FOLA'S LOBBY DAY 2022
FOLA LOBBY DAY 2022: FEBRUARY 23
FOLA is pleased to announce that we will be hosting our 2nd Lobby Day on Wednesday, February 23, 2022.
What are Lobby Days? Lobby Days are commonly used by non-profits and professional organizations as opportunities to set aside a day to meet with elected members and political staff to raise awareness of their issued. For those who did not attend our Inaugural Lobby Day in 2020, you can take a read a recap of what happened here and view some pictures here.
Since 2022 will be an election year in Ontario, but with capacity restrictions still in place at Queen’s Park, FOLA decided that we should move forward with a virtual Lobby Day this time and we hope you will join us! Lobby Day 2022 will be an excellent opportunity to discuss your concerns with some of the most important decision makers in the province and help make justice issues a priority in the next election.
Participants will hear from - and be able to ask questions to - Ontario Cabinet Ministers, their staff and Opposition MPPs. Already confirmed include talks and Q&As with Attorney General and the NDP Critic for the Attorney General as well as smaller roundtable meetings to discuss practice-specific issues with senior staff from the Attorney General’s office, the Associate Minister of Children and Women's Issues’ office, and the Minister for Northern Affairs’ office. We are still in talks with the Premier’s office, the Solicitor General’s office, and will be reaching out to some other opposition critics. As well, FOLA will gladly organize a one-on-one meeting with anyone registered with their own MPP if they wish.
More information will be provided to each registered person and pre-Lobby Day prep meetings will be held to ensure each person in each meeting is aware of issues that will be discussed. FOLA will also be providing Talking Points (all based on input from you!). You are encouraged to learn more and fill out our registration form here.
Draft agenda coming soon.
LOBBY DAY PREPERATION
- FOLA will provide issue-specific talking points for each Roundtable meeting;
- FOLA will schedule a pre-event meeting to prepare for each Roundtable meeting;
- FOLA will host a "Lobbying 101" virtual session on February 16th from 4-5pm (EST) to teach/remind you how to speak with MPPs, Cabinet Ministers, and staff and how to connect with media and respond to media requests;
All above events will be recorded and available to all registrants.
Individual Meetings will also be arranged for those who request that.
Why Meet with your MPP? Click here
Prep Meeting Dates (all meetings are one hour via Zoom):
Family Law: February 3, 2022 @ 4pm(EST)
Criminal Law: February 7, 2022 @ 1pm(EST)
Real Estate: February 8, 2022 @ 2:30pm(EST)
Legal Aid: February 9, 2022 @4:30(EST)
Media Training: February 16, 2022 @ 4pm(EST)
If you have any questions, please email Katie at katie.robinette@fola.ca
LOBBY DAY 2020 HIGHLIGHTS
On February 20th, 2020, approximately 60 lawyers from law associations all across Ontario descended upon Queen's Park for a full day of meetings and events.
After some networking over breakfast, our members received a recap of key issue and a session on Lobbying/Advocacy 101 with Fasken's Lindsay Aagaard before heading in to watch Question Period.
We then hosted a luncheon reception for all MPPs and staff where both the Honorable Doug Downey, MPP (Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte) and Ontario's Attorney General and Gurratan Singh, MPP (Brampton East) and the NDP critic for the Attorney General said a few words.
At 1:30, individual members began breaking out into various groups and headed off to meetings with individual MPPs, Cabinet Ministers, and Ministers' staff. In all, 26 separate meetings were held!
The day wrapped up with a round table debrief.
Looking for a full recap? Click here. And check out our or pictures!
RESOURCES FOR YOUR MEETINGS
WHY MEET WITH YOUR MPP?
RESOURCES FOR YOUR ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS
RESOURCES FOR YOUR ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS
Meeting with MPPs and their staff is one of the most critical advocacy activities available - particularly in an election year such as 2022 (the election will be on or around June 8th 2022).
RESOURCES FOR YOUR ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS
RESOURCES FOR YOUR ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS
RESOURCES FOR YOUR ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS
All Roundtable meetings will be with Ministers' senior staff. These are the people who can best address and follow up on your key issues are a direct line to the Minister. These meetings serve as your best opportunity to drill down into the weeds on your concerns.
1 hour Zoom Prep Meeting Dates:
Family Law: February 3, 2022 @ 4pm(EST)
Criminal Law: February 7, 2022 @ 1pm(EST)
Real Estate: February 8, 2022 @ 2:30pm(EST)
Legal Aid: February 9, 2022 @4:30(EST)
TALKING POINTS COMING SOON
MEDIA/MEETING TRAINING
MEDIA/MEETING TRAINING
MEDIA/MEETING TRAINING
FOLA will be offering free training to all those registered for Lobby Day 2022. This training will include tips on how to best talk to Queen's Park staff.
We encourage all those who register attend in person but the event will be recorded and distributed to those registered. It will NOT be available for wider distribution.
Date: February 16, 2022 - 4-5pm(EST)
MPP BIOS
MEDIA/MEETING TRAINING
MEDIA/MEETING TRAINING
LOBBY DAY 101
WHAT IS LOBBYING?
Lobbying is commonly understood to be a a type of advocacy that can occur when groups or individuals bring issues and concerns directly to their government. This would involve speaking with MPPs (elected public officers) in their local riding, to party leaders, ministers and critics, and political staff with regard to developing or changing government policy. The Lobbying Act states there should be “free and open access to government is an important matter of public interest”. Lobbying is a defined term in the Lobbying Registry Act.
FOLA's Lobby Day is an opportunity to speak with politicians to positively affect change in policy.
FOLA's Lobby Day is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of Ontario's 47 Law Associations, and issues concerning Ontario's roughly 12,000 small and sole practicing lawyer among some of the most important decision makers in the province while at the same time, offering FOLA's members a glimpse into the life of a politician and/or their staff.
MEETINGS WITH MPPs AND STAFF
MEETING PREP CHECK LIST
MEETING PREP CHECK LIST
MEETING PREP CHECK LIST
In Advance of the Meeting
Plan how you'll describe the issues you want to discuss.
Make sure to avoid unnecessary jargon and don't "talk down" to legislators and their staff. These individuals are smart and well informed, but they usually won't have legal backgrounds.
If you're going as a team, plan beforehand who will take the lead and how you'll each effectively share your main points.
Attending the Meeting
Be on time. The member may be running late -but you shouldn’t!
Recognize that you'll likely be talking to a staff member too.
Be succinct: You will have 15 quality minutes: limit your message and stay on point. Have a clear "ask"? Now's your time to make it!
Describe the importance of the issue to your work. Use anecdotes or personal narratives. Explain how this affects their community and the public.
Be open to questions. If you don’t know the answer, offer to get it and follow up.
Conclude and reiterate top points, making sure to capture follow-ups or commitments.
After the Meeting
Thank them verbally for meeting with you.
Follow up by sending a thank you email to the MPP and the staff person who spoke with you. This is especially important if your goal is to establish a relationship.
Touch base with office contacts every three months to help build a relationship.
And don't forget to check out this handy video.
CONTACT AN MPP
MEETING PREP CHECK LIST
MEETING PREP CHECK LIST
FOLA will help arrange meetings for you, but if you choose to arrange your own, here are some great contact resources.
Here's your go-to list for all current MPPs and staff. Looking for a Cabinet Minister or their staff? Click on Ministries (drop down menu). Looking for an MPP or their staff? Select Legislative and then the party they belong to. Here's quick link.
Link to the main Ontario MPP & staff directory (includes Ministers and Parliamentary Assistants).
Looking for your MPP and don't know who that is or what Riding you live in? Look it up! Just click on the blue button below.