Download Script for MP meetings on Budget

Points for MP meeting on Budget
General points:
BE RESPECTFUL and appreciative of the MP’s time
Thank the MP for agreeing to meet with you
EXPRESS APPRECIATION for his/her hard work in Ottawa
INTRODUCE YOURSELF: Tell the MP that you live in his/her constituency. If
you know any of the MP’s family or neighbours or staff, mention that.
5. Tell the MP that you are a supporter of Oxfam Canada
6. TELL HER/HIM WHAT OXFAM CANADA IS: An international development
agency and a partner of CIDA’s. It provides emergency relief, supports
community development and seeks to change policies that perpetuate
poverty. Oxfam Canada focuses on women’s rights and gender equality as a
way to achieve its mission of ending poverty and injustice.
7. Tell the MP in two sentences WHY YOU ARE HERE
8. If you cannot answer the MP’s questions, say so and offer to get back to
him/her.
9. ASK THE MP TO FOLLOW UP on your concerns by either writing or
speaking to the Finance Minister, or raising the issue in the party caucus
10. LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION and say you would like to hear
back on what he/she has done with your request
11. THANK THE MP AGAIN for his or her time and interest
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Talking points you may find useful:
1. We are concerned about two aspects of the federal budget:
 We want you to make sure that development assistance continues to
increase by 8% as it has in each of the past five years
 And we would like you to ensure the economic stimulus package includes
investment in public services (health, education, water and sanitation) and
alternative energy.
2. First, on aid: While we recognize that the debate around this budget will focus on
how best to stimulate our economy, we want to ensure that Canada’s
commitments to development assistance continue to be supported.
3. Canada has always prided itself in being a positive global beacon that cares
about the state of humanity, of girls’ access to schools, of women’s access to
basic health care, to supporting community based projects that ensured clean
water and sanitation was available to all citizens.
4. Canada has a long history of helping people in times of crisis. As a leading
developed country Canada has committed to supporting the Millennium
Development Goals and as a G8 member it has promised to double aid to Africa
and achieve universal AIDS treatment by 2010.
5. Many poor countries depend on aid assistance to help with the delivery of the
most basic of public services. If they are forced to eliminate essential services
then some of the world’s most vulnerable people will suffer the consequences.
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6. The government had promised to increase the aid budget by 8% this year. We
believe this is a realistic goal. 8% amounts to about $320 million, or about $10 a
Canadian.
What could an 8% increase in aid achieve?
 send 2.5 million children to school
 save the lives of 123,000 women and children by providing maternal and
newborn health services
 save the lives of 9,800 people suffering from HIVAIDS by providing care and
treatment
 save the lives of 98,000 children by providing basic healthcare.
Based on cost estimates by UNESCO, WHO and UNAIDS
7. We’re also concerned that the economic stimulus package supports efforts to
reduce poverty:
 You might wonder why Oxfam supporters are concerned about the nature of
Canada’s stimulus package. We have learned quite a bit about economic
development from Oxfam’s work overseas. Especially the impact of economic
measures on people who are trying to work their way out of poverty.
8. Everyone seems to agree that government should stimulate the economy. The
debate is what that money should be spent on.
 We would like investment in public services included as part of that stimulus
package.
 Public services (like health, education, water and sanitation) provide people
with the crucial supports they need to succeed in life. A healthy and educated
workforce is essential for any economy.
 What’s more, public services are large sectors of our economy, and
investment in them has significant benefits for the economy as a whole.
9. Most importantly, these services employ much higher numbers of women than
traditional industries. We have seen in Oxfam’s development work around the
world, that investing in sectors where women are employed benefits the entire
family.
10. In a recession, the demands on public services tend to rise (because fewer
people can afford private providers). Failure to increase investment in public
services will likely increase the burden on women because it is mothers and
daughters who will have to shoulder what the public system will not.
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Why invest in public services?
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A healthy and educated workforce is essential for any economy.
Public services are a large sector of our economy, and investment in them has
significant benefits for the economy as a whole.
Public services employ much higher numbers of women than traditional
industries, and investing in women’s employment benefits the entire family.
In a recession, demands on public services rise. Unless investment in public
services also rises, mothers and daughters end up shouldering a larger burden.
