The Speech From the Throne Highlights
Last Wednesday, the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Lois Mitchell, delivered the speech from the throne, marking the start of a new legislative session in Alberta and an outline of the government’s priority areas. This blog highlights key pieces of legislation and areas where Government has committed to act during this spring session, and beyond.
The Official Opposition in Alberta
Members of the Opposition are MLAs who are not part of the governing party. The role of the opposition is to hold the government accountable, criticize government activity, propose amendments to policies, and present themselves to the public as an alternative to the party in office. Leader of the Opposition Rachel Notley and her party’s MLAs were recently sworn in and she has announced her party’s critic roles, as noted in this post.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Cabinet Sworn In
A new cabinet was appointed yesterday as Jason Kenney was sworn in as Alberta’s 18th Premier. Please join CCVO in offering congratulations to the new Ministers, and in continuing the nonprofit sector’s commitment to working with the Government of Alberta in fulfilling the sector's vital role as major contributors to the economic, social, and cultural fabric of the province.
Make it a Voting Party with #nonprofitsvote Week!
We are very fortunate to live in a place where voting is a right and a privilege that we can enjoy freely. Every chance we get to vote, is a chance to celebrate democracy, and our freedom to mark a ballot. Advance polls are a great opportunity to gather a group of voters; take friends, colleagues, and family members and head to the ballot box.
#nonprofitsvote: Tips for Voter Engagement
With just two weeks to election day, nonprofits have an important role to play in voter engagement. As trusted sources of information, nonprofits hold unique positions in communities, and can help inform and empower the people that they serve to exercise their right to vote. Here are some tips to get you started.
Join the #nonprofitsvote Campaign! Nonprofit Vote Kit Now Available
CCVO has launched #nonprofitsvote, an exciting campaign, to encourage nonprofit staff, board members, volunteers, and people who access the services of nonprofits to engage in the upcoming provincial election. The campaign is a nonpartisan effort to ‘get out the vote’ by increasing nonprofit voter participation in the Alberta 2019 provincial election.
The Alberta Nonprofit Election Toolkit Has Launched!
We’re excited to announce the release of the complete Nonprofit Election Toolkit - a practical guide for nonprofits to engage in advocacy during the 2019 Alberta election. We created this Toolkit to support nonprofits in engaging more deeply in public policy advocacy and to inspire conversations about the crucial role that Alberta nonprofits play in our communities.
Get Out the Vote and Join #nonprofitsvote
With more than 26,000 nonprofits in Alberta, it’s not a stretch to say that nonprofits touch the lives of every single Albertan, whether it be as staff, volunteers, board members, or clients. Nonprofits have a responsibility to speak up about the issues that matter to us and drive us to make positive contributions to our communities. In the final post of our election toolkit, learn how we can use our collective voice to encourage #nonprofitsvote and make a difference.
After the Election, the Real Work Begins
It’s important for nonprofits to recognize that advocacy efforts need to start well before the advent of an election campaign – and continue afterwards as well. After all, policy advocacy is a journey, not a destination. If a specific policy proposal finds its way into a political party’s election platform, it’s often the result of a lot of hard work in the months, and even years, prior to an election. Here are five critically important ways for nonprofits to follow up after the election.