How To: Get Your Petition Heard By Parliament

by Apathy is Boring — March 26, 2010

Is there something political that is bothering you, and you know that other people aren't happy about it either?

Pick your target

Find out who you need to deliver your petition to, or rather whose jurisdiction the item you’re petitioning falls under. There’s no point in petitioning the province when the issue you're concerned about falls under the city's jurisdiction. Then, request petition guidelines. Parliament, for example, has a specific format and set of rules which can be found :

Find out who you need to deliver your petition to, or rather whose jurisdiction the item you’re petitioning falls under. There’s no point in petitioning the province when the issue you're concerned about falls under the city's jurisdiction. Then, request petition guidelines. Parliament, for example, has a specific format and set of rules which can be found here. The jurisdiction in question can tell you haw many signatures you need, what information is required, and whether the petition has to be approved in advance.

Plan your petition

Depending on the scope of our issue (local, provincial, national, etc.) and your resources, you may want to consider different ways of getting signatures. Email and Facebook petitions can spread like wildfire and get many signatures, but handwritten signatures - which are time consuming to collect - may make a bigger impression on the target of your petition, while allowing for a dialogue between the petitioner and the people signing.

Next, write a few short lines about the who, what, where, when, and why of your petition. Outline the situation and what change is needed. Don’t write more than six or seven lines - people won't want to read anything too long or technical. Make sure the spelling and grammar is correct, that the language is professional yet plain, and that the overall tone is respectful. Ultimately you want to maintain your credibility. Think of all those spam emails you get with spelling mistakes and bizarre phrases - do you want strangers to see you that way?

Get moving

Have your grievance explained on one sheet, and then have separate sheets for signatures attached behind it. Four columns should be included on the sheet: name, address, phone number, and signature. Have 20-30 lines per page, but remember to leave plenty of room for people to write their address and signatures. And finally, attach the papers and a pen to a clipboard (or upload your petition online and go get those signatures!

If you follow this advice and invest some time into your petition, you may be surprised by the results. Having a kick-ass petition is often the first step towards being an effective citizen activist. Good luck, and don’t forget to hustle!




 

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Source:Parliament of Canada