After the international Women’s Marches, what next?

OTTAWA—On Jan. 21, it's estimated that 4.8 million people in the United States and around the world, including protesters in Ottawa, participated in marches in support of causes they believed to be threatened by Donald Trump’s presidency. For many participants, this was their first experience in political activity beyond voting. The American organizers of the Women's Marches are now seeking to build on this momentum by promoting “10 actions for the first 100 days” following the march. What might such a list look like for previously politically inactive Canadians, inspired by the marches and seeking an alternative to Trump’s call for a politics of unenlightened self-interest? What can they do to become active, effective citizens in the service of their local, provincial, and national communities? As a longtime observer of and participant in the Canadian political process, my suggestions would fall under three headings: getting informed; getting engaged; and making your community a better place for neighbours in need. Getting informed •Find out, if you don’t know already, who your elected representatives are municipally, provincially, and nationally and how to get in touch with them. •Learn more about the positions the various candidates and parties have taken on the issues of most concern to you and write to your representatives expressing your views and offering support to those who are advocating them. •Read the news daily. Do not restrict yourself to those news outlets which share your beliefs. Become familiar with the concerns of those who oppose your views. If they have valid points, take them into account in refining your own positions. If their positions are based on false premises, you will be better prepared to counter them. Get engaged •Take out a membership in the political party which comes closest to sharing your views. Attend its meetings and work on its campaigns. This will gain you respect and attention when you try to persuade that party to adopt the positions you favour as priorities. •Join community associations in your neighbourhood who advocate positions you support or that provide valuable recreational and cultural opportunities for local residents. •Attend and prepare to make informed presentations of your views at public meetings on issues that concern you. Listen carefully and take the opportunity to speak up. •Always exercise your right to vote, and help and encourage others to vote. Remember George Orwell’s advice: “Even when the choice is between the lesser of evils it is still worth making that choice.” Then do what you can to see that you have better choices the next time. •Search out allies and build coalitions in whatever party or association you become involved with. Help your neighbours •Look around for opportunities to make things better for neglected and isolated members of your local community. It may be providing a ride to grocery shopping, shovelling out an elderly or disabled person’s driveway, or taking a recent immigrant family’s children to a recreation activity or a museum. •Instead of Trump’s call to look out only for No. 1, apply the golden rule. Treat others with the respect, courtesy, and compassion you would want for yourself if you were in their circumstances. Michael Hatfield is a retired senior economist from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. He also used to work for Jake Epp when he was minister of Health and Welfare (1984-1989) and Barbara MacDougall when she was minister of Employment and Immigration (1989-1991.) Prior to that, he worked as a researcher in social policy for the federal Progressive Conservative Caucus Research Office (1979-1984), worked on the 1976 leadership campaign for Flora MacDonald, and worked in the New Brunswick Progressive Conservative party office during part of the term his uncle, Richard Hatfield (1974-1978). The Hill Times