Coalition Canada has representatives in every province in Canada. If you would like to engage with your provincial representative on the issue of basic income, please send us a note and we’ll put you in touch with one of our members.You can email us here.
- Find out who your MP is. This information can be found here. You can find your provincial MLA/MPP by going to your provincial government website.
- Send them an email introducing yourself and saying that you would like to speak to them about basic income, by phone or in person at their constituency office. Tell them why you think it is important. See our draft letter and feel free to change it to reflect what you would like to communicate.
- If you don’t get a response after a week or so, send another email. If another week goes by and you haven’t heard, call their constituency office.
- If you get a meeting, your goal is to establish the beginning of a relationship so it’s about having a good conversation about a basic income guarantee and hearing what they have to say.
- To prepare for the meeting we suggest your review the Talking Points. They may ask some questions that you are not be able to answer. This is okay – it will give you a reason to ask for a follow up meeting. You can offer to bring a topic expert with you, or you can follow up by sending them more information. Based on what you learned in the meeting, representatives from Coalition Canada can help you with your followup by suggesting topic experts who could join you in the next meeting, or appropriate follow up information you can send. You can email us here.
- If you find that your MP is supportive of basic income, ask them what they are prepared to do to help. Here are some suggestions:
- Raise a question in Parliament about the commitment the federal government has to supporting people to get ahead, noting that a demonstration project of a Guaranteed Basic Income in PEI will help create the strong and protective social infrastructure of an income floor together with robust public services to support Canadians as we adapt and transition to the new economy.
- Are they willing to work with other MP’s who support basic income?
- Are they willing to present a paper petition in Parliament calling for a basic income?
- Are they willing to speak publicly in support of a Guaranteed Basic Income Demonstration project in PEI (A GBI for PEI).
- Always follow up with a thank you, and include any further information they requested.