MPP Meetings – Advocacy Tools & Resources

A new government and many new Members of Provincial Parliament (MPP) were elected in June 2018. AFHTO members are encouraged to meet with  their local MPP.

Establishing a relationship with new MPPs – or building on existing relationships with longer-serving MPPs – and communicating the value of team-based primary care is key to helping see MPPs do two things:

• Advocate for investments in team-based care, and
• Understand the value of team-based care for their constituents, so they can speak to it as the new government undertakes primary care reform.

It’s important to include primary care providers and, where possible, a patient in these meetings. These are people the government is especially interested in hearing from. Where there is more than one team in an MPP’s riding, we encourage teams coordinate one meeting together, if possible.

Working with Hill+Knowlton Strategies, our government relations firm, the following tools have been prepared to help with local advocacy:

• Key Messages
• Advocacy Toolkit, including condensed key messages and a story map for patients
• The Elevator Pitch – The 3 Key Points to Communicate
• Slide deck for MPP meetings
•  Primary care literature piece 
• MPPs and their contact information

It’s important that teams across the province are consistent in saying why team-based care matters. The key messages are the main points to communicate, with proof points to back you up, but the document is not intended to be left with the MPP. The slide deck summarises the key messages, and it’s what can be left behind after the meeting.

In the deck, be sure to add a couple success stories and accomplishments where patients – the MPP’s constituents – benefitted because of team-based care.

Other tools, resources and references

• There has been draft legislation and internal ministry documents leaked to the media about upcoming health system transformation. While they are not final, they paint a good picture on where this government is headed. More information on the draft legislation is here. 
• AFHTO’s pre-budget submission. This was submitted on January 29, 2019.
• AFHTO’s comments on and the link to the first interim report from the Premier’s Council on Improving Health Care and Ending Hallway Medicine, released on January 31, 2019.
• Slide deck from the Advocacy Training Webinar that was presented by Hill+Knowlton Strategies on January 18, 2019.
• The recording of the webinar with Hill+Knowlton Strategies:

If you have any questions, please contact Beth MacKinnon (Program Associate, Policy, Leadership and Strategic Communications) at beth.mackinnon@afhto.ca or 647-234-8605 x206.