CLA Advocacy Boot Camp
Changes in Ottawa
Conservative:
NDP:
Liberal:
Bloc Québécois:
Green Party:
Independent
Total:
165
101
35
4
1
2
308
3
Power Shift
4
Overview of Canadian Political Landscape
 Spring Election Changed everything
 Conservative Majority for four more years
 Expect more decisive policy at the federal level
 Economy and Jobs
 Focus on Balancing the Federal Budget
5
Future Policy Mix
 Economy and Economic Drivers will dominate all policy
levels
 Spending restraint will happen at federal and provincials
levels
 Government departments will be busy identifying where
they can cut their budgets
6
LOBBYING A DEVELOPING HISTORY
 Backroom deals
 Perceptions of Lobbyists
 Lawyers
 Growth of Political Professionalism
 More Campaign focused than ever before
 Consumer and Voter are King
COMPETITIVE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
 Many competing for limited government resources
 Interest groups are taking more proactive role to gain
government attention
 Decision-makers have more than one decision to make
 Groups that are not proactive risk being marginalized
 How do you break through the clutter?
Understanding Government and the Media
Influences on the Decision-making process
PM
Cabinet
PCO
Ministers
Deputy
Ministers
Gov’t / Opp.
MPs
Public
Officials
Electorate
The MEDIA,
SOCIAL MEDIA
and the
PUBLIC
WHAT WORKS
 “Real people, delivering real local stories with real local issues.”
 Local leaders working with the local politicians.
 Using originality to break through the clutter!
 Owning the Consumer Argument.
 A sustained and coordinated approach.
Why a Stakeholder based Grassroots Advocacy
Approach Works
 Research is clear that associations that distanced members
from advocacy work stumbled
 Stakeholder based advocacy involvement is more effective
and more targeted!
 Grassroots lobby approaches build member and stakeholder
involvement and commitment
Grassroots Concepts
 Best approach involves educating and sensitizing decision-
makers over time.
 Need to frame the issue before government does
 Position association or sector as a resource to government
 Starting early ultimately saves money in the long run. Lobbying
as an afterthought is less effective!
Majority Government Grassroots Activity Keys
 Minister become more isolated in Majority and
therefore reaching them through Caucus colleagues is
required .
 Government Backbench is more critical than opposition
during a majority
What Factors Influence
Online
Heard on the Hill
 “Moral one: postal code is king. If it's not from the riding,
it's worth very little to the MP.”
 “90% or more of correspondence to MP offices is now
electronic.”
 “Electronic messages are not necessarily less effective than
snail mail; what determines the effectiveness of the message
and the attention it gets is where it comes from, not how it
gets there.”
Purpose and Objectives
•
Raise awareness and champion library values and the
value of libraries.
•
Develop and nurture relationships with MPs and from
all parties.
•
Stress the important role the library community plays
for Canadians.
Key Messages
1. Copyright Legislation: CLA, along with our wide community of library users, continues to
embrace copyright legislation as one of our key priorities. This access to information is integral to
ensure that Canadians are regular contributors to the economic, social, and cultural well-being of
their communities. We need a made-in-Canada copyright solution to guarantee the legislation
ultimately succeeds in its objectives of being both balanced and technologically neutral.
CLA continues to strongly believe that fair dealing, as interpreted in the Supreme Court of Canada
judgment in CCH Canadian Ltd. v. Law Society of Upper Canada, 2004 SCC 13 (the CCH case), is a
fundamental users’ right which must not be superseded by a copyright holder’s use of
technological protection measures. Bill C-11’s continued prohibitions on the circumvention of
digital locks for legal, non-infringing purposes fails to achieve a proper balance between the
legitimate interests of copyright holders and the public interest in legitimate uses of copyrighted
materials in the digital world.
CLA urges the Federal Government to consider CLA’s proposed technical amendments to Bill C11. The need for balance between the rights of copyright holders and those who wish to make
use of copyrighted material is essential for the economic, social and cultural well-being of our
country.
Key Messages
2. The Library Book Rate: The Library Book Rate is a Canada Post service that has, since
1939, provided a reduced rate for mailing library books between libraries and from libraries to
their users. Canada Post has recently announced that they will continue to provide the library
book rates, but with a slight fee increase for 2012.
With over 2,000 libraries actively using the Library Book Rate and more than one million
Canadians benefiting from it annually, the Library Book Rate is an indispensable part of the
service delivered by Canada’s not-for-profit public, academic, school and special libraries.
The Library Book Rate is not a government program and is not currently financially supported by
the federal government. The Rate contributes to the public policy goals of literacy, lifelong
learning, inclusion, and vibrant rural and remote communities.
In October 2011, Member of Parliament Merv Tweed (Brandon—Souris, Manitoba) re-introduced
his Private Member’s Bill to protect the Library Book Rate. Bill C-321 is crucial to protecting
library services that benefit all Canadians. CLA is extremely pleased to see the re-introduction of
this Bill. CLA urges the Government of Canada to support Bill C-321 and help maintain a reduced
rate of postage for library materials, which will support more than one million Canadians.
Key Messages
3. The Community Access Program: CLA believes that all Canadians, regardless of economic
status or location, require the ability to access information and services through broadband
connection to the Internet, along with access to the assistance they need to become digitally
literate. For many Canadians, especially those in remote and rural locations, this access has been
provided since 1994 by the Community Access Program (CAP) funded by Industry Canada.
The library community is extremely concerned that funding for CAP has been cancelled, as
announced on April 5, 2012. It was highlighted that the program has “outlived its usefulness”
because 94% of Canadians now live in a community where broadband is available for purchase.