11. We also mentioned alternative energy. Communities where Oxfam works
overseas are already suffering greatly from droughts, floods, and other calamities
caused by climate change. Climate change is a problem they did not cause, yet
they are suffering the worst effects.
 We must turn the corner on Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. And this
economic stimulus package is a crucial opportunity to do just that.
 Investment in energy conservation and efficiency and wind and solar power
are urgently needed – and they will have a significant positive effect on the
economy at large.
 It is the sort of long-term investment that pays off quickly in new jobs.
12. Canada already has an edge in energy efficiency technology, which could be
built upon. It would not take much for Canada to become a world leader in wind
and solar technologies. But it will take public investment to make that happen.
 Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is urgent if we are to avoid the
catastrophic impacts from climate change that are already devastating poor
communities in the countries where Oxfam works. Let’s do something about it
and help our economy at the same time.
13. We hope you find these suggestions helpful. What do you think of them?
14. What do you think ought to be the priorities?
15. Would you please consider raising our concerns in caucus and with the Minister
of Finance?
 Would you write a letter to Minister Flaherty?
 Would you raise the issue in your party caucus or the House of Commons?
16. Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you
1. And thank you for your good work in Parliament
17. Here is our contact information. We would very much appreciate hearing back
from you on how you have taken our requests forward.
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How addressing the climate crisis can help the economy
Create jobs:
 Renewable energy generates 3-5 times more jobs per dollar of investment
compared to fossil fuels and already employs more people than the fossil-fuel
sector.
 Recycling creates 10 times as many jobs as dumping rubbish in landfills.
 Germany has created 250,000 new jobs in renewable electricity, which now
constitutes 14% of its electricity supply.
 The Canadian wind industry employed 3,785 people in 2006.
 In Canada, the Pembina Institute estimates that investing:
o $3 billion in energy efficiency would create up to 5,500 jobs;
o $3 billion in renewable energy would create 8,700 jobs;
o $17.4 billion in public transit would create up to 42,700 jobs.
Generate business:
 In 2006 the wind industry contributed $1.6 billion to Canada Gross Domestic
Product (GDP).
 In Canada, the Pembina Institute estimates that investing:
o $3 billion in energy efficiency would generate $5 billion worth of new
business;
o $3 billion in renewable energy would generate over $6 billion worth of new
business;
o $17.4 billion in public transit would generate at least $24 billion of new
business.
Reduce bills:
 According to Natural Resources Canada, properly insulating walls can save a
typical homeowner $700 a year on a $2,000 annual heating bill.
 Turning the heating down by 1 degree centigrade, switching the lights off
when not needed, and turning appliances completely off when not in use,
creates savings of around $150 per year
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Possible questions and responses:
Why is investing in social infrastructure important? And why should Canada do
it?
A strong social infrastructure has the most significant positive impact on women’s
lives and their communities. The poorest women and men should not be responsible for
paying for this economic downturn – here or abroad. Investing in infrastructure is a
common strategy of governments, but the tendency is to focus on capital infrastructure
(meaning more jobs for men and big contracts for corporations).
Expanding women’s economic opportunities is smart economics. Increased
women’s labor force participation and earnings are associated with reduced poverty and
faster growth. Women will benefit from their economic empowerment, but so too will
men, children and society as a whole.
Doesn’t most aid get stolen by corrupt governments?
Corruption is a terrible scourge, especially harmful to poor people. And it is true
that some aid has been stolen in the past. But CIDA has got very good at tracking
money spent and ensuring that it is spent well. Far less aid is wasted through corruption
than in the past and far less than the public perception.
In fact, aid can play an important role in fighting corruption. Aid can help finance
directly institutions that increase accountability, developing a free press and other media,
or supporting the training and recruitment of more judges and independent audit
institutions.
Aid can also help indirectly, enabling governments to pay public sector workers
such as the police a living wage; financing functioning courts and other elements of the
criminal justice system. And conditions on aid can also push governments to publish
their budgets for example or to improve procurement procedures. Aid to parliament and
civil society to track the budget in Malawi led to a crackdown on corruption.
Even if it’s not stolen, doesn’t it end up enriching elites?
As you imply, not all aid is well spent. This poor quality of aid is an issue on
which Oxfam is very active, but it should not be equated with the problem of corruption.
