Date: March 30, 2021
The second seminar for class 18 took many class members through a snowy adventure across Ontario into Cornwall. While the trip to Cornwall was tense, the lessons learned while there were worth it all. On our third day, we travelled to the Pork Council of Canada to hear from four different lobbyists about the groups that they represent and the tactics they use to help ensure that farmers and the agricultural businesses of Canada have a voice in parliament. Though many people think that the words lobbyists, or lobbying, are bad, the four representatives had a very different perspective. While asking questions and hearing what they did we learned that they play a role in getting to know government officials and their staff. Their job might bring them to an MP, or to the MP’s assistant or even to the speaker of the house, and they all said that each of these people are equally as important to get to know. It is important to foster relationships and earn the trust of every single person so that they can draw support and help people understand what the agricultural sector is fighting for or against.
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