[fvc-wat-disc] Tactics meeting: Sun, 26 Feb at 2pm

Tue Feb 28 16:52:25 EST 2017

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For those who missed the Tactics Meeting on Sunday, here are the notes
I took. They will also be on the FairvoteWRC web site at
http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/meetings/

== Notes from the Fair Vote Waterloo Campaign Tactics Meeting, held 26
February 2017 ==

Event notice:
http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/event/fair-vote-waterloo-campaign-tactics-meeting/

Present:
** Sharon Sommerville
** David Dirks
** Rob Steel
** Donald Fraser
** Cathe Campbell
** Stuart Chandler
** Cathy Scott
** Ron Bowman
** Bob Jonkman

== Opening Comments ==
** Sharon quotes from David Suzuki
(https://ipolitics.ca/2017/02/23/hes-a-liar-why-the-left-coast-may-be-writing-off-justin-trudeau/)
** Today we're working from two documents, one theoretical (Pathways),
the other practical (Indivisible)

== Objectives ==
** Keep Electoral Reform top-of-mind
** We're not going to persuade Justin Trudeau to reverse his decision
to scrap Electoral Reform
** Need to differentiate the Liberals and the NDP
*** an ironclad guarantee for Mixed Member Proportional Representation
*** (but that's more of a tactic; not for this meeting)
** Punish every Liberal in Parliament
** '''Keep Electoral Reform Alive and provide public education'''
** Introduce a pilot project for Electoral Reform
*** (comes from Ted Kennedy's lament that he did not endorse a pilot
project to reduce poverty)
** Put pressure on politicians
** Recognize that this is an issue for many people
*** requires public education to link Electoral Reform to other
issues, eg. climate change, arms deals, trade treaties

