Join NFU members from across the country on November 22 as we converge on Parliament Hill! With free training and staff support, NFU members will take key issues to MPs and Senators. Each participant will choose from one of four topics:
Farmland
opposing farmland investment company ownership of Canadian land
Farm Workers’ Freedom of Association
right to join a union and have collective bargaining rights for all farm workers
Seed
protecting Canada’s public-interest seed regulatory system
Climate Change
establishing the Canadian Farm Resilience Administration, a multi-faceted federal body to help farmers to adapt to and mitigate climate change
Our policy “asks” for each of these four topics are currently being fine-tuned and will support our conversations with the politicians.
Training: A free on-line training on how to have successful meetings and background information for each topic will be offered in October and November. This is mandatory – and will be useful for all of your future advocacy efforts.
Action on the Hill: Our lobbying efforts will be amplified by a demonstration on Parliament Hill the same day, November 22nd. Organized by NFU farm workers and Youth, the action will help the public and media connect to the policies we’ll be bringing to legislators. Everyone is welcome to join when they aren’t lobbying. More details to follow.
You won’t want to miss being a part of this historic day!
Learn More
What is lobbying? Lobbying, in its essence as we seek here, is an organized way for us to exercise democratic rights and responsibilities by engaging in conversations with elected officials and seeking representation and specific policy changes on behalf of many others across the country. The work of our elected officials is to listen. Lobbying involves amplifying our stories, making space for diverse voices in policy discussions, and standing up for a just, resilient future.
On Lobby Day 2023, we will be convening a series of short meetings with Ministers, Members of Parliament, and Senators throughout the day, to talk about issues that matter to the NFU, and the well-being of our people, communities, food systems, and lands.
What do I need to know? Know your truth: your stories, your observations, your feelings! No written policy and work for a better world can be disconnected from our lived realities, and grounding policy asks in personal stories is a key way to influence change. Know your interest: of one of the four topics listed above.
Get involved! Speaking truth to power in organized, thoughtful, compelling and inspiring ways is so important! We hope you are inspired to join with NFU members across the country in November the day before National Convention! The energy of the day will be exciting, with other NFU members working together and a great action on Farmland Access, organized by the Youth Caucus and Farm Worker Working Group, taking place outside on the hill, too!
Questions? Feel free to contact Caroline at lobby@nfu.ca.