Tactic: Parliamentary Engagement

Parliamentary advocacy involves conducting actions aimed at influencing elected officials and Senators (in Canada) to bring about specific changes. Elected officials shape legislation, budgets, funding mechanisms, and policy agendas, making them key decision-makers in advancing your advocacy goals. Parliamentarians can be both decision-makers and strong influencers depending on your ask.

Some parliamentary tactics include: 

  • meeting with parliamentarians or their staff
  • participating in consultations
  • submitting briefs to committees
  • engaging during budget and policy cycles

Direct engagement allows advocates to present their ask clearly and build longer-term relationships with decision-makers.

Before engaging elected officials, it is important to understand their roles, responsibilities, and areas of influence. Parliamentarians are involved in shaping legislation, reviewing policies, allocating funding through the federal budget, and representing the interests of their constituents. However, not all elected officials hold the same level of authority or responsibility.

Researching your targets helps ensure that your advocacy reaches the right person at the right time. For example, ministers may have direct responsibility for specific policy areas, while committee members often play a role in reviewing legislation or studying issues in greater depth. Other parliamentarians may serve as influential champions who can raise your issue within their party or caucus.

Understanding a parliamentarian’s role, interests, and past statements can help you tailor your message and connect your advocacy ask to the issues they care about. Doing this homework strengthens credibility and increases the likelihood that your engagement will be productive.

Do your parliamentary research: 

1.Start with Your End Goal

Be clear about what you want to achieve through your parliamentary engagement: 

  • Increased funding in the budget?
  • Legislative reform?
  • Removal, change or addition of a policy?
  • Political statement?

2.Identify the right targets

Parliamentarians hold different roles. When you are getting started with your targeting, be strategic about who you chose to target based on what your issue is: 

  • Which department or minister has jurisdiction over your issue?
  • What opposition roles do parliamentarians hold?
  • What committee works on your issue and what parliamentarians are on that committee? See all committees here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/committees/en/Home
  • Do you know any parliamentarians who can act as effective influencers to the decision-maker you identified?
  1. Make sure you engage parliamentarians at the right time 

Consider what is on the parliamentary calendar:  

  • Is there a budget process underway?
  • Is legislation being reviewed?
  • Are they on a committee that is studying your issue right now?
  • Is public attention needed right now?
  • Is this a moment of opportunity because of national, or local events?

How to effectively meet parliamentarians

Meeting with parliamentarians is one of the most direct and effective ways to bring your advocacy ask to the people who have the authority to act. These conversations provide an opportunity to share your perspective, explain why the issue matters, and encourage decision-makers to support a specific solution.

Effective meetings do not need to be long or highly technical. In many cases, short and focused conversations can be the most impactful. Parliamentarians often connect strongly with personal stories and clear explanations of how an issue affects communities. Sharing why the issue matters to you can help make your advocacy message memorable and meaningful.

Once you have secured, it is important to understand the role and perspective of the parliamentarian you are engaging with. Researching your target allows you to tailor your message and connect your advocacy ask to the issues they care about.

Consider the following questions:

  • What roles does the parliamentarian hold? For example, are they a minister, committee member, parliamentary secretary, or opposition critic?
  • Have they spoken about your issue before? Reviewing past speeches, public statements, or social media posts can provide insight into their interests and priorities.
  • What region or community do they represent? Understanding their constituency can help you highlight how your issue relates to their local context.
  • What perspectives or political positions might influence their viewpoint? Being aware of party priorities, policy positions, or regional concerns can help you frame your message effectively.

Doing this political homework helps you enter the meeting informed and prepared, increasing the likelihood that your message will resonate.

Tips for an Effective Meeting

  • Use a simple structure to communicate your message.
    Frameworks like the EPIC model (explored in the next module) can help organize your message so it is concise, persuasive, and focused.
  • Make your request concrete: Clearly explain the action you would like the parliamentarian to take. Framing the request as a yes-or-no question can help make the response clear and easier to follow up on. For example:
    “Will you send a letter to the Minister of International Development expressing your support for this issue?”
  • Share why the issue matters to you.
    Parliamentarians often connect strongly with personal stories and lived experiences. Using your own voice and perspective can help make your message more compelling.
  • Follow up and amplify the meeting.
    After a productive meeting, consider sharing a short message on social media thanking the parliamentarian for their time and highlighting the issue discussed. Tagging the parliamentarian can reinforce the conversation publicly and help maintain momentum.