Write a letter
Writing a letter to your MP or MLA is the best way to introduce yourself. Politicians like to hear from their voters to find out what they are concerned about and what policies they support.
Your letter does not need to be long. It can be 2 or 3 sentences or a few paragraphs. We have developed a draft letter as an example. Feel free to use it or change it.
You can find your federal MP’s name and contact information here and your BC MLA’s name and contact information here.
Here are some points you can consider including:
- Begin your letter by telling them you live in their riding. This means you are one of their voters, and they will want to know that.
- Tell them why a Basic Income Guarantee (BIG) is important to you. Consider adding a personal experience you’ve had that convinced you that we need a BIG in Canada.
- Add a couple of sentences about what a BIG is and why it is important – see our draft letter for some suggestions.
- Then end your letter by asking for a meeting so you can have a conversation with them about basic income.
- Always conclude with a thank you. If you know your MP is supportive of BIG, thank them for their support and tell them you would like to meet with them to give them an update on the progress we are making to successfully implement a basic income benefit in Canada.
We also recommend that you print and mail your letter by Canada Post. Very few letters are received the old fashioned way, and so they are always read! Mailing letters to your MP or MLA is free – it does not require a stamp.
The address for Canada’s parliament is: House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6. The address for BC’s Legislative Assembly is: Parliament Buildings, Victoria, BC V8V 1X4.
Also, please send more than one letter. A politician who hears from you more than once learns that this issue is important to you, and that it could influence the way you vote in the next election!
Meet with your MP or MLA
After sending your email/letter, follow-up with a phone call to your politician’s constituency office. Learn who is the right staff person to speak with to ask for your meeting, and don’t forget to tell them that you live in their riding. It is harder to get a meeting if you are not one of their voters. Develop a respectful working relationship with this staffer. This is often the best way to connect, and to stay connected, with your politician.
Before you meet with your MP or MLA, review our talking points. Don’t worry about not being able to answer their questions. The first meeting is just to introduce yourself. Be prepared to tell them why a basic income is important to you, and ask them what their views are on basic income.
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:
- Are they willing to work with other MP’s or MLA’s who support basic income?
- Are they willing to present a paper petition in the House or Legislative Assembly 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).
- Are they willing to raise a question in the House or Legislative Assembly about the Government’s commitment to supporting people to get ahead, noting that a demonstration project of a Guaranteed Basic Income in PEI will help create the foundation for a strong and protective social safety net together with robust public services needed to support Canadians as we adapt and transition to the new economy.
Always follow-up your meeting with a thank you. Provide any further information requested, or to request a follow-up meeting in response to your first meeting. For example, you can send them our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), or offer to introduce them to an expert at a follow-up meeting to respond to their questions/concerns about a basic income. Contact us at basicincomebc@gmail.com, and we can help you find the right expert to bring to your next meeting.
Basic Income BC 