What is a Community Action Network (CAN)?
- A group of members, or members of the Board of Directors, who want to engage more with
government to showcase their industry. - Takes advantage of the members good standing in their communities across the province
- Builds on local relationships and provides a framework for developing and maintaining positive
relationships with decision makers. - Network members are given support that includes resources (i.e., templates, briefing notes, issue
position papers, logistical government relations advice) to make interactions with elected officials
easy and consistent.
Why is it important?
- The main benefit of the CAN is that it helps the association deliver a consistent message to the
Government in a quick and credible way. - Keeps issues important to ALIGN in the minds of targeted MLAs.
- ‘Feedback loop’ from GoA, MLAs are more likely to get ‘honest’ feedback from the minister, which
they are more likely to share with a local constituent if they have a relationship with him/her.
How will it help?
- ALIGN is the voice of the many children and family community service providers across the
province, but it is a broad voice and not as personal as a relationship between an MLA and his or
her constituent. - Messaging from the members in their home communities is far more impactful to government. If
a minister gets 15 calls from MLAs across the province who are hearing consistent messages from
trusted members of the community, this will have an impact. - There is strength in numbers, the more perspectives a politician can be exposed to, the more
informed they can be when they are creating legislation.