Mike Devine (right), president of Colchester-East Hants branch, met with Stephen Ellis, member of Parliament for Cumberland—Colchester, to discuss Federal Retirees’ advocacy priorities.
Mike Devine, president of Colchester-East Hants branch, met with Stephen Ellis, member of Parliament for Cumberland—Colchester in June. Devine was inspired to meet his MP in Ottawa, after hearing James Wheelhouse and Michelle Langille speak about their MP meeting on Parliament Hill, during the advocacy training session at the Annual Meeting of Members (AMM).
“On the way to Ottawa, by chance, I was talking to our MP at the airport, and he invited me to stop by his office and suggested a tour of Parliament. After our meetings at the AMM, I thought what a great opportunity to discuss the four advocacy pillars of our organization,” says Devine, explaining how this meeting came about.
“When I arrived at Dr. Ellis's office, I explained to him my reason for being in Ottawa. I informed him of my position and the number of Federal Retirees members in his riding and the number of members in Canada. I was aware from previous conversations that he was in favour of protecting seniors’ pensions, as a former military doctor he has always been proactive when it comes to veterans. And so, for this meeting, we had an in-depth conversation on pharmacare,” says Devine.
Devine was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to engage with his MP and connect on driving change for members and older adults. “After 45 minutes of conversation on Federal Retirees priorities, we went for a tour and had great conversations about many things Canadian.”
Interested in meeting your MP on Parliament Hill or in their constituency? Review our Reach 338 toolkit for speaking points and questions to ask. If you have questions or need support to get started, email advocacyteam@federalretirees.ca to reach our advocacy team.
About Advocacy Spotlight
Advocacy Spotlight showcases successful initiatives and projects put forward by our dedicated volunteers and supporters.
The National Association of Federal Retirees has a proud history of advocacy on behalf of our members and all retirees. In collaboration with our volunteers and supporters from coast-to-coast, we continue this tradition of strong, smart advocacy campaigns focused on improvements to the financial security, health and well-being of our members and all Canadians. Our success is not only measured in policy changes and legislation. It grows with every meaningful discussion with parliamentarians, and with every email and letter written. Together, we are achieving and surpassing our strategic advocacy goals and targets every day.