Tips on Appearing Before a Parliamentary Committee

A few months ago I wrote some tips on preparing to appear before a Parliamentary Committee. An effective presentation before a committee requires good planning and preparation. But what about the meeting itself? Here are some quick tips on how to conduct yourself when testifying before a parliamentary committee.
1. Confirm logistics with the Clerk, either the day before or earlier in the day for an afternoon or evening appearance. Are there any substitutions to the membership? Are any other witnesses appearing? Confirm the time and location of meeting. Has your written brief been circulated? Also confirm how much time you have for opening remarks and questions and answers.  
2. Arrive early. Make sure you leave enough time to clear security and arrive in the Committee room.
3. Introduce yourself to the Clerk of the Committee and get settled. You may be appearing with other groups on a panel or may be appearing before or after other witnesses. Introduce yourself to other panel members.
4. If there is time before the meeting begins, introduce yourself to members of the Committee.
5. Pause and take a deep breath before you begin speaking to relax.
6. Keep your opening remarks short and convey your key messages. Members are usually anxious for the question and answer section. Your written brief should have been sent to the Clerk in advance so that it could be translated and circulated before the meeting. Make sure the brief contains an Executive Summary and a clear list of your key messages/recommendations.
7. Pause and look up from your remarks when speaking, making eye contact and conveying your expertise and conviction. Speak clearly and not too quickly, particularly as at the federal level your words are being simultaneously translated. If possible, at a parliamentary committee make some of your remarks in both official languages.
8. Use the proper form of address and show appropriate respect to Committee members, even if they do not agree with your position. Keep a positive attitude and approach the meeting as one where you are helping others to understand your position. Do not be confrontational.
9. Answer questions honestly and respectfully. In your preparation before the meeting you should anticipate questions which may be asked or have been asked of other witnesses and be prepared to answer. Make sure you are clear on your key messages/recommendations. Offer to provide a follow up written response for questions that require a more thoughtful answer or additional information not on hand.
10. If a member becomes confrontational or wanders too far off topic, you may need to look to the Chair for guidance. Remain respectful.
11. Avoid fidgeting, excessive flipping through materials, mumbling, or other distracting habits. The meeting may be televised, so be sure your dress and behaviour are appropriate.
12. At the end of your allotted time, thank the Chair and the Committee for the opportunity to appear.
13. If there is a break between witnesses or the meeting adjourns, speak to members individually to thank them for the opportunity or answer additional questions.   
14. Follow up with additional written information to the Committee after the meeting. Share your messages with other parliamentarians and the media as appropriate.


For more information, there is a helpful article fromthe Canadian Parliamentary Review you may

Common Reasons Why Advocacy Attempts Fail

Often in my business I hear organizations complain about how they mounted an advocacy campaign but did not achieve the success they sought. What are some of the common reasons they were unsuccessful?

1. A lack of patience. Advocacy takes time and too often groups give up before they achieve success because they lack the patience that advocacy requires. Remember government generally moves very slowly. A large part of advocacy is relationship building and this takes time.

2. Failure to align the ask with government priorities. Governments indicate their policy priorities through a variety of ways, including the Speech from the Throne, the Budget Speech and Cabinet members' speeches. Policy options which are in line with government priorities are more likely to be successful.

3. Lack of understanding of how government works. When groups do not understand how the policy development process works and how to engage in it or when they fail to understand how government decisions are made and how to capitalize on government processes, they are less likely to be successful. Advocates need to learn these processes so they can work within them effectively.

4. Lack of a clear policy option.  Well developed, research-based policy options that take into consideration the multitude of factors government must consider are more likely to be successful. Develop your policy ask carefully.

5. No strategic plan. Failure to engage in a strategic advocacy planning process can lead to lack of accountability, confused messages, missed opportunities and a lack of direction. In advocacy, good planning builds success.

Knowledge is Power

In government relations and advocacy who you knew used to be one of the most important factors. With longer cooling off periods for public office holders after they leave office, and strict reporting rules, government relations is no longer about who you know. Now, what you know is arguably even more important. We live in the information age, and knowledge rules.   Being able to speak the language of government, understand government priorities, and navigate the legislative and budgetary planning processes of government are critical to effective government relations. A truly winning combination is well researched public policy that fits with government priorities.

