Election 2011: What does it mean for NonProfit Lobbying?
May 3, 2011; Mark Buzan's PR and Public Affairs Spot on the Web: Well it's over! The Canadian federal election has produced a Conservative Party majority in the House of Commons, the New Democratic Party has been elected as the Official Opposition for the first time in history, and both the Liberal Party and Bloc Quebecois have been dealt difficult blows. Hopefully, your nonprofit organisation was active in grassroots advocacy during the election to position it for the coming parliament. What does this mean for the coming parliament and how will your non-profit organisation or association be affected in its advocacy campaigns and lobbying?
As a result of the election, a number of important factors will undoubtedly develop making it critical for your non-profit association executive and board of directors to consider:
- An end to minority parliaments means less political instability and possibly less partisanship: In the previous parliament, each party was jockying for the best possible angle to win seats in an election that could take place at any moment. This meant that issues that weren't necessarily in the public eye or politically "sexy" took lesser notice. The potential for change is there if the tone of parliament can be taken down a notch.
- The federal budget will likely be re-introduced very soon: If your NGO wasn`t already aware of what was included in the budget, I would highly recommend you review our March 2011 post on the make up up the federal budget and on the need for legislative monitoring for nonprofit organisations. Of course, with the call of a new parliament, the budget will also be coupled with the call of a Throne Speech setting the agenda for the next four years to come.
- The Official Opposition is now made up of a large caucus of inexperienced and unknown MPs: Of complete shock to most who watch Ottawa was the surge of the NDP in Quebec where the former 4th party in the House of Commons moved into second place replacing the Bloc Quebecois and the Liberal Party. Contrary to how most lobbyists are acquainted with connecting with the long established Liberal Party, the NDP`s new stature coupled with their new found influence in the House of Commons means that nonprofit associations, charities, and NGOs are going to need to undertake a serious education campaign amongst a number of inexperienced legislators.
- The loss of some key Ministers in the election means there will be new faces to the cabinet: Who will be the faces of those will influence your agenda? Again, legislative monitoring will be critical to your association`s government relations success.
- The return to a majority parliament means that the role of committees will (could) take on renewed importance: In minority parliaments, the focus is placed on a more even distribution of placing your advocacy campaigns before all of the parties. While this is still the critical requirement of a successful nonprofit government relations campaign, a majority parliament means that the Conservatives will hold much more sway in the committees affecting your agenda. Brushing up on House of Commons committee presentation skills and learning how to make your cause known before government consultations will be critical.
So where does this election position your non-profit association? How do you think the practice of government relations will be effected by the recent election? Leave your comments below!
Mark
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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifying Officer in Action Strategies, a full service lobbying firm, government relations, and grassroots advocacy agency for nonprofit organisations, associations and NGOs.
Related posts:
- Is a federal election coming?
- 4 ways nonprofits can leverage elections as grassroots lobbying opportunities
- It seems the times have changed the date of an election
- Reconnecting with Government Officials and Lobbying Contacts for Non-Profit Organizations
- What Can Our Grassroots Advocacy and Public Relations Services Deliver?
