It’s election time in Canada. Top of mind among the parties and their leaders is how to deal with the American President and his on-again-off-again tariffs. With voters focused on economics and the effect of tariffs on the cost of goods and services from the US, other important issues can be pushed aside.
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is working to keep healthcare as a major issue in the election.
At a recent Canadian Medical Association Summit, attendees were introduced to key issues in Canada’s healthcare system, from staffing shortages to AI. The summit stressed that although it might seem that individuals have few options to affect the deficiencies of the healthcare system, that is not necessarily the case.
How to pitch a politician
One speaker presented a session on pitching potential solutions to politicians. LaToia Jones, an American political strategist, presented her pitch that we should engage in dialogue with all political candidates, no matter our partisan affiliation.
She emphasized, as does the CMA in general, that while healthcare is political, it is not necessary to be partisan. In fact, the speaker recommended that voters attend as many candidate meetings as possible, expressing their concerns each time.
This tactic of interacting with as many candidates as possible, from as many parties as possible, increases the odds that no matter who wins the riding or the election, healthcare will be on the agenda.
To her credit, Jones tried to include the Canadian perspective in her lively presentation. She outlined the ways to pitch your hopes for healthcare reform, as often as possible and to as many candidates as possible. Her methodology can be used when candidates knock at your door. Or at all-candidate meetings. Or after the election in meetings with your provincial/territorial Premier, Deputy Premier, Minister of Health, Deputy Minister of Health or your riding’s successful candidate.
Be prepared with a clear, concise and emotional message
Jones was insistent that if you don’t have a strong message, half your presentation is gone. During campaigns, both politicians seeking re-election and new candidates have a very short timeframe to introduce themselves to voters. They want to do so and to ask for your vote. To hand you some materials and to move on.
If you want to get their attention, be prepared to respond to the introduction with a few words that reflect your concerns about healthcare. Examples: “I’m glad to meet you; but before I give you my vote, I’d like to know your views on improving healthcare in this riding and beyond.”
The candidate may revert to key messages developed by their party, but Jones encouraged us not to accept political platform platitudes. She related a phrase she has used to continue the discussion. “I understand, but can we get back to the point?”
Canadians would likely soften this by inserting the phrase, “and I appreciate that,” but I digress.
Pitching a politician is not the time to get angry or to become aggressive. Instead, be assertive. This is the time to be clear, concise and emotional about what you want. How?
Do your research
Jones repeatedly mentioned that we must know the candidate’s “why.” Do the research. Why are they running for office? What is their personal connection to the riding and the party? What part of their life is similar to yours in the discussion about healthcare issues?
As examples, you may have a family member who requires specialty services. Do they? Do they have children or grandchildren with special needs? Chronic conditions? Have they faced critical illnesses? Have their family members? Find out.
It is not easy to make a connection in the very brief time that a campaigner is at your door or at an all-candidates meeting. Jones was insistent that data does not work. It is TMI – too much information. Jones insisted that stories do work (and that data comes later, at follow-up meetings). She urged us all to “make them cry.”
Jones encouraged us to present a problem and a solution, for consideration. The goal here is for the politician to remember you. In follow-ups, you can refer back to the problem/solution and continue to push your case for the latter.
For example, the connection may be that you and the candidate/politician live in the same riding. And you can point out a particular problem in that neighbourhood. Their comeback may be that they want to save money, in order to invest in healthcare in the future. Your response can be that they want to save some number of dollars, but you want to suggest a way to improve the healthcare of the same number of local residents.
Show that you care about the candidate. Remind them that you want them to be remembered as the person who solved a serious problem. And you are willing to help them do that.
Use examples from media sources to highlight the problem you want to discuss. Be specific about the number of people in the riding who have no primary healthcare provider. Suggest ways to overcome the problem.
Could school nurses be part of the healthcare team for the neighbourhood? Could community hubs offer opportunities for residents to share information? Could Indigenous leaders help provide staff at group practices?
Interestingly, Jones concluded her presentation by asking groups of attendees to create pitches and to present them to the entire audience. The ideas were wide-ranging and Jones gave constructive criticism on each pitch.
Yes, we are Canadians…
While our natural inclination as Canadians may be to be less assertive than Jones recommended, there are lessons to be learned from her. The most important is to recall that as voters, we have many opportunities to keep our healthcare concerns at the forefront of the election.
Let’s not waste those chances to make a significant difference.
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