With the NDP “ripping up their deal”, the Bloc "drawing a line in the sand", and Liberals raising questions about the timing of the next election, there is now heightened pressure on political and party staff to be ready for the whirlwind of an election. This not only includes fund raising, organizing volunteers, and identifying voters, it also means having a platform and policy positions ready. Platforms and policy statements – whether released as a single document or as a series of announcements - are critical tools in an election. Generally, party platforms form the basic narrative for each party by setting out its priorities, initiatives that exemplify these priorities and narratives that candidates can use to ensure consistency of campaign messages across the country. But platforms are by design, broad policy documents used largely for communications purposes and as such they often raise issues which require additional policy definition and public positions. The key point is that platforms are key political documents, but they are only part of what defines party positions and sets the priorities and policy framework of any incoming government.
In advance of every election, parties undertake an intense platform development process and receive requests for position responses from hundreds of interest groups. Each party must develop responses in addition to what is in their respective platforms. These “position responses” are what parties use to further define their general platform, help candidates answer specific questions, engage party volunteers and respond to interest groups, media and emerging issues. In advance of the intense environment of campaigns, each party is working to anticipate issues and develop the platforms and positions they will need once the election is underway. For anyone that seeks to influence the policies and priorities of the next government, understanding how the platform and policy position processes work and how to ensure you are heard is critical.
There are several key inputs that help define party platforms and policy positions.
Party Resolutions:
While each party uses the policy development process to engage and energize their party’s members through policy processes and conventions, they have limited direct impact on the specifics set out in an election platform. The NDP often uses party resolutions as guardrails and “guiding stars”. The Liberals and Conservatives generally use the resolutions passed by their members to help identify general priorities – e.g. small business is important – and at times policy constraints. But generally, political parties use party resolutions like a drunk uses a lamppost – more for support than illumination.
Members of Parliament:
MPs can play a critical role in having your issues addressed during the lead up to an election. Opposition MPs are generally assigned critic (shadow cabinet) positions in the period between elections and are expected to identify policies and initiatives that could be included in the party’s platform or that may require a response during the election. This is done through ongoing committee work, meeting with constituents and interest groups, engaging party members and building a profile on the issues. This is especially true as many of these “star” candidates may be Ministers in a new government. Government MPs are expected to take on similar roles, including active participation in policy development through engagement with interest groups, though they are more restricted in public policy discussions as members of the government.
Parliamentary Resources:
While the Liberals have Government resources to help identify issues, develop policy options and public responses, there are also constraints on how it can use these public resources for partisan policy development. All parties including the Liberals have policy experts that are used to support MPs and the opposition leaders’ offices. They often focus on engagement with interest groups and are key staff in the development of platforms, policy positions and Leader driven initiatives.
Once the election is called, a significant number of staff from Ministers, MPs and Senators take official leave to support election efforts. They play a key role in identifying support for and opposition to policy options and developing responses to policy questions, whether raised by media, candidates or interest groups. Having a good relationship with these key staff and ensuring they understand your issues can be extremely important during the election and afterwards when many of these staff become the senior staff in new Ministers offices.
As parties work to define themselves and their opponent in the minds of voters, they require a narrative. Understanding the platform and policy processes and who are the key individuals that shape the narrative can be critical for anyone concerned about the policies and priorities of the next government.
