciation If possible, bring a camera and get a photo with your volunteers and your MP Post these pictures up on EWB’s new advocacy website (launching Fall 2009) Send the picture to the MP with your thank-you note or card, expressing appreciation for the meeting
Page 5 of 5