text: Your so excited to have a followup opportunity on your first campaign. You were planning to have dinner with Bob but as soon as your meeting was over you connected with the Olivia Wineland - a CLACC rep in Adam Zhao's constituency. You discuss MP Dinh's work on the G7 Ocean Plastics Charter and this opportunity to bring them together. You and Olivia collaboratively work to introduce the two energy & environment staff from the respective offices, who both take the time to listen to you. In the conversation you relate everything MP Dinh said about G7 Oceans Plastic Charter (and embellished) - and asked for Zhao's support on the rollout of the charter.
  
  You arrive to dinner late, but Bob is impressed with your initiative when you tell him the story. He expresses that he wasn't planning to follow that rabbit hole, but that "you done good kid" he says in his fatherly way.
  
  Follow up day has arrived, and you have a meeting with MP Dinh, you are super prepared on both the G7 Oceans Plastic Charter, as well as the GHG pollution agenda from CLACC.
  
  > Work to support the G7 Oceans Plastic Charter rollout
  You start to wonder, well maybe I'll make more of an impact working directly in support of a MP's goal - first. If we can help find more multi-partisan support for their Ocean Plastics Charter rollout maybe that will open a window for CLACC's agenda later.
  
  You were expecting a call with the MP, but when the call happens its with John, her Energy & Environment staff person. He reports back to you that they were pleased with your initiative and they had a series of conversations following the introduction you made. You try to bounce back and hide your disappointment, this is still a good cause, and of course she's busy you tell yourself.
  
  You say to John "It felt really good to reach out and make that connection - and to see the results of the new connection made it feel worthwhile!"
  
  John replies "We were very impressed by your initiative and ability to get the conversation started. I'll share confidentially - that sometimes we get a bit jagged with all the no answers we get when we reach out. Its like our approach is taken the wrong way. Having the connections formed by 2 consitutents like yourselves really helped overcome that processs."
  
  Tuyen and I had a conversation and if your up for it we'd be interested in asking you to volunteer for us. - and reprise your efforts. Would you be willing to reach out to other Conservative MPs in the same way to make more connections? If we could win the support of 5 or more conservatives in the charter rollout we could really accelerate the process and ensure this charter has some teeth."
  
  Your ecstactic about the idea saying "Wow, that sounds really exciting. This is like one of the best opportunities i've ever had in my life. I feel like we really have the opportunity to make a difference here. I'll be honest I came with the CLACC agenda, and that is still really important to me - but starting this collaboration with you is maybe a great way to loosen up some of those staunch Conservatives that make things harder."
  
  You finish - "So yes - Sign me up, so who should I contact first?"
  
  John forwards you a lot of information and a list of "environmental sympathizers", Conservative MPs who may be open to a multi-partisan supported rollout of the G7 Oceans Plastic Charter.
  
  Onwards and Upwards you say!
  
  > Grand Epilogue (1)
  US President Elizabeth Warren is sitting in front of a group of cameras with a who's who of international politicians, and environmental leaders behind her. Your watching because you know Tuyen Dinh is supposed to be there as part of the international coalition that negotiated this treaty. Eventually CNN pans right, and off the main shot you see Tuyen.
  
  Warren just signed the International Treaty on Ethical Plastics and she is giving a speech talking about how the treaty and America's leadership is trailblazing a new way to think and interact with natural resources and how we consume them. You laugh to yourself as you realize wow - it doesn't matter where you are on the political spectrum, taking credit for other people's work is still a thing. That's okay, there's no room for sore spots - because you know the truth - you were there.
  
  Canada's Oceans Plastic Charter was a resounding success. Yes, constituents of both Conservatives and Liberals initially had some resistance but you were a part of overcoming that resistance! You were there when a collaboration of 8 different MPs from 3 parties sat together and figured out how to frame the Oceans Plastic Charter and its accompanying rules to keep the people happy.
  
  Conservative MPs talked about how people shouldn't be forced to subsidize other people's straws, and the money to be made from resource reclamation
  
  NPD MPs talked about GHG reductions and how more is needed, but this is a good step in the right direction
  
  Liberal MPs talked about how Ocean Plastics reduction would protect fisheries and jobs
  
  And boy did it have teeth- nearly a 20% reduction in consumable plastices in just 3 years! After the wild success Tuyen worked with an international coalition - bringing people together in the same way that worked so well in Canada. Aided by language and various talking points, it seemed like every politician had a way to spin plastics reform into their idea.
  
  The powerful may claim credit for things - maybe they have to claim credit to stay in power? What matters is what you do with your power.
  
  You know what you did with yours - you helped Tuyen Dinh, Tuyen Dinh helped Canada, and Canada helped the US, and the US led the way for the rest of the world.