[fvc-wat-disc] Meeting with Bardish

Stephanie Janzen-Martin stephanie at janzenmartin.net
Mon Nov 20 13:34:25 EST 2017 

Hi Anita,

Thanks for that info. Very useful. :)

SJM

On Mon, Nov 20, 2017 at 12:59 PM Anita Nickerson <anitann88 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hi folks. I'm only partially following this discussion.. but if it's that
> Bardish's office wants the names and addresses of all attendees, so that
> they will only allow people who live in the riding to attend, in organizing
> MP visits with Liberals across the country in the past 1-2 years, that's
> pretty common practice for the assistant to require that. Sometimes you can
> give them a few names and addresses and then kinda add other people in who
> just show up with you. But they don't want to deal with non-constituents.
>
> Anita
>
> On Mon, Nov 20, 2017 at 11:52 AM, Mary Jackes <mkj at bell.net> wrote:
>
>> Yes, indeed.  Anything other than a polite approach to a politician is
>> completely counter-productive.  Perhaps simply asking for clarification?
>> That could present the opportunity to say that we find a requirement of
>> details on the visiting group unprecedented.
>>
>> Based on 13 years of association with Fair Vote and other groups here in
>> Waterloo, plus years in Alberta, I would say such a request is
>> unprecedented.  And it's for that reason that I find asking for names and
>> addresses odd.  Definitely "intimidation" comes in different forms in
>> different countries (I've worked in several where intimidation could mean
>> really bad things - for me up to and including a wall and a sub-machine gun
>> in one country and being chased by armed goons through the night in
>> another).  But in Canadian terms.......... My reaction to Stu's email was
>> that "intimidating" was a reasonable word for him to have used, in the
>> sense of inducing anxiety.
>>
>> Mary.
>>
>> On 11/20/2017 10:16 AM, Stephanie Janzen-Martin wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Thank you for the responses. I am all in favour of pushing MPs
>> (respectfully), on policy issues. My only concern with how this email
>> thread was going was that it seemed to be veering into territory that
>> seemed unnecessarily harsh and negative - if we see our MP as treating
>> people as second class citizens and intimidation etc, those are big claims,
>> and I hesitate to throw them around lightly. (I've lived places where that
>> is a real threat, and that kind of stuff actually does happen, and it looks
>> very different from this - trust me! :)) Not that there isn't maybe a way
>> that Bardish could have handled this better, but jumping to intimidation
>> just seems unrealistic to me - especially since, as far I can tell, nobody
>> has even asked her why she wanted the info. Feels like a lot of negative
>> speculation that is very thin on facts. :)
>>
>> Why would we confront Bardish (even if it is done politely) and tell her
>> that some people didn't like her request, and are accusing her of
>> intimidation, when we haven't even bothered to ask her why she asked for
>> the info in the first place? Shouldn't we learn more first?
>>
>> Let's have a great chat with Bardish about PR and policy, and be smart
>> and clear-headed about it. Let's not jump to falsely positive conclusions
>> (overly naive), but let's also not jump to falsely negative conclusions
>> (overly cynical).
>>
>> Thoughts?
>>
>> SJM
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 20, 2017 at 9:59 AM STUART CHANDLER <stuchandler43 at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Stephanie‎ (and all)
>>>
>>> I, for one, certainly value your viewpoint. It's good to know you've had
>>> a positive experience working with Bardish's office.
>>>
>>> Personally, I always approach life from the perspective of "Expect the
>>> Best", so, I want there to be no misunderstanding of my intent. I agree
>>> 100% that we should approach EVERY meeting with ANY person or group from
>>> that positive perspective.
>>>
>>> However, I believe it is wise to consider all factors before such a
>>> meeting, so as not to be blind-sided by something that, in retrospect we
>>> should have seen coming. And we are left standing with mouths agape, not
>>> knowing what say in response. I also believe it is possible to say
>>> challenging things ‎in very respectful ways.
>>>
>>> In my opinion, the best way to approach this would be to respectfully
>>> advise her office of how the email is being received by some people, and to
>>> add the assurance that we imagine that reaction was not intended.
>>>
>>> I have identified 3 reactions: 1) surprise and concern over the
>>> introduction of a new practice in the visit to the MP's office. ‎2) the
>>> feeling of intimidation generated. 3) the feeling of possible exclusion (or
>>> being considered 2nd-class) if a prospective visitor lives in a different
>>> riding.
>>>
>>> As we are a group that is focused on the promotion of increased
