Connecting With Politicians

1. WHAT: Be clear about what you want to say.
Do you want to communicate:

• A specific problem? Provide specific details and ideas for how to fix the problem.
• An idea? Provide specific details and how you can help.

2. WHO: Decide if what you want to say is for your federal, provincial or municipal elected-representative.

• If you are not sure, you can try searching online or you can contact information resources likes 311 or the Toronto Public Library (416-397-5981) to help.
• Find your elected representatives here:
  • City Councillor – Municipal Government
  • MPP - Government of Ontario: Responsible for provincial matters including education, health care, and road regulations and is led by the Premier.
  • MP - Government of Canada: Usually responsible for national and international matters and is led by the Prime Minister.
• Scarborough is organized according to six wards/ridings. As of 2018, the municipal wards align with the federal and provincial ridings.

3. HOW: What is the most effective way to communicate what you want to say?

• Prepare what you want to say in writing. This creates a written record of what you are asking for and it helps to make sure your elected representative understands what you want to say. In your letter or email, make sure to include:
  • your name (and your organization if you are contacting on behalf of a group)
  • a brief description of who you are
  • your contact phone number, email and/or mailing address
  • the issue you are addressing near the top of your letter or in the subject of your email and you can indicate if it is urgent
  • an explanation of the issue and/or idea
  • an explanation of your perspective, suggestion, concerns, etc
  • Sample letter

• Request an action and/or response. Let them know what you want them to do.
• Tips: Dos & Don’ts
  • DO address your key issues early in your letter. You can provide further explanation later in the letter.
  • DO be respectful.
  • DO include examples including personal experiences (if you have them) to demonstrate why you are contacting them and why this issue is important to you.
  • DO encourage other groups to support your letter by writing/emailing/calling in or have them agree to sign on to your letter.
  • DO keep a copy of your letter and/or email.
  • DON’T make your letter too long or too wordy.
  • DON’T get off-topic. Stick to the objectives of your letter and include only the items that relate to those. If you have more than one area of concern, it may be best to write a separate letter for each area.

Why its useful contacting your politicians:

• You provide information to your politicians. Politicians often value information from people being affected by the policies they are responsible for.
• Accountability. Your letter creates a record and shows that your representative was told about an issue and they can be held accountable for their actions after the fact.
• You point out a problem that is not being addressed. Politicians can only address matters they know about. Contacting a politician might help to save people’s lives or create positive change.

1. WHAT: Speak to an item on the agenda. Be clear about what you want to say.

Do you want to communicate approval or disapproval of an agenda item?

2. WHO: Anyone can do a deputation as long as you sign up.

• You must sign up at least a day before the meeting.
• Email or call the contact the secretariat and let them know your name (and your organization) and the agenda item you will be speaking to.
• Your experience as a community member is very important since you are able to talk about the actual lived impacts of policies/programs or lack of policies/programs.

3. WHEN & WHERE

• The date and time for the committee is scheduled in advance. Each committee usually meets once a month at the same time.
• Pre-COVID, committees usually met at City Hall or Civic Centres in committee rooms and individuals giving a deputation are put on a speakers’ list and called to speak by the chair.
• Deputations usually take place at the start of each agenda item.
• During COVID, deputations are being done by telephone. When you register by email or by phone, the secretariat will inform you about the steps to call into the meeting.
• You can watch City Council meetings here.

4. HOW: What is the most effective way to communicate what you want to say?

• >Prepare your deputation.
  • Include your name (and your organization if you are contacting on behalf of a group)
  • State what you would like to speak to about the agenda item.
  • Give reasons that help explain your position. Speak from your expertise including your lived experiences, what community members say, what you have seen, etc. Be expressive and aim to capture the attention of your listeners.
• Practice your deputation.
  • Deputations are usually 5 minutes (and sometimes 3 minutes if there is a long list of speakers).
  • It is helpful to have notes on hand and practice so that you can say what you want to say in the allotted time.
  • Sample deputation
  • Sample deputation

• Tips: Dos & Don’ts
  • DO be respectful.
  • DO include personal experiences to explain why this agenda item is important to you and how it affects your life.
  • DO try to capture the attention of city councillors and city staff.
  • DON’T make your deputation too long, too wordy and too filled with statistics.
  • DON’T get off-topic. Stick to the objectives of your deputation.
  • DON’T insult the committee members.

Why it's useful to do a deputation

• You draw attention to a problem that is not being addressed. Politicians can only address matters they know
  about. Contacting a politician might help to save people’s lives or create positive change.
• You show support or disapproval for an idea.

A deputation is a short speech – usually up to 5 minutes – given to a City Council committee or board about something on the agenda. Check the schedule for committee meetings and to see the agenda.