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2020- 2022 Policy Process | Green Party of Canada
Where GPC membership collaborates to develop our policies
G21-D003 Pre-Writ One Page Policy Briefs to Empower EDAs
Submitter Name
Anne Lavender
Ratification Vote Results: Adopted
Proposal
To support consistent messaging, particularly during an election campaign, Federal Council will direct staff to produce snappy one page briefs for all policy priorities as, and when, they are updated, along with each plank in the campaign platform, at least four weeks before the writ is dropped.
Objective
The objective of this directive to Federal Council is to build more EDAs across the country and strengthen their capacity to organize, and build effective, transparent and accountable local organizations capable of organizing membership outreach, fundraising and supporting the election of capable, progressive Green candidates to Parliament.
Benefit
Creating active, open and effective local level EDAs will promote Green Party values and policies, generate credibility, expand membership and raise funds. Strong EDAs, our grassroots, are essential to electing more Green Members of Parliament.
Supporting Comments from Submitter
There are likely only about 100 “existing” EDAs, with varying capacities to function effectively. The current suite of “rules and tools” in the GPC Organizing toolbox as well as webinars for EDAs is impressive, yet more focused on electoral readiness than EDA formation and capacity building. As identified in the EDA Revitalization survey conducted in November 2020 (https://forms.gle/Ct5w25Usmuh71VR47), there remain areas where the current suite of “rules and tools” can be strengthened (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y1jjFDHZeeeLjWbol4AixXH5Ie-FHYPqaIAGhXCyCUQ/edit?usp=sharing), including the need for punchy briefs for each policy and, during election campaigns, each plank in the platform, to support consistent messaging across the country. A one pager, structured with an issue (1 sentence), talking points (3-4 bullets), background (1 paragraph per bullet) and fun facts (punchy and noteworthy one-liner facts).
Green Value(s)
Participatory Democracy
Relation to Existing Policy
Add to current GPC policy.
Amendments (1)
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9 comments
I support the intent. I don't think it needs to be done by staff; it could be done or supported by members, and once drafted the ongoing maintenance / updates should be within the mandate of the appropriate critic / knowledge cluster. These one-pagers should also be accessible so all members can review and comment, as there will be differences in interpretation and emphasis.
I agree with Jason. It shouldn't be the job of staff to do this important work. Greens can do this work ourselves. Also, I wish that there was mention that the starting place for policy briefs needs to be the Member-approved Policy Book. Jason is right, the Shadow Cabinet should be involved, but that is at the Leaders' discretion. Either way, the Policy Book must be described as the starting point for election-readiness one page policy briefs. If yellow-lit, I hope this directive is brought to the top of the pile: it's vital that this happens, but it has to happen the right way. Also, a lot of Greens might not know that by "plank" we're directing that the overall groupings of a platform (the main 'planks' or 'headlines') will at least be given to candidates before a writ. The next problem is, who knows when a writ is really going to be dropped!? We need a living policy process, and these snappy one-page policy briefs, plus at least the outline of planks, is something we should be ready to roll out at ANY time.
Conversation with Jamie Ker
During VGM2 (now) Anne Lavender swayed me with her comment that EDAs should be free to decide; and that waiting for central office to produce briefs may be delaying (as in past experience)
I like having a recipe when I'm cooking but I REALLY like departing from it so I can learn and maybe improve on it—or at least have it better suit my family's tastes. Maybe an EDA that thinks it needs a snappy summary of our policies should spend more time learning about them. "Learned helplessness" seems to be deeply embedded in the current GPC culture.
"...at least four weeks before the writ is dropped" is not possible if an election is called prematurely...
"As identified in the EDA Revitalization survey conducted in November 2020 (https://forms.gle/Ct5w25Usmuh71VR47 (External link)), there remain areas where the current suite of “rules and tools” can be strengthened (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y1jjFDHZeeeLjWbol4AixXH5Ie-FHYPqaIAGhXCyCUQ/edit?usp=sharing (External link)), including the need for punchy briefs for each policy and, during election campaigns, each plank in the platform, to support consistent messaging across the country."
Neither of the 2 referenced above documents currently exist or are accessible.
Can this be remedied ?
"Sorry, the file you have requested has been deleted.
Make sure that you have the correct URL and the owner of the file hasn't deleted it."
Conversation with Anne Lavender
Shel: so sorry the links seem to have been broken. Here they are again; let me know if you are able to access them. :-)
EDA Revitalization Survey Results (Executive Summary): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_LsOHoadQgDuVu-faCL8RPuc48zgq75c/view?usp=sharing
EDA Revitalization Survey Results (Full Report): https://docs.google.com/document/d/14-7z-oatyT8pL-X5TTb9OV4KSUImWgJWRhrmlV2L3Ak/edit?usp=sharing
Suite of rules and tools: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_8pmdp8AJyM_Lo13RkRxIUck2ohr6CoAYFG-bN9p5NU/edit?usp=sharing
Let me know if these links work.
Thanks for being so engaged; it is members like you that make all the work that is done behind the scenes worthwhile.
I absolutely love it that the first step is reading through the Member-made policy book! Hurrah!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_8pmdp8AJyM_Lo13RkRxIUck2ohr6CoAYFG-bN9p5NU/edit?usp=sharing.
I'm not particularily fond of the use of words like 'snappy' or 'punchy' as a way to describe what should essentially be our actual policy and/or platform positions worded in a way that is 'to the point', 'effective' and 'marketable'.
I watched with admiration (and horror) how both Steven Harper and now Doug Ford used a singular and simple but strict messaging tactic to win majorities when they should have been ousted based on awful policies. There is much to learn from this strategy.
As far as who creates these one-pagers, I think it should start with staff - to let this get taken care of by the membership at large, and with no definition or direction of duties is how we never get these much needed documents into the hands of the EDA's now.
Although it's not a mandatory policy at this point, we do ask WeDecide participants to use names that provide some degree of transparency as to whom is making the comment (e.g. Full name or FIrst Name + Initial).
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