WRITING LETTERS
Writing letters to political leaders is an easy, effective advocacy tool by which a group of constituents can voice their opinions about certain issues that are important to them. The letters may be directed toward the prime minister, a member of the Legislative Assembly, or a particular government agency. Knowing that re-election depends on the votes of their constituents, political leaders pay close attention to the mail they receive.
Political leaders are here to represent us, the people and letters serve to educate the target person/audience about an issue and explains why you feel they should take action for/against that issue. Receiving a swarm of constituent mail can greatly impact the way a legislator votes on a particular issue. Letter writing campaigns are also a useful way to:
Additionally, writing letters to the media also helps spread awareness of the issues on a large scale. Having an issue reported and covered by media outlets can have a substantial impact on the success of a campaign as more people become educated and aware, resulting in more people advocating for the cause and putting pressure on our leaders for change.
Original handwritten letters are thought to be the most effective, second to typed hand signed personal letters. Though email is thought to be less effective than letters or faxes, adding an auto signature to your emails does lend more weight.
Writing letters to political leaders is an easy, effective advocacy tool by which a group of constituents can voice their opinions about certain issues that are important to them. The letters may be directed toward the prime minister, a member of the Legislative Assembly, or a particular government agency. Knowing that re-election depends on the votes of their constituents, political leaders pay close attention to the mail they receive.
Political leaders are here to represent us, the people and letters serve to educate the target person/audience about an issue and explains why you feel they should take action for/against that issue. Receiving a swarm of constituent mail can greatly impact the way a legislator votes on a particular issue. Letter writing campaigns are also a useful way to:
- Educate others about certain issues.
- Get involved in political activism by expressing your opinions to your leaders. You are not only participating in the democratic process, but also affecting the outcome.
- Carve out an identity for the organization(s) you support and care about.
Additionally, writing letters to the media also helps spread awareness of the issues on a large scale. Having an issue reported and covered by media outlets can have a substantial impact on the success of a campaign as more people become educated and aware, resulting in more people advocating for the cause and putting pressure on our leaders for change.
Original handwritten letters are thought to be the most effective, second to typed hand signed personal letters. Though email is thought to be less effective than letters or faxes, adding an auto signature to your emails does lend more weight.
Letter Writing Tips
To Legislators:
Paragraph 1 - Introduce yourself and add a personal touch. For example; "I am an avid hiker/student/hunter who recently learned of the inhumane treatment and the absence of science-based management of Alberta’s wolves."
Paragraph 2 - State your position on the issue(s). For example; You may know there are non-lethal ways to deal with wolves which may require more effort but in your view are well worth it and explain why.
Paragraph 3 - Conclude your position on the issue and ask the legislator to support it.
Conclusion - Ask for a reply (an original reply and not a form letter response) and thank the legislator for their time.
TIPS:
Let them know if you are a constituent.
Be respectful but take a firm position.
Avoid long personal stories but do add a personal touch.
Show respect for ministers by using the proper title and address.
***************************************************************************UPDATE*****************************************************************************
We have had many people write to tell us that they are not getting responses from the Alberta government to the emails and letters that they have written. One of our advisors has told us that the key to letter writing is to be SPECIFIC with your questions. Write short and sweet, yet direct specific questions that you want answered. If you don't receive answers back to your direct questions, then you can request answers via FOIA (Freedom of Information Act). There is a cost of $25 to do this but it can have a real impact, especially if the Commissioner gets several FOIP requests on the same questions. We have provided the link below so that if you have a direct question that is not being answered, you can go this route as we have. Thank you!
FOIP in ALBERTA LINK
Letters to The Editor:
- Tell readers/viewers/listeners something they might not know.
- Include some general information - do not assume that the audience already know the subject matter.
- Try to use affirmative language. Avoid reiterating myths, even if it is to debunk the opposition (studies show that many people, in time, will forget the refuting and just remember the myth. This is particular important in the case of wolves, which have been the target of visceral attacks.
- Use positive suggestions to help readers make a difference. In the case of wolves, suggest people write to those in the tourism industry to let them know how valuable wolves are to Alberta and the reputation of our province.
- Ask people to boycott organizations that exploit or promote the killing of wolves.
Paragraph 1 - Introduce yourself and add a personal touch. For example; "I am an avid hiker/student/hunter who recently learned of the inhumane treatment and the absence of science-based management of Alberta’s wolves."
Paragraph 2 - State your position on the issue(s). For example; You may know there are non-lethal ways to deal with wolves which may require more effort but in your view are well worth it and explain why.
Paragraph 3 - Conclude your position on the issue and ask the legislator to support it.
Conclusion - Ask for a reply (an original reply and not a form letter response) and thank the legislator for their time.
TIPS:
Let them know if you are a constituent.
Be respectful but take a firm position.
Avoid long personal stories but do add a personal touch.
Show respect for ministers by using the proper title and address.
