Sunday, March 22, 2020

COVID-19 Community Mobilizing: Contact Your Elected Officials: Sample Letter and Email & Information to find your MLA, MP and Senators Contact Information

As many of us continue to experience uncertainty, anxiety, and worry about how we can take care of ourselves, and our loved ones, our elected officials largely remain silent to the massive societal changes, confusion and suffering that is unfolding for many of us. Many of us feel powerless, and don't know what to do. 

We need to contact our MLA's, our MP's, and Senators from our regions and demand that they do more to help, and ensure assistance is available to all of us for the health, safety and well-being of our communities. 

I have created a sample letter/email below that people can copy and paste to send to their elected officials, their party, the Prime Minister, and Senators. I would suggest you send it to all of these people. I would suggest you either write this as an individual, or include all family, and/or household members who would like to be included. There is strength in numbers. Our elected officials must be held accountable and take responsible action immediately.

Sample Letter or Email to Send to Elected Officials (copy and paste)

[Insert Date]

Dear [Insert Name], 

I am a constituent in your riding of [Insert your riding/area]. 

I am writing to you today to advocate for you, and your government to do much more to provide financial assistance, and support to individuals and families in our community, and to Canadians. 

As businesses and services have been shut down in my community, and in my province,  many of the financial assistance announcements from the Canadian government will leave me, family members, and many others in my community without any income, ability to pay rent, mortgages, or obtain food and basic necessities. 

Many Canadians do not qualify for income assistance, mortgage deferrals, or support from the banks to keep a roof over our heads while many of us can no longer work due to the government shutting down businesses and services. 

With the current uncertainty around when life will get back to "normal" and we can all get back to work, and to supporting ourselves and our families, and supporting businesses in our communities we urgently require our governments to do more to financially support us. 

I join the call of many others to create a Universal Basic Guaranteed Income (U-BIG) so that all Canadians will receive a basic income and financial security to help them access basic necessities, recover from illness if they can't work, and survive in these challenging and extraordinary times. 

At this time, we need strong, ethical leaders who are willing and able to help support our communities. We need you to do more to support the people of this community. 

We also need leaders who will ensure that their offices have created community resource lists so people know how to apply for financial supports, and other resources in our area. If your office has not already done this, I am requesting that this is done immediately, and that these lists and resources are made available to members of our community. 

Sincerely, 

[Insert your name and the names of other family members and/or household members'

Optional: As an elected official, you were elected to uphold the best interests of your constituents, voters, and the people of B.C. Remaining silent, while collecting your tax-payer-funded pay cheque is not the strong, ethical leadership our community needs right now. You must do more to help all members of our society.

Find Contact Information for Elected Officials and Senators for your Area
  • Premier John Horgan: Premier@gov.bc.ca
  • Minister of Health, Adrian Dix: HLTH.Minister@gov.bc.ca

Send a Letter, Email or Call Your MLA:

Find out your MLA’s contact information here:



Send a Letter, Email or Call Your Member of Parliament:

Find out your MP’s contact information here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en

Find Your Local Senators here: https://sencanada.ca/en/senators-list/

Learn more about the Canadian government's proposed Financial Assistance for COVID-19-related income and work disruptions

Coronavirus: #COVID19 Financial Assistance: Apply for Employment Insurance & the Emergency Care Benefit

BC Poverty Reduction Coalition: BCPRC COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOR JUSTICE

Additional Information to Report and Ask for Concerning #COVID19

Change the COVID-19 Testing Criteria: When emailing your MLA, please also tell them you want the BC to change the exposure criteria so that more testing for COVID-19 can occur in your community to identify all of the cases, and ensure community safety is enhanced.  

Report local test refusals and refusals of health care to your MLA: Advise them if you, anyone in your family, or in your community, has been refused testing for COVID-19, or health care for managing symptoms. 

If You Have Been Can't Access Health Care, or Have been Refused Health Care and Have Symptoms

Coronavirus: Home and Self-care for #COVID19; Vital Sign Monitoring; Your First Aid Kit

Find out more about Prevention and How to Manage if you have COVID-19

Coronavirus: #COVID19 Symptoms, Assessment and Management of Illness
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#novelcoronavirus #coronavirusbc #COVIDBC #2019nCoV #COVID19 #COVID19Canada #COVIDCanada #pandemic #CoronavirusCanada #bcfinancialassistance #canadafinancialassistance #UBIGCanada #UBIGBC #bcpoli #canpoli #cdnpoli  

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