Tips on Preparing to Appear before a Committee

A client was recently asked to appear before a Parliamentary Committee.  An appearance before a parliamentary committee can be an excellent opportunity to share your message.  Here are some quick tips for preparing to appear before a legislative or parliamentary committee.

1. You will often be given a few minutes for an opening statement and then engage in a question and answer session.  Confirm with the Committee Clerk the length of time you have for opening remarks, in total before the Committee, and if you are part of a panel.
2. Keep your opening statement concise and punchy. Make sure it includes at least one and no more than three recommendations. If you appear with a colleague from your organization, it is often best to have one speaker for opening statements and then share the Q and A portion.
3. If appearing on a panel with other organizations, get a sense of what key messages they are likely to raise.
4. Don't spend too long in your opening remarks describing your organization or your background. Make sure your key messages are clear.  
5. Ask the Clerk or the office of the Committee Chair if there are particular issues the Committee would like you to address in your remarks.
6. Research the work of the Committee and their work on the study for which you are appearing in front of the Committee. Who else has testified? What evidence has the Committee heard so far?  This information will help  guide you when drafting your remarks.
7. If you are providing a written brief, provide it in advance so the Committee members can read it before the meeting.
8. Research who the members of the Committee are, their background and if they have experience with your issue. Are there standard questions they are asking all the witnesses? Use this information to help you prepare.
9. Make sure your recommendations are specific, well researched, viable and concrete. Vague or "Mom and Apple Pie" type recommendations will do little to advance your cause.
10. Practice your opening remarks and spend time brainstorming questions you may be asked. Be clear on the message you wish to impart to the Committee. 

Advocacy means offering solutions

When advocating for change, be sure to offer solutions, not just criticism. Too often organizations spend more time identifying the problem then they spend identifying potenital solutions. Policy makers are not always subject matter experts and you can make their job much easier if you identify potential poliy changes which can address a problem. By providing policy makers with practical solutions you are much more likely to be successful in acheiving change.

Understanding the Agenda

For advocates who are working on developing public policy, it is important to understand the government's agenda. The Speech from theThrone and the Budget set out, in broad strokes, the governments priorities for an upcoming session of Parliament. If you can demonstrate how your policy proposal fits with the government's own agenda, you will likely be more successful in influencing government to adopt your proposal.

The federal election on May 2nd meant a Speech from the Throne on June 3rd to start the First Session of the 41st Parliament. The federal budget will be introduced in the House of Commons this week. Policy advocates should review both documents, which will be available online at www.parl.gc.ca, to familiarize themselves with government priorities. 

The Social Media Election

Not all Canadians use social media, nor can a candidate be sure they are engaging their own constituency members. Yet, candidates of all political stripes have been flocking to social media in this federal election campaign to create an online social media presence for themselves. Some candidates haven't had a Twitter or Facebook account before, but in this social media election candidates are going online to woo voters, because every vote counts.

Campaigning is about getting your message out, so an online presence seems critical in this digital age. Certainly for an avid political junkie like me, I love the fact that I can check out Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, blogs, on line chats and  get instantaneous media coverage on candidates and the parties.  But is social media really helping candidates connect with voters?

Social media gurus will tell you that the true strength of social media is the online conversation built on online interactions. That conversation is carefully built over time. Yet, the hectic pace of campaigning certainly makes it challenging for a candidate to be checking Facebook or Twitter constantly. If they are new to social media, it takes time to learn how to engage with followers to build that authentic conversation. Candidates who are relying on campaign staff to tweet or post are pushing out their message, but are not necessarily engaging in a conversation with voters.

On the other hand, the instant nature of social media and the resulting ability to communicate quickly and directly with your fans or followers is a powerful tool for candidates wishing to respond to campaign developments.

As with any conversation, a real dialogue happens with an exchange of ideas. Complex policy discussions can't happen in 140 characters.  The challenge for candidates is to balance their need to get their message out with the casual conversational nature of social media.