>>> Democracy, I suggest that before we passively accept a new practice by an
>>> MP, we consider if it is likely to advance the cause of Democracy (and
>>> access to MPs) or more likely to have the opposite effect. ‎To me, this
>>> seems to have the opposite effect. And an MP should be respectfully
>>> advised.
>>>
>>> Sincerely.
>>>
>>> Stu.
>>>
>>> Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the Rogers network.
>>> *From: *Stephanie Janzen-Martin
>>> *Sent: *Monday, November 20, 2017 9:00 AM
>>> *To: *FVC Waterloo Region Discussion
>>> *Reply To: *FVC Waterloo Region Discussion
>>> *Subject: *Re: [fvc-wat-disc] Meeting with Bardisheach meeting ‎
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> I'll add my thoughts in here, if you don't mind. I am not a particular
>>> fan of the liberals (I'm NDP/Green) - but I have had several issues where I
>>> have been working with Bardish's office (here and Ottawa) for the last year
>>> or so. She and her staff have been extremely polite, positive and helpful,
>>> while working with me on big questions, despite there being no immediate
>>> fix available. (On another issue, they worked very hard with me over
>>> several weeks and found an immediate solution, which was great!)
>>>
>>> Maybe she really is trying to secretly intimidate the opposition by
>>> getting logistical info, or maybe this is a simple misunderstanding that is
>>> being escalated every time someone else responds in the email thread. If
>>> so, I am sure that any meeting we might get with her in this issue will be
>>> compromised if we go in assuming the worst. How can we expect to work for
>>> positive change if we are so convinced of such negative things about her,
>>> based on so little info?  If that is how the meeting is going to be
>>> started, then I'd rather not be a part of it, since I already have a great
>>> working relationship with her and her staff, and I don't want to jeopardize
>>> it with these negative assumptions.
>>>
>>> All I'm saying is that I would give the benefit of the doubt and get
>>> more info before assuming intimidation... :)
>>>
>>> Hope that helps,
>>>
>>> SJM
>>>
>>> On Sun, Nov 19, 2017 at 1:09 PM Mary Jackes <mkj at bell.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I must say that this leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth.  It feels
>>>> like intimidation.
>>>> Best,
>>>>
>>>> Mary
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 11/18/2017 9:21 AM, STUART CHANDLER wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Thanks Sharon for passing the Bardish email along.
>>>>
>>>> Holy crap!!  More proof that Bardish has a HUGE amount of nerve, and
>>>> indulges in covert/overt intimidation (although I'm sure she would cleverly
>>>> try to sell it as "genuine interest in her constituants". ‎ I have no doubt
>>>> that she has a pretty clear sense of the effect that "interest" (in having
>>>> the names and addresses of those interested in visiting her office -
>>>> particularly if coming with intent to complain or challenge) would have on
>>>> anyone so inclined.
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the Rogers network.
>>>> *From: *Sharon Sommerville
>>>> *Sent: *Friday, November 17, 2017 8:08 PM
>>>> *To: *FVC Waterloo Region Discussion
>>>> *Reply To: *FVC Waterloo Region Discussion
>>>> *Subject: *Re: [fvc-wat-disc] Meeting with Bardish
>>>>
>>>> Hi Cathe,
>>>>
>>>> That would be great, thank you!  Will
>>>>
>>>> Here is th email that I rec'd today from Bardish's constituency
>>>> assistant:
>>>>
>>>> Hi Sharon,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for your email and for your call the other day, could you please
>>>> let me know some info about who would like to meet? Could you please also
>>>> provide their Waterloo addresses for our records?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks and I hope you’re having a great day.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> In my experience, it is unheard of to screen constituents for a meeting
>>>> with a MP.  Let me know if you want to provide Bardish's office with your
>>>> address.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Cheers,
>>>>
>>>> Sharon
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> --
>>>
>>> Stephanie Janzen-Martin
>>> Find me at: Menno Adventures...
>>> https://sustainabledevelopmentresources.wordpress.com     Director of
>>> Program Development - www.smcegypt.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>> --
>>
>> Stephanie Janzen-Martin
>> Find me at: Menno Adventures...
>> https://sustainabledevelopmentresources.wordpress.com     Director of
>> Program Development - www.smcegypt.org
>>
>>
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>
>
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-- 

Stephanie Janzen-Martin
Find me at: Menno Adventures...
https://sustainabledevelopmentresources.wordpress.com     Director of
Program Development - www.smcegypt.org
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