***************************************************************************UPDATE*****************************************************************************
We have had many people write to tell us that they are not getting responses from the Alberta government to the emails and letters that they have written. One of our advisors has told us that the key to letter writing is to be SPECIFIC with your questions. Write short and sweet, yet direct specific questions that you want answered. If you don't receive answers back to your direct questions, then you can request answers via FOIA (Freedom of Information Act). There is a cost of $25 to do this but it can have a real impact, especially if the Commissioner gets several FOIP requests on the same questions. We have provided the link below so that if you have a direct question that is not being answered, you can go this route as we have. Thank you!
FOIP in ALBERTA LINK
Letters to The Editor:
- Tell readers/viewers/listeners something they might not know.
- Include some general information - do not assume that the audience already know the subject matter.
- Try to use affirmative language. Avoid reiterating myths, even if it is to debunk the opposition (studies show that many people, in time, will forget the refuting and just remember the myth. This is particular important in the case of wolves, which have been the target of visceral attacks.
- Use positive suggestions to help readers make a difference. In the case of wolves, suggest people write to those in the tourism industry to let them know how valuable wolves are to Alberta and the reputation of our province.
- Ask people to boycott organizations that exploit or promote the killing of wolves.
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WHO DO I WRITE TO?
GOVERNMENT:
Phone: 780-427-2251 (Edmonton) Toll free: 310-0000 (in Alberta) Phone: 780-427-2711 (outside Alberta) Twitter: @JKenney
Office of the Minister Agriculture and Forestry 229 Legislature Building 10800 - 97 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5K 2B6 Phone: 780 427-2137 Fax: 780 422-6035 E-mail: AF.minister@gov.ab.ca
Minister of the Environment and Climate Change House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A 0A6 Tel.: 613-996-5322 Fax: 613-996-5323 Email: EC.MINISTRE-MINISTER.EC@CANADA.CA Twitter: @jonathanWNV See our contact page for more: CONTACTS |
SAVE YOUR LETTERS!!
You never know when an MLA will step up to champion the cause. Letters that you have written become extremely important as they can be tabled in the Legislature by such an individual. You can also send your letters to us. We love collecting letters and sharing them with others in hopes that more people will be inspired to write a letter of their own. 
Photo by Bob Holkamp
MEDIA CTV News: newsonline@ctv.ca news@ctv.ca newschannel@ctv.ca am@ctv.ca w5@ctv.ca CBC News: homestretch@cbc.ca eyeopener@cbc.ca CBC Calgary 1724 Westmount Blvd NW Calgary AB T2N 3G7 Tel: 403-521-6000 CBC Edmonton 123 Edmonton City Centre 10062-102 Avenue Edmonton Alberta T5J 2Y8 Tel: 780-468-7500 Newspaper Media: Find a local paper near you HERE 
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Thanks to Dr. Judith Samson - French for this example of a quick letter you can email (or slightly alter and email) regarding the need to end poisoning of wolves in Alberta.
Hon. Shannon Phillips,
Congratulations on your appointment as Minister of Environment and Parks.
You are now responsible for the on-going wolf-killing project in the Little Smoky River area. This project consists in trying to brutally and unsustainably decrease the number of wolves in the hope of increasing a tenuously small population of 70 to 80 woodland caribou which has suffered a dramatic decline due to habitat degradation courtesy of multiple extraction companies. In addition to gunning wolves from helicopters, strychnine is haphazardly used in a vain attempt to target the wolf population.
The cruelty of such initiative has gathered immense negative international attention and rightly so: strychnine poisoning is cruel and has no place as a wildlife 'conservation tool’ in Alberta. Please enact an immediate moratorium to ban the use of such toxicants for wild canids in Alberta.
Should you sadly choose not to do so, could you please explain your decision on humane and scientific reasons?
Kindest regards,
Judith Samson-French DVM
Let’s give Alberta’s wilderness something to look forward to in 2016, a poison-free threat to its wolves and ecosystems.
Please, join us and write to the two members of parliament in the next 72 hours. Let's make sure that cruelty is NOT the new normal in Alberta.
Ms. Phillips’s email: lethbridge.west@assembly.ab.ca
Ms. Notley’s email: premier@gov.ab.ca
Congratulations on your appointment as Minister of Environment and Parks.
You are now responsible for the on-going wolf-killing project in the Little Smoky River area. This project consists in trying to brutally and unsustainably decrease the number of wolves in the hope of increasing a tenuously small population of 70 to 80 woodland caribou which has suffered a dramatic decline due to habitat degradation courtesy of multiple extraction companies. In addition to gunning wolves from helicopters, strychnine is haphazardly used in a vain attempt to target the wolf population.
The cruelty of such initiative has gathered immense negative international attention and rightly so: strychnine poisoning is cruel and has no place as a wildlife 'conservation tool’ in Alberta. Please enact an immediate moratorium to ban the use of such toxicants for wild canids in Alberta.
Should you sadly choose not to do so, could you please explain your decision on humane and scientific reasons?
Kindest regards,
Judith Samson-French DVM
Let’s give Alberta’s wilderness something to look forward to in 2016, a poison-free threat to its wolves and ecosystems.
Please, join us and write to the two members of parliament in the next 72 hours. Let's make sure that cruelty is NOT the new normal in Alberta.
Ms. Phillips’s email: lethbridge.west@assembly.ab.ca
Ms. Notley’s email: premier@gov.ab.ca