But with only 79% of Canadian households having an Internet connection, and 54% of
households in the lowest income quartile, it is clear that community-based Internet access is
essential to supplement home access.
Public libraries, which provide Internet access as part of CAP or on their own, are seeing
considerable demand for their services, and would be unable to fund the shortfall resulting from
the cut to CAP. CLA strongly urges the Federal Government to reinstate the Community Access
Program with long-term, sustainable funding, and re-imagine CAP as part of a policy mix focused
on bringing the benefits of broadband connection to all Canadians, thereby helping each citizen
play a meaningful part in Canada’s economic future.
Taking Action: How to be Effective
Conversations that MPs want:
 What are the local statistics?
 Real life stories and examples that illustrate the case in the
riding.
 Your visibility and potential profile in the riding.
 Specific actions they can take to make you happy.
Taking Action: How to be Effective
Remain Human!
 Avoid the desire to sound like lawyer, lobbyist, debate
team captain or statistician.
 Your role in local life gives you all the expertise and
background needed.
Taking Action: How to be Effective
Face to Face with local MP:
 Maximum three key arguments.
 Tell a personal story (very short).
 What your concern (s) is/are.
 Why an MP should support it/them.
 Have a specific request.
 Have a short concise leave behind package.
 Send a thank you note.
Effective Grassroots Letters to MP
• State that you are a constituent at the beginning
• Provide a street address in the riding
• Lead with your request
• Speak from the heart
• One core argument
• Do not send big packages of information
• Repeat the request
• Typed or hand written
• Copy your association
Effective and Powerful email
• Email delivers speed but lack of investment
• Even more important to signal you are a constituent
• Subject line – Message from Red Deer
• Mailing address in first line
• Personalize request
• Attachments are useless
• Avoid Spam
Compelling MP Calls
• Best used when time is a factor
• Telephone patch through
• Identify that you are a constituent
• Provide your mailing address
• Brief staffer – Great source of information and action
• Ask for a return call by MP
• Do not call on every issue – reserve the political
capital
Taking Action: How to be Effective
Unsuccessful Tactics:
 Confrontational style that harasses or insults politician.
 Lack of preparedness.
 Too rehearsed and artificial.
 Not listening is biggest, most common mistake.
The Elevator Pitch
 Bust through the Clutter.
 Who are you and where are you from?
 Paint a mental picture!
 What is your concern?
 Why should an MP support you?
 What action are you requesting from them?
Meeting Scenario
Introductions
 Introduce self and members of your group:
 i.e.: “Hello, my name is (insert name), and I am a (insert role) in (insert city, province). I’d like
to thank you very much for taking the time to meet with me today.
 State that you are meeting as part of the Canadian Library Associations’ first ever
coordinated Government Relations Day.
 Explain why you wanted to meet with the MP today; why you and your profession are
important; and the vital role that libraries play for Canadians. Don’t hesitate to tell a
short personal story!
Meeting Scenario
Talking Points
 Mention key, concrete facts:
 The Community Access Program provides training and help to the public to
increase their digital literacy which is essential for disadvantaged groups who would
otherwise not be able to benefit from the ability to connect with information and
services essential to their well-being.
 More than 2,000 libraries across the country actively use the Library Book Rate and
more than one million Canadians benefit from it annually.
 Explain exactly what it is that you want! Launch into key messages (depending on time
allotted, you may only be able to cover one or two key messages).
Meeting Scenario
Wrap-Up
 Ask the MP if he or she requires any further information or
if CLA can help in any way.
 Thank the MP, leave behind a concise information package
and follow-up with the MP.
 Let CLA know if any additional follow up is required.
Meeting Scenario
Helpful Hints
 Pause before answering a question.
 Take your time – don’t rush.
 Always bridge back to the three key message points.
 If you don’t know the answer to a question, let them know
that you will get back to them with the information they are
looking for.
Meeting Scenario
Typical Questions asked by an MP
 Why are you here?
 What is it that you do? How will it help my constituents?
 What can I do to help you?
 What are you asking for?
 Do you have any statistics in my riding?
 Who else have you talked to about your issues?
 Are there other groups that feel the same way?
 Specific information/statistics/concrete facts and numbers.
 Depending on current situations heard and seen in the media, questions can be brought
up about how CLA is affected, etc.
For Those Participating in MP Meetings
 Lunch break from 11:00-12:00
 Meetings with MPs and Senators from 1:00-5:00
 Media Availability in the Charles Lynch Room
 Question Period
 Opening Conference Reception
Helpful Hints
 Know your issues: Carefully review the briefing notes in your delegate
folder.
 Localize your issues: Tell CLA’ story using experiences and examples
relevant to you and your audience.
 Prioritize your issues: Limit discussion to a manageable number of priority
issues.
 Organize your presentation: Agree on speaking order and key messages with
your team mates; ensure that time is allowed for questions and comments
from the MP.
Meeting Planning
Monday Evening
•
Review your briefing notes for each meeting carefully, and ask us to clarify
or expand where required.
•
Share information with your team-mates: do you know any of the MPs you
will be meeting; comfort-level for different issues to be discussed.
•
Plan your meetings: who will speak first, second, third; key messages; etc.
Meeting Planning
Before each meeting:
•
Agree on a location for your team to congregate before
each meeting.
•
Proceed to the meeting location with sufficient time to
walk and go through security.
•
Split your group up if you see that you are running
overtime.
Meeting Planning
Q&A