Making Friends and Influencing Policymakers: Tips for meeting with your MP
Why meet with your MP?
To strengthen relationships with MPs and make them champions on our issues.
Advocacy is all about relationship building – a face to face meeting on our issues is the most impactful tool in our advocacy arsenal.
MPs need to be in touch with the concerns of constituents in order to represent them and to be re-elected. You are an MPs best resource!
Tips for getting a meeting
Phone the MP’s constituency office and request a meeting. Say that you want to talk about an issue that you, and many Canadians, feel passionate about – global poverty. If you are a constituent of this MP highlight that in your request – an MP is much more likely to meet with a constituent than any other concerned citizens. If you aren’t a constituent, you increase your chances of getting a meeting by inviting a friend who is a constituent to come to the meeting and asking that friend to make the appointment.
It can take several calls and many weeks to get an appointment – don’t be discouraged and keep a firm but friendly tone. If you are offered a meeting with an aid vs. the MP take it – aids are the gatekeepers in an MP’s office – they prioritize agendas and provide advice. They can also be your best ally in getting a face-to-face MP meeting in the future.
Things to keep in mind while preparing for your meeting
RESULTS Canada staff can provide you with short briefing documents with key points to prepare for your meeting and to leave behind with MPs. Practice a short speech (maximum 2 minutes per topic) that gets across the problems and recommended solutions and action you want to the MP to take (“Laser Talk”).
You are building a relationship so learn a little about the MP in advance of the meeting and make some small talk when you meet. Let each member of the group introduce themselves (very briefly).
If you have more than one person going to the meeting, choose a group leader. The chosen group leader should confirm the time the MP has available at the beginning of the meeting and ensure the group wraps up within that time.
Do your research – you can strengthen your own personal connection to the MP or identify a pet-cause or connection to your issue by reviewing an MPs website and bio in advance of the meeting.
The leader should make a personal connection to the issue at the beginning of the conversation. An example: “We know you have a been a real leader on women’s issues and that you would want to more about this opportunity for Canada to make a difference in the lives of poor women around the world.”
Keep a diplomatic and constructive tone; there is nothing to gain by being disrespectful.
Conclude each issue discussion by asking, “Can we count on you to (do such and such)?” At the end of the meeting the leader should restate what the MP has agreed to do, thank the MP, and say he/she will follow up with the MP in 3-4 weeks. Put it in your calendar and make sure you do follow up.
Make sure someone in the group follows up with a handwritten note of thanks to the MP within a day of the meeting
Share the intelligence you gather with RESULTS staff. Did you get a commitment? Is there follow up information you promised your MP? Did they give you a lead? Etc. Then please communicate this information to RESULTS at grassroots@results-resultats.ca.
One meeting is just the beginning of the relationship…
As MP David McGuinty told our Ottawa student group recently, the first meeting is only the beginning of the relationship. Plan ahead to a future appointment to reconnect and update the MP. When you write letters, remind the MP of your previous meeting with him/her.
