(ALS Society of Canada) works toward the vision of a world free of ALS. Their core mission is to improve the lives of Canadians affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis through supporting research, advocacy, and community-based support services
Government Outreach Email Playbook
Description: A fully customized outreach template that helps citizens request successful meetings with provincial and federal elected officials. It includes suggested subject lines, a structured email format, fill in the blank prompts to bolster personalization, and clear resources for locating your MP or MLA/MPP across Canada.
Use Case: Designed for any individual or advocacy group seeking direct engagement with policymakers. It is more tailored towards individuals advocating on behalf of an organization, especially when supported by personal stories/lived experiences, within the Canadian context.
Takeaway: For campaigns seeking legislation change, having strong relationships and access to policymakers is crucial and it can all begin with a simple, short, effective message. More importantly, when personal stories are shared, the barrier to contacting these representatives is significantly lower than many assume, especially since politicians are expected to listen to local advocacy and community groups. Tip: when finding contact information, it is often easier to use the constituency office rather than the legislative office.
Meeting Flow Playbook
Description: A meeting guide that outlines each stage of a conversation to help effectively navigate discussions with elected officials. It provides a clear, linear agenda, including introductions (5 minutes), key discussion points (15–20 minutes), policy priorities, a defined “ask,” and a closing with next steps (5 minutes) and follow-ups.
Use Case: Designed for individuals/advocacy groups who have already secured a meeting with policymakers and need a clear plan to maximize impact. It is particularly tailored to ALS advocacy, including discussion of drug approval and reimbursement processes, but can be adapted to any campaign. The guide is flexible, allowing users to adjust timing and priorities as the conversation evolves.
Takeaway: Clarity. Although your campaign likely has many goals and asks, go in with 2–3 clear objectives. Do not overstep. A crucial but often missed step that we’ve learned is the introduction, set a comfortable tone and confirm with everyone that the 20–30 minute timing works for them. We’ve also learned the importance of not assuming the person you are speaking to is the sole decision-maker or that you must reach the final authority directly. As shown in the resource, your “ask” can include passing the message to relevant figures such as the Minister of Health. Lastly, what happens after the meeting is just as important. Follow up consistently and build a long-term relationship, including sharing the meeting publicly (e.g., photos) on social media to reinforce accountability.
Storytelling Guide
Description: An incredibly in-depth guide that coaches advocates through every step of the storytelling process: how to write, structure, revise, and deliver a strong personal story for decision makers. It also goes into the niche specifics of key storytelling elements, brainstorming methods, ways to stay authentic, story checklist, all focused on building a clear 5-minute story that ties ones narrative to a specific ask (e.g., policy change, funding, or program support).
Use Case: This is useful for advocates at any stage of the campaign journey, whether you are just starting and building your narrative, refining it for media interviews, or actively engaging with decision-makers to share it. As noted in the resource, it is equally important for both live meetings and written testimony or communications with decision-makers.
Takeaway: Narrative building is not complementary to advocacy, it is the "foundation of any advocacy effort” and what humanizes some of the most morally and politically complex issues on planet Earth. Thus, personal stories are often the bridge between policy and urgency. Importantly, while it is essential to capitalize on the emotional aspect, it is crucial not to let it overshadow other critical elements, such as integrating the systemic issue into your own lived experience and aligning every detail toward a clear, actionable ask for the decision-maker.
Government Report Form
Description: An often overlooked but essential tool, this structured reporting form is used to share key insights with the broader advocacy team after a meeting with an elected official. It includes key elements such as overall sentiment, key takeaways, and whether 2–3 core objectives were met.
Use Case: Teams conducting multiple meetings with different stakeholders, ensuring that advocacy efforts are systematically recorded, shared, and standardized based on factors such as sentiment, outcomes, and overall success.
Takeaway: Having a structured system to create facts and figures and extrapolate insights from meetings is crucial, and one key step is using a standardized report back form. This is essential for long-term strategy, such as identifying correlations between location and sentiment or stakeholder type, and using that data to refine campaign approaches. In other words, systematic documentation transforms easily forgettable, isolated conversations into trackable progress.