CIDA’s aid is generally of a fairly high quality. Oxfam has found that the
development professionals at CIDA are very competent, and do an excellent job of
ensuring aid is well spent. Problems arise when aid is driven by political or military
agendas, rather than responding to basic human needs. Most US aid, for example, is
allocated to reward friends, rather than to achieve development goals. Canada only
suffers from that problem in Afghanistan. While CIDA has tried to keep the aid program
there professional, they are under great political pressure to achieve short-term results
that would help the military effort. Development doesn’t happen in the short term, it is
only the longer term that counts.
If aid is so good, why is Africa such a basket case?
Not all of Africa is in such bad shape. The countries in serious decline are those
that have suffered conflict and are badly hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Believe me, we
too would have a much more difficult time eradicating poverty if we had an HIV-infection
rate of 20% or an ongoing civil war.
The Better Aid Bill passed by Parliament last year should also help ensure aid is
focused on reducing poverty, and promoting human rights. The law requires the Minister
to certify that all aid fulfills three criteria: 1) helps to reduce poverty, 2) is in keeping with
international human rights standards, and 3) takes into account the perspectives of
people living in poverty.
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When times are tough, shouldn’t charity begin at home?
Addressing poverty in Canada is crucial, and the economic stimulus package in
this budget should explicitly support poverty reduction by investing in the public services
that help people work their way out of poverty: health, education, water and sanitation.
But at the same time we have a responsibility to assist the most vulnerable in other
countries. Canada has always prided itself in being a positive global beacon that cares
about the state of humanity, of girls’ access to schools, of women’s access to basic
health care, to supporting community based projects that ensured clean water and
sanitation was available to all citizens.
Canada has a long history of helping people in times of crisis. As a leading
developed country Canada has committed to supporting the Millennium Development
Goals and as a G8 member it has promised to double aid to Africa and achieve universal
AIDS treatment by 2010.
Aid does not cost much – Canada’s total aid is only about $4 a week per
Canadian. We have a responsibility to people less well off than ourselves that we cannot
shirk.
How much money does Oxfam Canada receive from the Canadian government?
In 2007 Oxfam Canada received $5.5 million from CIDA, 38% of our program
spending.
How much money does Oxfam raise from the Canadian public?
In 2007, Oxfam Canada received just over $6.5 million in donations and
bequests, equivalent to 43% of the budget. An additional $3 million (19%) was raised
from other non-government sources.
Why has Oxfam Canada chosen women’s rights as its strategic focus?
The most persistent predictor of poverty and powerlessness in our world today is
being born female. Oxfam has learned that when women exercise their rights there is a
positive impact on everything from food security and the environment to peace-building
and good governance. We think it is the most strategic way for us to contribute to the
fight against poverty and injustice.
Underlying all these reasons, we know that discrimination against women – from
heinous forms of violence to unequal access to land or public services – constitute the
most widespread and systemic forms of human rights violations around the world.
So what does Oxfam Canada do to promote women’s rights?
Our goal is to ensure more women have the capacity, tools, legislation and
enabling environment to promote and defend their rights. Oxfam Canada is working to
become a recognized leader in building capacity to promote gender justice in Canada
and around the world.
Through a range of strategies we are renewing and boosting our commitment to
gender justice by:
 Supporting our partners to develop stronger programs and practices, and build
capacity for gender equality
 Promoting women’s leadership and involvement in humanitarian action
 Learning and sharing lessons with our counterparts and allies
 Participating in policy dialogue in Canada and globally
 Advocating for gender justice with allies and as part of Oxfam International.
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You know, the budget discussion is mostly about the stimulus package. What
would be your priorities for that?
We would like to see investment in public services included as part of that
stimulus package. Public services (like health, education, water and sanitation) provide
people with the crucial supports they need to succeed in life. A healthy and educated
workforce is essential for any economy.
What’s more, public services are large sectors of our economy, and investment
in them has significant benefits for the economy as a whole. Most importantly, these
services employ much higher numbers of women than traditional industries. We have
seen in Oxfam’s development work around the world, that investing in sectors where
women are employed benefits the entire family.
In a recession, the demands on public services tend to rise (because fewer
people can afford private providers). Failure to increase investment in public services will
likely increase the burden on women because it is mothers and daughters who will have
to shoulder what the public system will not.
Why invest in public services?
 A healthy and educated workforce is essential for any economy.
 Public services are a large sector of our economy, and investment in them has
significant benefits for the economy as a whole.
