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halifaxearthtechMegan Leslie, our Member of Parliament in Halifax, continues Halifax's representation by the New Democrats that began 15 years ago. She has acted for tenants rights, services for immigrants, affortable energy for households, transgender advocacy and is chair of the NDP's environmental committee.
She spoke last monday at the Ecology Action Centre's Food Action Committee meeting, and over a big pot of dahl and some homemade bread, gave a talk on how best to influence MPs in parliament on an issue that we care about.
Basically she said something I have suspected for a couple of years, that MPs are human beings, and that they don't necessarily know more about issues than anyone you might meet in the community. However she says they are open to being educated in issues that are important to their constituents.
A good process would look like this:
Educating your MP on an issue
You can do this in a letter, or ask to meet with them for a teach-in, or draft a petition. A petition educates the MP and the house on an issue, as well as forcing a party to take a position on an issue.
She is happy to meet with anyone to tell them how to draft a petition in a proper format to submit it to the House of Commons. Your MP is probably also willing to educate you on process for making your petition as strong in the house as possible. An MP will probably introduce a petition to the House even if they are personally disagree with your position (but they are not forced to). Leslie is also willing to prepare people if they want to do official meetings in Ottawa.
It is possible to submit the same petition numerous times. Leslie gave the example of a group who campaigned against having dog and cat hair used as trim on some lines of imported clothing. The group had only a few members, but they sent a copy of the same petition to the MP of every member who signed it, and there were signers across Canada. The petition then got introduced to the house something like 25 times in the same sitting. Petitions must have been signed by at least 25 Canadian residents.
Ask your MP to do something
You might ask your MP to but forward a motion in the House. a motion is just that the House decides how they feel about something. For example it is often used to designate 'days in honour of things'. It is not enforcable as a law would be, but it is also quick and easy to establish, where a law takes a lot of time and work to draft.
Follow up
Ask your MP if the issue got brought up in session. What did the speaker say about your issue? Are you satisified with that? Do you have an answer for your MP and the Speaker of the House of Commons? Can your MP convey that? MPs are required to write back to you with the response to your motion or petition but tend not to. So hassle them.
Educating your MP on a local level does affect their vote. Leslie brought up the example of the asbestos issue. Using asbestos as insulation is banned in Canada because it has been proven to cause fatal diseases but we continue to mine and export it, possibly for use as insulation in countries with regulations that are more lax. When the issue was first brought up before Conservatives there was no sympathy but in recent years some members have abstained from voting on it.
Emails vs letters
According to Leslie, emails are just as good as form letters. Even copy and paste emails or online petitions do affect Parliament if they get a hold of them.
If anyone is interested in meeting with Megan Leslie with me sometime in the coming year on the topic of Peak Energy and community resilience, and how that affects us as federal and provincial voters, please contact me!
She spoke last monday at the Ecology Action Centre's Food Action Committee meeting, and over a big pot of dahl and some homemade bread, gave a talk on how best to influence MPs in parliament on an issue that we care about.
Basically she said something I have suspected for a couple of years, that MPs are human beings, and that they don't necessarily know more about issues than anyone you might meet in the community. However she says they are open to being educated in issues that are important to their constituents.
A good process would look like this:
Educating your MP on an issue
You can do this in a letter, or ask to meet with them for a teach-in, or draft a petition. A petition educates the MP and the house on an issue, as well as forcing a party to take a position on an issue.
She is happy to meet with anyone to tell them how to draft a petition in a proper format to submit it to the House of Commons. Your MP is probably also willing to educate you on process for making your petition as strong in the house as possible. An MP will probably introduce a petition to the House even if they are personally disagree with your position (but they are not forced to). Leslie is also willing to prepare people if they want to do official meetings in Ottawa.
It is possible to submit the same petition numerous times. Leslie gave the example of a group who campaigned against having dog and cat hair used as trim on some lines of imported clothing. The group had only a few members, but they sent a copy of the same petition to the MP of every member who signed it, and there were signers across Canada. The petition then got introduced to the house something like 25 times in the same sitting. Petitions must have been signed by at least 25 Canadian residents.
Ask your MP to do something
You might ask your MP to but forward a motion in the House. a motion is just that the House decides how they feel about something. For example it is often used to designate 'days in honour of things'. It is not enforcable as a law would be, but it is also quick and easy to establish, where a law takes a lot of time and work to draft.
Follow up
Ask your MP if the issue got brought up in session. What did the speaker say about your issue? Are you satisified with that? Do you have an answer for your MP and the Speaker of the House of Commons? Can your MP convey that? MPs are required to write back to you with the response to your motion or petition but tend not to. So hassle them.
Educating your MP on a local level does affect their vote. Leslie brought up the example of the asbestos issue. Using asbestos as insulation is banned in Canada because it has been proven to cause fatal diseases but we continue to mine and export it, possibly for use as insulation in countries with regulations that are more lax. When the issue was first brought up before Conservatives there was no sympathy but in recent years some members have abstained from voting on it.
Emails vs letters
According to Leslie, emails are just as good as form letters. Even copy and paste emails or online petitions do affect Parliament if they get a hold of them.
If anyone is interested in meeting with Megan Leslie with me sometime in the coming year on the topic of Peak Energy and community resilience, and how that affects us as federal and provincial voters, please contact me!
no subject
Date: 2012-01-21 08:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-22 03:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-22 07:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-22 07:30 pm (UTC)stick to it!
Date: 2012-01-25 03:36 am (UTC)Although it isn't a new revelation, it's amazing to me to re-realize that MPs' jobs are to represent peoples' issues. It is too often the case that people feel their representatives are too busy or they have no right to harrass, when really harrassing is the thing to do! (well, consistently re-trying :P)
I love Megan Leslie's constant encouragement and positive energy. -J