Volunteer With Us

Find the MP for your area by typing in your postal code here. Remember, MPs only respond to residents in their own constituency.

• MPs have a responsibility to respond their constituents, so don’t hesitate to request a face-to-face meeting. This is usually the most effective way to communicate your objectives.
• Note the name of the assistant. Having a good relationship with an MP’s assistant can be instrumental in facilitating a meeting.
• Request a specific time period; 30 minutes is a reasonable request.
• Make sure that you have some information prepared before you call. The MP’s assistant will need to know why you would like to meet, so communicate who you are and that you want to discuss the Federal Government’s approach to aid and development.
• Indicate how many people will be present at the meeting, so that the MP and assistant can prepare accordingly.
• Helpful Hints: Be polite, stay friendly and use everyday language to explain your request. Be flexible, ask when the MP will be in the office and indicate your availability.

Many MPs now have personal websites in addition to their parliamentary pages. See what information is available through these links. It’s useful to understand some basic information about your MP.

For example:

1. Where does your MP's party stand on international development projects and gender justice?
2. How did your MP vote on issues related to aid or international development in previous sessions?
3. Check out any affiliations your MP has with parliamentary committees, other organizations and community members. The more you know about the MP, the more successfully you can direct the meeting.

• Determine who will attend the meeting (i.e.: other Oxfam volunteers, chapter organizers, community leaders) and coordinate the meeting strategy.
• Know what aid does, why it works and why Canada’s contribution as a donor country is important to you.
• Provide the MP with information. Send an email in advance of the meeting outlining your concerns, and bring a hard copy with you. It is helpful to have something on-hand in the meeting that the MP can refer to for more information.
• Determine a way to structure the conversation:
  1. Introduce yourself and your affiliation with Oxfam, and briefly present the issue you want to discuss.
  2. Identify a goal for the meeting, such as “I want you to understand why it’s important to me, as a Canadian, to meet our commitments in providing aid to developing countries.”
  3. Remember, your MP is loyal to the party’s platform, so try and anticipate what will be said in response to your questions, based on the party’s official position. Be prepared to respond appropriately.

• Make sure that you are on time for the meeting; MPs are busy, and arriving late reflects badly on you and cuts into the time you have for your discussion.
• Dress appropriately.
• Take notes!
• It’s ok to bring some notes into the meeting to help you guide your conversation, but make sure you understand the issues well enough to be able to talk freely without referring to your notes.
• Listen. Anticipate that your MP will have reasons for taking a certain position or having a certain way of voting and you should be receptive to this information.  As a general rule, the MP will talk for 2/3 of the time, you will talk for 1/3 of the time.
• Try to keep the conversation on track, use talking points to reference if necessary.
• Be prepared to answer questions; if you aren’t sure of the answer, write it down and promise to get back to the MP with an answer.
• Have an understanding of what the MP can do to help you, and be clear about what actions you would like the MP to take. This may include:
  1. Raising the issue in caucus
  2. Raising the issue with the Standing Committee on Finance
  3. Speaking to the Minister of Finance
  4. Writing a letter to the Prime Minister
  5. Supporting international development projects that promote gender equality

• Record what the MP has agreed to do before you leave.
• Leave an information package for the MP, your contact information and any information that would help the MP learn more about the issue.
• Remember to thank the MP, and the MP's assistant, for taking the time to meet with you.

• Helpful Hints: Be respectful and polite, listen actively and show an understanding of the MP’s point of view. Don’t ask too much of the MP. Set realistic expectations of what the MP can do.

• Record what happened at the meeting as soon as possible after you leave, to ensure you remember as much as possible.
• Let us know how it went! Send an email to  to let us know about the meeting and what took place.
• Write a letter to thank the MP for the meeting, reiterating agreed outcomes.