text: [Themes: edutainment]
  
  For the past 4 months Constituent Lobby Against Climate Change has been working to set up a briefing with the House of Commons Standing committee on Natural Resources (RNNR). You just found out that the efforts of you and colleagues across the country have been fruitful, and CLACC has a chance to share a briefing with the RNNR committee. Your specific role is to team up with another CLACC member and prepare for the event, which will happen in exactly one months time.
  
  Your a member of one CLACC chapter
  
  There are a total of 11 members in the committee, plus an additional 100 associate members. Each representative is being assigned a 2-person team from Constituent Lobby Against Climate Change who will be seeking to specifically engage that representative. You saw no one had signed up to connect with MP Tuyen Dinh so you take the spot and look for your teammate. Its not too long that Bob Morgan a veteran from many CLACC campaigns contacts you and volunteers to team up with you. Bob is a native of Thornhill, and seems to be a great fit given that Dinh's constituency is in Thornhill.
  
  At this event you and CLACC allies will be working to help the caucus to find their own reasons & motivations to commit to the platform agenda presented by policy experts at CLACC.
  
  CLACC's briefing just concluded. You and Bob have a short lunch break and take a moment to review your strategy for getting Dinh onboard with CLACC's agenda. What was your strategy for working with MP Dinh?
  
  [Author's Note: You are a constituent planning to lobby an elected official to take action on climate change, but how can you succeed?]
  
  > start with the ask and be direct
  Ministers of Parliment (MPs) want a direct ask and you think you should talk to them the way they ask to be talked to.
  
  The meeting you've been waiting for has arrived. After some small talk you dive into your strategy.
  
  You address MP Dinh directly, stating "This issue is important for the nation and your consituency - we are looking for you to support the proposed CLACC agenda and help move the GHG Pollution Pricing Act of Canada out of committee".
  
  Dinh responds favorably saying "I like your directness. I agree that this is a major issue that we need some action on. It seems to me that your best approach is to connect with The House of Commons Environment and Sustainable Development Committe or to approach my Conservative colleagues which are stopping all efforts we are making."
  
  You feel a bit disappointed by the response, but your not surprised. You get a sense that this is the classic misdirection that Bob warned you about in your preparation.
  
  > dig deeper for her commitment
  You don't want to be misled, and let Dinh escape the question at hand. Yes, Conservatives are a problem but a firm commitment from her could help bring other MPs onboard and that might help CLACCs agenda cross the party line.
  
  You say to MP Dinh. "I understand your concerns about the Conservatives but we at Constituent Lobby Against Climate Change feel that you and your participation in the RNNR Committee could have a big impact in getting visibility for this very important climate agenda"
  
  MP Dinh responds saying "I appreciate your coming today, and your passion in this issue. If you'll look at my track record you'll see that I'm very supportive of new approaches to environmental work, for example the G7 Oceans Plastic Charter. This charter shoud theoretically appeal to Conservatives as it is conserving plastics, protecting our oceans, and cutting carbon emissions. I'd like to take a moment to just teach you a bit of our reality as Liberals in Parliament right now. We don't act like Conservatives. We aren't pounding the drum of "carbon taxes are job killing"! That is what the legislative climate is like. So it doesn't matter how many times I propose improvements to the GHG Pollution Pricing Act of Canada - if it has the words carbon price in it, its almost doomed from the start."
  
  "It is my job to do my best, pragmatically for my constituents and that is exactly what i'm doing. The G7 Oceans Plastic Charter is another great way to cut GHGs. Now if CLACC wants to go to some of my Conservative colleagues and help find some non-partisan Conservative supporters for the G7 Oceans Plastic Charter that would be a great step in the right direction".
  
  You feel your at an impasse. It seems like she isn't budging, and her explanation does make sense. You feel two ways, CLACC expects you and Bob to win her support for the collective agenda and in that you feel like your failing, on the flip side you have heard about the G7 Oceans Plastic Charter during your preparation and it might be a good first step for Canada. What do you do?
  
  > give Bob a chance to convince her about CLACC's Agenda
  In your preparation it was decided that you'd take the lead and get your feet wet on your first campaign - but if you had trouble you'd throw to Bob. You figure - its time to get some help.
  
  Bob jumps right in and tries to relate CLACC's agenda to the MP's agenda. About halfway through, unfortunately, MP Dinh gets a call. She leaves you saying "John can you finish up with them? I'm sorry but I really have to take this call. John is the lead for my energy and environment staff. John can you show them our work on the commitment to peer review fossil fuel subsidies under the G-20. Thanks for coming to see us." She then ducks out to her phone call.
  
  Bob half-heartedly finishes his pitch, and John thanks him. John proceeds to follow the MP's instructions, talking to you about the Liberal commitment to peer review fossil fuel subsidies under the G-20 and even playing the Canada G-7 video.
  
  The meeting time you had set up has come to a close, and the MP is still out of the room. Feeling defeated on your first campaign you leave the room. You and Bob had dinner planned - it was supposed to be a celebration - but it feels like a eulogy. What went wrong? I did everything I was supposed to do?
  
  Bob tries to console you - this is just how it goes - this is hard work. We don't have the millions of dollars to buy them caviar at the Chateau Laurier. We should be happy we even got the meeting at all.
  
  You finish your bruscetta - and think to yourself - maybe if I had reflected their thoughts instead of giving advice things might have ended differently.