Public Policy 101

Key Points:

1. Public Policy is an umbrella-term that refers to public facing rules that impact the public.

2. Advocacy is very similar to its formal term, 'Lobbying.'

3. Public Policy deals with issues and consequences surrounding a law.

Key Points:

1. Focus on cultivating relationships until it is no longer possible.

2. Credibility-indicators are key when trying to get a response.

3. You rarely need to go to the head of government to get your issue addressed. Focus on your local representative or elected official in charge of that issue.

Key Points:

1. Identify the policy or regulation that prevents your organization from doing its best work.

2. Imagine the counter-argument to your issue as a policymaker.

3. Identify which level of government your issue applies to.

Key Points:

1. Identify the size and scope of your issue: is it small, medium or large?

2. Identify the resources needed to address the issue.

3. Identify your personal bandwidth to address the issue.

Key Points:

1. Stick to one ask first and make it VERY SPECIFIC and realistic.

2. Focusing on one ask does not mean you are rejecting others, it means you are creating a runway for them in the near future.

3. Identify the counter points to your ask along with cost implications, it's up to you to consider the consequences.

Key Points:

1. Identify the specific office you need to contact. If a website like InfoGo is not available, you'll have to Google your issue and research any political office affiliated with that issue, you can do this by clicking the 'News' tab after you enter the search query into Google to see if any political office has been mentioned.

2. Ideally look to speak to the political staff in the office that have titles that focus on stakeholder relations/public engagement, policy or in rare cases a Chief of Staff/EA.

3. Don't bombard political staff!

Key Points:

1. You need to have an organized agenda in your meeting.

2. Chair the meeting and be aware of time constraints.

3. Outline next steps for you and their team. Follow up in 48 hours.

Key Points:

1. If your follow-up emails are not working, contact another staffer in the office or the member of the opposition (usually referred to as the critic for that portfolio).

2. Revisit your email and ensure you have followed the instructions in the template.

3. Ask for a mutual introduction from a colleague or member of your network that is having luck with interacting with that office.

Key Points:

1. Identify the reason for the rejection, try and modify the request.

2. Push back firmly but in a civil manner if necessary.

3. If you have the budget and time is limited, you can consider hiring a Lobbying Firm. If you don't have the budget but have the time, you can consider building a campaign/coalition.

Key Points:

1. Identify like-minded organizations, the more recognizable the names around the table, the better.

2. Convene meeting with solid agenda, ask what orgs around the table are willing to do specifically as many do not like to get involved politically but some may be interested in signing their names to letters.

3. DO NOT turn the meeting into an off-topic social opportunity, stick to the agenda and socialize after the meeting.

Key Points:

1. Media is very powerful, engage media when you are ignored/situation is urgent/trying to raise awareness.

2. The internet never forgets, when you get media coverage, be tactical and strategic in what you say.

3. Max out all options available to you before engaging media (if applicable).

Key Points:

1. Registering as a lobbyist has implications for the individuals/organizations that do so. You only need to register as a lobbyist if you meet certain criteria.

2. In Canada, you need to register as a lobbyist if 20% or more of your duties involves interacting with the offices of elected officials.

3. It is important to check the lobbying restrictions and rules in your jurisdiction, simply Google Search "registering as a lobbyist in [enter city, province/state or country]"

Congratulations on your progress in this course so far! Make sure you hit a 100% completion rate by completing this lesson and the following survey, before selecting the 'Next' button below.

But before you go, I just wanted to share some extra resources with you that you can take advantage of right now to continue your learning:

• Background reading for tech startups dealing with regulation - Fraser Institute Report https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/technology-startups-and-industry-specific-regulations.pdf

• Federal Lobbying Rules and Regulations - https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/en/rules/

• Useful Background Reading for Charities/NGOs -http://www.carters.ca/pub/bulletin/charity/2019/chylb453.pdf

• More Lobbying and PR Firms:

  • Global Public Affairs

  • National

  • Hill & Knowlton

  • Media Profile

  • StrategyCorp

  • Crestview Strategy

Never stop learning! Copy and paste the links above into your browser to keep your momentum going.

If you have any questions about the course content or want to work with me, please don't hesitate to send an email to saeedselvam@gmail.com