NonProfits Need to Still Lobby the New Official Opposition
May 30, 2011; Mark Buzan's PR and Public Affairs Spot on the Web: Last week, the cabinet was announced and the Parliament is shaping up even more as the Leader of the Official Opposition, Jack Layton, announced his shadow cabinet on Thursday. While many will argue that lobbying strategy in a majority government changes from government relations advocacy more directly to caucus members in the government and on regional issues (there's some truth to this), it is pure folly for a nonprofit association executive director to ignore the Official Opposition.
Now that the Shadow Cabinet and the Cabinet are all announced, look below to see where your association will need to focus its efforts. A match up of cabinet ministers versus critics is here:
|
Ministers |
Title |
NDP Critic |
|
Harper, Stephen (Right Hon.) |
Prime Minister |
Layton, Jack (Hon.) |
|
Ritz, Gerry (Hon.) |
Agriculture and Agri-Food |
Allen, Malcolm |
|
Clement, Tony (Hon.)/ Moore, James (Hon.) |
Ethics, Access to Information and Privacy & Copyright and Digital Issues |
Angus, Charlie |
|
Valcourt, Bernard (Hon.) |
La Francophonie |
Aubin, Robert |
|
Ablonczy, Diane (Hon.) |
Americas and Consular Affairs (Minister of State) |
Ayala, Paulina |
|
Moore, James (Hon.) |
Canadian Heritage |
Benskin, Tyrone |
|
Ambrose, Rona (Hon.) |
Status of Women |
Boivin, Francoise |
|
Clement, Tony (Hon.) |
Treasury Board |
Boulerice, Alexandre |
|
Finley, Diane (Hon.) |
Skills (Human Resources and Skills Development) |
Boutin-Sweet, Marjolaine |
|
Fast, Ed (Hon.) |
International Trade |
Chisholm, Robert |
|
Lebel, Denis (Hon.) |
Transport, Infrastructure and Communities |
Chow, Olivia |
|
Uppal, Tim (Hon.) |
Democratic Reform (Minster of State) |
Christopherson, Dave |
|
Nicholson, Rob (Hon.) |
Justice |
Comartin, Joe |
|
Maxime, Bernier (Hon.) |
Small Business and Tourism (Minister of State) |
Côté, Raymond |
|
Finley, Diane (Hon.) |
Human Resources and Skills Development |
Crowder, Jean |
|
Kenney, Jason (Hon.) |
Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism |
Davies, Don |
|
Aglukkaq, Leona (Hon.) |
Health |
Davies, Libby |
|
Baird, John (Hon.) |
Foreign Affairs |
Dewar, Paul |
|
Ashfeild, Keith (Hon.) |
Fisheries and Oceans |
Donnelly, Fin |
|
Duncan, John (Hon.) |
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development |
Duncan, Linda |
|
Raitt, Lisa (Hon.) |
Labour and Official Languages |
Godin, Yvon |
|
MacKay, Peter (Hon.) |
National Defence |
Harris, Jack |
|
Clement, Tony (Hon.) |
Industry and Deputy National Caucus Chair |
Julian, Peter |
|
Oda, Bev (Hon.) |
International Cooperation |
Laverdière, Hélène |
|
Goodyear, Gary (Hon.) |
Science and Technology (Minister of State) |
Leblanc, Hélène |
|
Kent, Peter (Hon.) |
Environment |
Leslie, Megan |
|
Shea, Gail (Hon.) |
National Revenue |
Mai, Hoang |
|
Menzies, Ted (Hon.) |
Pensions (Minister of State) |
Marston, Wayne |
|
Ritz, Gerry (Hon.) |
Canadian Wheat Board |
Martin, Pat |
|
Wong, Alice (Hon.) |
Seniors (Minister of State) |
Mathyssen, Irene |
|
Fantino, Julian (Hon.) |
Military Procurement (Associate Minister of National Defence) |
Moore, Christine |
|
Finley, Diane (Hon.) |
Housing (Human Resources and Skills Development) |
Morin, Marie-Claude |
|
Van Loan, Peter (Hon.) |
Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons |
Mulcair, Tom |
|
Gosal, Bal (Hon.) |
Sport (Minister of State) |
Nantel, Pierre |
|
Flaherty, Jim (Hon.) |
Finance |
Nash, Peggy |
|
Finley, Diane (Hon.) |
Employment Insurance (Human Resources and Skills Development) |
Patry, Claude |
|
Finley, Diane (Hon.) |
Disabilities (Human Resources and Skills Development) |
Perreault, Manon |
|
Oliver, Joe (Hon.) |
Minister of Natural Resources |
Saganash, Romeo |
|
Toews, Vic (Hon.) |
Minister of Public Safety |
Sandhu, Jasbir |
|
Finley, Diane (Hon.) |
Post-secondary Education (Human Resources and Skills Development) |
Sitsabaiesan, Rathika |
|
Blaney, Steven (Hon.) |
Veterans Affairs |
Stoffer, Peter |
|
Clement, Tony (Hon.) |
Consumer Protection (Industry) |
Thibeault, Glenn |
|
Ambrose, Rona (Hon.) |
Public Works and Government Services and National Caucus Chair |
Turmel, Nycole |
What plans does your nonprofit organisation, NGO, charity, or association have to interact with the new Official Opposition? They may not be the government, but the size of their caucus and the new attention they will gain in the media, will be enough to bring light on the important causes you support.
Mark
_____________________________
Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifying Officer in Action Strategies and leads the firm in its lobbying, grassroots advocacy and government relations services for the nonprofit association sector.
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