 Public services employ much higher numbers of women than traditional industries,
and investing in women’s employment benefits the entire family.
 In a recession, demands on public services rise. Unless investment in public
services also rises, mothers and daughters end up shouldering a larger burden.
What about infrastructure?
Investment in public services is investment in the social infrastructure. But we
also would like to see investment in productive infrastructure, especially alternative
energy.
The economic stimulus package could be a crucial opportunity to turn the corner
on Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. Investment in energy conservation and
efficiency and wind and solar power will have a significant positive effect on the
economy at large, creating jobs, generating business and reducing people’s energy bills.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is urgent if we are to avoid the catastrophic
impacts that are already devastating poor communities in the countries where Oxfam
works. Let’s do something about it and help our economy at the same time.
How can addressing the climate crisis help the economy?
Create jobs:
 Renewable energy generates 3-5 times more jobs per dollar of investment compared
to fossil fuels and already employs more people than the fossil-fuel sector.
 Recycling creates 10 times as many jobs as dumping rubbish in landfills.
 Germany has created 250,000 new jobs in renewable electricity, which now
constitutes 14% of its electricity supply.
 In Mexico, 1.5 million poor people earn incomes by planting and managing the
forests that conserve the country’s soil and water supplies.
 The Canadian wind industry employed 3,785 people in 2006.
 In Canada, the Pembina Institute estimates that investing:
o $3 billion in energy efficiency would create up to 5,500 jobs;
o $3 billion in renewable energy would create 8,700 jobs;
o $17.4 billion in public transit would create up to 42,700 jobs.
Generate business:
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In 2006 the wind industry contributed $1.6 billion to Canada Gross Domestic Product
(GDP).
 In Canada, the Pembina Institute estimates that investing:
o $3 billion in energy efficiency would generate $5 billion worth of new business;
o $3 billion in renewable energy would generate over $6 billion worth of new
business;
o $17.4 billion in public transit would generate at least $24 billion of new business.
Reduce bills:
 According to Natural Resources Canada, properly insulating walls can save a typical
homeowner $700 a year on a $2,000 annual heating bill.
 Turning the heating down by 1 degree centigrade, switching the lights off when not
needed, and turning appliances completely off when not in use, creates savings of
around $150 per year
Why is Oxfam Canada concerned about climate change?
Communities where Oxfam works overseas are already suffering greatly from
droughts, floods, and other calamities caused by climate change. Climate change is a
problem they did not cause, yet they are suffering the worst effects, because climatic
changes are most dramatic in tropical (as well as far northern regions), and because
people living in poverty have fewer resources for coping with a changing climate.
Impacts include prolonged drought, hurricanes, floods, and new diseases and
crop pests. The number of weather-related emergencies has increased from 125/year in
1980 to 450/year today. Climate change threatens to undermine decades of progress in
the fight against poverty.
What makes Oxfam an expert on economics?
We don’t claim to be experts. But Oxfam does have sixty years of experience
supporting community development in poor communities in over 100 countries. We have
seen the positive and negative impact of economic measures taken by governments of
all political persuasions. Our analysis is that investing in areas of the economy that
employ low-income people and women provide the greatest return in the fight against
poverty and injustice.
Does Oxfam get involved in politics?
As a registered charity, Oxfam Canada is strictly non-partisan. Oxfam engages
regularly in dialogue with elected officials regarding policies that affect the fight against
poverty. But Oxfam does not support any political candidate or party.
What does Oxfam Canada think of the Conservative government?
Oxfam Canada has publicly congratulated Prime Minister Harper for three
significant positive steps taken in the past year:
 Supporting the Better Aid Bill (now signed into law)
 Untying food aid purchases (from 50% to 100% untied)
 Pledging to untie all Canadian aid by 2012.
Oxfam has also expressed its concern regarding the limited ambition of Canada’s
policies on climate change, the wisdom of subsidizing biofuels, and the overall size of
Canada’s aid budget. We look forward to continued dialogue with the Conservative
government.
What is the “For All” campaign?
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“For All” is a joint effort by Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Quebec, and the Canadian
Union of Public Employees to raise awareness of the crucial role of public services in the
fight against poverty. The campaign encourages Canadians to communicate with their
elected officials regarding support for health, education, water and sanitation in
Canada’s development assistance.
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