Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Good Advocacy Matters

By Paul Wilson, Director of Research and Education

The ongoing protests and blockades in support of the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs have prompted lively discussions and debates on social media, in the news media, and in public policy circles about advocacy.

The following questions are often asked: What is advocacy? What does effective public policy advocacy look like? What methods and forms of advocacy are appropriate or inappropriate? Does advocacy make a meaningful contribution or get the desired results?

While I cannot attempt to answer all of these complex questions, I can offer some definition, a few observations, and share my own experience at CLAC concerning advocacy in the realm of public policy.

What is advocacy?

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines advocacy in general terms: it is the “public support for an idea, plan, or way of doing something.” Advocates work on behalf of others to represent their causes or concerns. It can take many forms: lobbying, gathering signatures on a petition, representing workers in a workplace, voicing concerns through protest, and representing a person in court. The best advocacy is always people-oriented and works for the greater good.

In my opinion, anarchy is not advocacy. Disregarding the law, doing harm in the name of doing good, and disrespecting those who disagree with you or oppose your cause have no place in advocacy. Also, activism is not exactly advocacy. Activism is action-oriented and seeks systemic reform. Advocacy and activism are often pursued simultaneously, but each has a different focus.

In my time at CLAC, I have learned a lot about what constitutes and characterizes effective and good advocacy. Effective advocacy on behalf of members requires patience and persistence. Instantaneous results are both unrealistic and rare. Change to public policy often comes far more slowly than the membership and I want it to come. When it comes to changes in public policy, one has to be in it for the long haul to see results.

The good news is that sometimes persistence does pay off. Recently, CLAC’s advocacy has raised awareness about the crisis in long term care in Ontario and across the country. CLAC will continue to advocate for long term care workers, additional long term care funding, and more frontline care for residents.

CLAC’s advocacy and activism has also resulted in significant progress on fair and open tendering in Ontario and Manitoba, needed changes to health and safety laws in Alberta, and public opposition to the labour monopoly created by the BC government.

While there are still many causes and concerns that need to be addressed, CLAC is committed to making the voice of its membership heard and representing the interests of members through its advocacy. In my role, I have the privilege of playing a small part in that endeavour.

CLAC will continue working for the greater good.

Good Advocacy Matters

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