“Don’t make the mistake of relying on rational argument to win whatever political fight you are in; the key to it is pressure. Lawful, granted, but nevertheless unpleasant pressure. That’s what people listen to in the real world and it’s a mistake to think otherwise.”
(CBC’s Morningside: 1988-12-27)
Provincial politicians
We suggest that your primary provincial letters should go to the Minister of Education and the leaders and education critics of the other parties, plus your own MPP. The name of your own MPP may be found in the phone book in the blue government pages section under “Members of Provincial Parliament”. They are also listed on the Ontario government web page at http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/member_addresses.do?locale=en where their e-mail and postal addresses may also be found.
Canada Post letters to MPPs require regular first class postage.
Letter-writing guidelines
1. You don’t need a computer, or even a typewriter; your own legible handwriting is just fine. Your letter should be no longer than one page.
2. Address your letter correctly from the website above
3. Identify yourself clearly.
4. Identify the issue clearly.
5. Be candid, concise, and logical. Explain why you, personally, have an interest in the issue.
6. Address a copy of your letter to each of Minister of Education and to your own MPP.
7. Don’t ever let them forget that you are you are discriminated against based on your religion or absence of same.
8. Don’t expect a quick answer. They hope you will forget about everything and go away. So don’t go away. Keep writing. Use points you can pick from this web site.
9. A common tactic of politicians is to delay an answer for months. When they do answer, they hope you will have forgotten about the issue. I wouldn’t wait longer than a month for an answer – then phone the office to inquire about the status of your answer.
When you receive a response, some will tell you, possibly in a form letter, that the public funding of the Roman Catholic separate school system is “in the Constitution”. This is a cop-out. Even if it is, which I will argue it is not, there is nothing to stop the government to act to eliminate the exclusive public funding of the separate school systems. Manitoba, Quebec, and Newfoundland & Labrador provide examples of the pathway to follow. Tell them that.
Federal politicians
1. You don’t need a computer, or even a typewriter; your own legible handwriting is just fine. Your letter should be no longer than one page.
2. Address your letter correctly. See the address below.
3. Identify yourself clearly.
4. Identify the issue clearly.
5. Be candid, concise, and logical. Explain why you, personally, have an interest in the issue.
6. Address a copy of your letter to each of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Justice. Copy your letters to your own MP and MPP.
7. Keep writing – don’t ever let them forget that you are holding them to a promise made to us by acceding to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
8. They hope you will forget about everything and go away. So don’t go away. Keep writing. Use the points in the following paragraphs plus information in this web site.
9. A common tactic of politicians is to delay an answer for months. When they do answer, they hope you will have forgotten about the issue. I wouldn’t wait longer than a month for an answer – then phone the office to inquire about the status of your answer.
Some will tell you, possibly in a form letter, that “education is a provincial responsibility ” In your reply, tell them that you know that, but that compliance with human rights issues relating to the Covenant is a federal responsibility, and this is a human rights issue – not an education issue.
A form letter is actually a good sign; it means that they have received a lot of correspondence on the issue you are writing about.
Tell them in your follow-up second letter, that the federal government only, is responsible to the United Nations to uphold the terms of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The federal government alone is responsible to the UN, and to us, to provide an “effective and enforceable remedy” for the violation. The UN is not concerned about Ontario, CANADA is responsible.
Tell them that, under our Constitution, the federal government, a provincial government, or the Senate, may initiate a change to the constitution. Tell them that Article z(z) of the International Covenant requires “each state Party to the present Covenant …. to take the necessary steps, in accordance with its constitutional processes and with the provisions of the present covenant, to adopt such legislative or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in the present Covenant.” Ask them if they intend to take action to correct the situation. If .’No,’ ask them to tell you when they will insist that the federal government withdraw from the Covenant. PUT THEM ON THE SPOT..
How to address your letters
Since the federal government is responsible to the United Nations for upholding the terms of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, we suggest the following persons as those to whom a letter is appropriate.
. The Minister of Foreign Affairs
. The Minister of Justice
. Leaders of the opposition parties
The current names for the first two above positions may be found by viewing
http://www.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainCabinetCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E
Be sure to send a copy to your riding’s MP. For your MP’s name and address, look under Members of Parliament in the Government of Canada blue pages in your phone book.
All MPs have the same postal address:
House of Commons Ottawa ON K1A 0A6
E-mail addresses to MPs are always the first five letters of the surname followed by the first initial, then @parl.gc.ca
Letters to MPs or Senators do not require postage stamps. Just write “OHMS” (On Her Majesty’s Service) in the top right-hand corner of the envelope.