Systemic Reform 5 Tips When Lobbying a New Provincial Government Haiat Iman Systemic Reform 4 mins read July 1, 2017 / News / Systemic Reform / 5 Tips When Lobbying a New Provincial Government Table of Contents 1. Be Issue Specific: 2. It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know: 3. Your Ex Can’t Help You: 4. Don’t Forget the Bureaucrats: 5. When Government Throws Shade: There’s lots of uncertainty about the upcoming mandate of Ontario’s new government and many nonprofits, youth-led initiatives and third-sector organizations have expressed the need to know how to get their issues heard by people they may not already have relationships with. Since not all issues are created equally, you may or may not need to speak directly to a Minister so keep this in mind. Here are a few tips that may come in handy: 1. Be Issue Specific: Easier said than done. Many organizations approach government with a laundry list of items that are difficult to track or implement. It also becomes overwhelming for a Minister who is balancing multiple priorities daily. If you are approaching government, especially a Minister’s office, do so with one issue and a clear ask. Understanding realistic limitations on a Ministry, budget and competing priorities, what do you want that Minister to do specifically etc? When should it be done? Why should it be done? And how will it complement/oppose the Minister’s mandate/agenda? 2. It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know: Merits are nice, relationships are nicer. If your organization is not well known, it’s always helpful to partner with an organization that has broader name-recognition for the purpose of securing your first meeting and getting the attention of new, key staffers. After that meeting, you want to maintain good ties with those staffers as they are the gatekeepers between you and the Minister and determine whether or not you get a second meeting. 3. Your Ex Can’t Help You: Just because you had a great relationship with a previous government/political party, does not mean you are entitled to one with a new government. Mentioning your previous relationship with a previous Minister may or may not be helpful, instead focus on the previous work that your organization has done on relevant files to that Minister and what bills and legislation you had insight into. 4. Don’t Forget the Bureaucrats: Ontario’s Public Service employees are (supposed to be) non-partisan and often times, withstand changes in governments. They are not elected and they are not politicians, they are often unionized and work on the directives set by the new Minister and Deputy Minister. As they work directly on the issues, there is a lot of subject-matter expertise and knowledge that exists here. Before approaching any level of government, see if your issue needs to be in front of a Minister, an MPP or a member of the public service. Most community issues that don’t require legislative or policy change can be addressed at the public service level contrary to popular belief. Reach out to a Manager or a Director in the Ministry and department your issue falls under by visiting http://www.infogo.gov.on.ca/infogo/ and selecting the “Ministries, Secretariats and Offices” drop down menu. From there you can get direct contact information. See if you can ask your question by email and if necessary, set up a meeting. 5. When Government Throws Shade: If the government is not responsive to your issues/opposes your stance/ignores your organization/remains inactive on promises and so on, there are many options to consider: Consider option #4, members of the public service can let you know some of the best ways of getting your proposals across. See if they can suggest a tested, method of approach. Create a coalition/campaign: find organizations, including reputable ones that share your stance on your specific issue and are willing to see it through, see if they are willing to send letters to Ministers’ offices, march with you or work their connections. Create a petition. Engage the Media: this should be your last option if all else fails but it is a powerful one. Op-eds, interviews and press conferences can all help to bring the public’s attention to your issue and hopefully get you back on the agenda. For more information or questions feel free to get in touch with us at www.laidlawfdn.org Share This Article
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