1. Visiting Your MP
This presentation was adapted by Hilary Elliott and Valerie Wright from a webinar presented by Results on Engaging Your MP.

2. Before the Meeting Do some research on the issue
Do some research on your MP by checking their website, and their Facebook and Twitter accounts
Know if they hold any official titles
Know which committees they sit on
Do some research on the issue
Review recent Updates
Check out the GRAN website for backgrounders and other relevant information
Do some research on the MP. What positions do they hold? Are they a Parliamentary Secretary to a Cabinet Minister? Do they chair a Standing Committee?
On the Parliamentary web site you can see their voting record and the issues they are interested in. It is very important to figure out from their web site or social media site, the extent to which they are informed on the issues.
Check out the GRAN web site for backgrounders and other material from the Working Groups.
Keep your discussion to one key issue per meeting.

3. Before the Meeting cont…
Request the Meeting
Ask another GRAN or a member of a like-minded CSO, preferably also from the riding, to accompany you
Decide who is going to do what
Send an to the main MP account and cc the constituency assistant account
Ask for a meeting to introduce yourself if you’ve not yet met your MP and say what you want to meet about.
Include your residential address and postal code
You may need to be patient and persistent in getting a response. After the initial request, if you have not heard back from them in a week or 10 days, write back or call them. You may be asked to provide background information prior to the meeting.

4. The Visit 1/3 – 1/3 – 1/3 First 10 Minutes – The issue
Hook into the issue with a clear and concise message
Tell why the message is important to you and to GRAN
Tell a story
Do not overwhelm the MP with data.
No matter how much time you have available to meet with you MP, using the 1/3 - 1/3 - 1/3 time allocation is a good strategy.
If this is your first time meeting with the MP, introduce self, describe the issue and why this is important to you, a snappy elevator speech and the ask. It is good for them to know this is your issue, and then you can say you are a member of GRAN and this issue is also important to them.
Tell a story that personally connects you to what you are asking. They are much more likely to connect with this than presenting them with a list of facts or statistics.
It is excellent if you can make the connection to the International Feminist Assistance Policy.

5. The Visit cont…. Second 10 minutes – Engage the MP in conversation
Time for questions and clarifications
Try to connect to MP’s issues and concerns
Stay calm and be polite.
Final 10 minutes - The Ask
Ask could be asking for a letter to be written to another MP, for a member statement in the House or for support of a Bill coming before the House
How can we move forward and work together on this issue
Summarize what you’ve heard the MP is going to do
The second third of the meeting answer their questions and politely refocus the discussion on your issue. Frequently the MP will go off on a tangent.
The final third of the meeting should focus on the ask. A clear ask is needed, such as a financial commitment, a request for them to write a letter (eg to Mme Bibeau, the PM) with a specific ask, to make a statement in the House on an issue. You could give the MP some options to choose from.
Ask the MP what you can do, such as bring information back to them. Provide them with a leave behind, a GRAN brochure. Ask for a photo as you leave; they love to post photos and these are nice for the Update.

6. After the Meeting Congratulate yourself.
Write a thank you note to MP summarizing outcome of meeting
Notify the GRAN gmail account and your regional leader
Follow your MP on twitter
Send a thank you not to the MP, either an or hand written card. This is an opportunity to restate your ask.
Provide a brief update on the meeting to the GRAN gmail account and your regional leader.