== Discussion (Action Items) ==
* Pathways For Change (theories)
** Unlocking policy-making processes
** Why some policies go forward, and some don't
** What works, what does not
** What is successful advocacy?
** Policy Windows
*** What's needed to be seen as technically feasible
*** Policy makers must be interested in the issue
** '''Electoral Reform no longer meets the needs of the Liberal
Party''' (ie. they have a majority government)
** How a problem is defined makes a difference in the attention it gets
** Redefine the issue to suit the needs of the politicians
** Redefine the issue to suit the needs of the electorate
** '''Redefine the issue in the public mind'''
** "Liberals don't care about you"
** Issue definition is important
*** Politicians?
*** The Public?
*** The Community?
** Make friends with the media
** Change the message
*** Fair Vote does not have funds to purchase media (newspaper ads,
television spots)
** "Find anger, work on that"
** Campaigning on fear?
*** Liberals control the message
** Contact the media ''every'' time we do something good
** Create '''Social Media Team'''
*** Twitter:
**** Ron Bowman @RetiredCdnRJB
**** David Dirks @dirks_david
*** Facebook:
**** Donald Fraser donald.a.fraser.37
** Build relationships with politicians
*** and other community groups
** Keep balance
*** Groups are rational
*** Individuals are radical
** Message: Strategic voting
*** The message doesn't have to be true
** '''In all contacts be respectful and polite''' -- Important!
** Make linkages:
*** "What's in it for me?"
**** "Electoral Reform fixes everything"
** Trump appeal based on fear and anger
*** It's effective
** Need to connect on an emotional level
** Every policy issue: "The solution is Proportional Representation"
*** eg. Hope Spring (counselling for cancer patients)
**** Hope Spring will be closed
**** Example of a social issue; our letters can address that issue
**** This issue would be addressed with more balanced representation
** Step up the letter writing campaign to include broader issues
*** Reach out to other communities, eg. KWPeace
*** Participate in call-in shows
*** Phone the editors, producers to give commentary, even if not for
publication
** How to find the MP's schedule?
*** Find the "Events" page on MP's web site, use changedetection.com
to alert of changes
** Buy an event banner listing PR issues
*** Income Inequality
*** Oil divestment
*** etc.
** Distribute FairvoteWRC business cards
** Greatest link between effective government and Proportional
Representation
*** '''The best decisions are made by groups that are the most diverse'''
*** This can win over a conservative thinker
** Cathe wrote 50 Christmas cards to Bloc, NDP, Conservatives
*** "Please support Proportional Representation"
*** Response: One generic Christmas card from Thomas Mulcair
** Liberals are selling (giving away?) memberships to their party
*** These members are swamping the vote for policy issues, candidate
nominations
* Indivisible: Core Strategies for influencing politicians
** More calls and petitions
** Focus on local organizations
** Work with MPs ''and'' Senators
*** Senator contact info  to go on
http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/contact/politician-contact-info/
** Record all meetings with MPs
*** Post those recordings online
*** Prepare questions ahead of time
*** Also publicize lack of response
*** Post on Twitter
*** Post on http://fairvotewrc.ca/
** Be polite but persistent
*** "Please answer my question"
** Avoid fracturing
*** Don't wander off and do your own thing
*** Don't argue the merits of MMP vs. STV
** Focus on core strategy
** Get back to ERRE report
** Show up at meetings and events
*** Demand action on Electoral Reform
** Coordinate "blanket calls"
** Speak to Constituency Assistants
*** Redirecting office staff from their priorities to ours
** "Will you commit to Proportional Representation?"
** Liberals campaigned to give backbenchers more power
*** eg. Raj Saini, Marwan Tabbara
** Tie Electoral Reform to MPs' own issues
** "Why did you lie to us about Electoral Reform?"
** MPs don't want to be seen as ''not'' working for their constituents
** Voters are angry at Liberals for backing away from Electoral Reform
** Liberals are already in re-election mode
** Reiterate the illegitimacy of First-Past-The-Post
** MPs say
*** "I'm working hard for you"
*** "I share your values"
** Unnerve MPs; good technique
** Make a "Concrete Ask"
*** eg. "Will you host a Town Hall on Electoral Reform?"
** (David Dirks engaged us in a role-playing exercise)
** Liberals have no credibility if they add Electoral Reform to their
platform in 2019
*** They never had the political will to implement Electoral Reform
** "Targeted Riding Campaign"
*** Unseat 15 Liberals to achieve a minority government in 2019
*** This is probably not effective in Waterloo Region
** Attacking Liberals may be justified by their broken promise
** Cooperation between NDP and Greens
** Would Canadians even recognize the lurch between majorities of
different parties?

== Other ==
** Melanie Joly is in town at St. John's Anglican Church
*** Thursday, 2 March 2017 at 6:00pm
*** 23 Water Street, Duke Street entrance
*** This is a Liberal event, but open to the public
*** Protest?
**** Putting it on the Announcement list will alert the Liberals
**** We don't want to operate by stealth
**** Be specific (time, duration, need protest signs, etc.)

** "Parking Lot" notes:
*** Privatizing campaign funding through citizens and not coporations
or unions; how to curb private corruption
*** Colin Butler of CBC-KW interviewd Sharon Sommerville; her comments
were not aired

Notes taken by Bob Jonkman

On 2017-02-16 02:26 PM, Bob Jonkman wrote:
> Based on the results of the poll, we'll be holding a meeting on 
> Sunday, 26 February to discuss tactics and next steps for our
> campaign to get electoral reform implemented despite the Liberal's
> broken promise.
> 
> *What*: Fair Vote Waterloo Campaign Tactics meeting *When*: Sunday,
> 26 February 2017 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm *Where*: To be determined 
> *Event*: 
> http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/event/fair-vote-waterloo-campaign-tactics-meeting/
>
>  Location is yet to be determined, I'll send another announcement
> when that's finalized.
> 
> --Bob.
> 
> Poll: 
> http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/choose-a-date-for-the-fair-vote-waterloo-campaign-tactics-meeting/
>
> 
> 
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