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Thread: Two New Announcements

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    North Van
    Posts
    1,888

    Re: Two New Announcements

    It's tough when your MLA or MP is from a party that isn't sympathetic....but....they kind of have to take meetings with constituents. I've been through the party switch - first MLA was Liberal, current one is NDP, and we've met (albeit over Zoom).

    My thought process on it ranges from taking the "how do you eat an elephant" approach through the "what do you have in common" approach to the "we are many, you are few" approach.

    You eat an elephant one bite at at time. The NDP MLA who's going to go to bat for you later this afternoon on gun issues or right to hunt or scientific management over social license simply does not exist. You meet with them anyway, and you tell them who you are, where you live (their constituency) and what you care about. You don't argue with them or try to demonize them. At worst they'll agree to disagree, but more likely (after all, they're politicians) they'll treat you politely. That's the first bite.

    You build on common ground. What hunter conservationist doesn't like clean air and clean water? What politician (in fact, what person) doesn't like clean air and clean water? That's common ground. Hunters and anglers have a great story to tell, and it starts with that: clean air and clean water. Rebeka Breder may demonize us as bloodthirsty psychopaths, but she doesn't actually know what she's talking about. We are, in fact, very reasonable people with very reasonable concerns about the future of our province and what it will look like for those who come after us. It's very easy to make that clear, and you'll get buy in.

    Last, even if you go after Ravi Kahlon one bite at a time, and even if he decides that you're a good and reasonable guy, the fact is that right after you he's going to meet with someone from the timber industry, and then he's going to meet with someone from the craft brewers guild, then he's going to talk with someone from the Shoppers Drugmart....(all of these are just from his Twitter feed).

    You get the picture. You were one guy who was immediately followed by three more guys, and guess what? The timber guys met him repeatedly. You were outnumbered and rendered less important. Solution? Have more than you hit Ravi Kahlon up. Make him know that we are many and he is few.

    Simple. Not easy. But pretty simple.


    "And that's another problem we have - many hunters aren't technologically savvy enough to know how to even conduct zoom meetings. Maybe the BCWF could dedicate a webpage or send out a letter to members explaining specifically how to conduct zoom meetings with their elected officials?"

    Absolutely. It's a wicked idea and one we should pursue. Zoom meetings, webinars, podcasts, social media. All of that needs to be made easier for hunters and anglers to exploit. We will get there.
    Rob Chipman
    "The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders" - Ed Abbey
    "Grown men do not need leaders" - also Ed Abbey

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    North Island
    Posts
    131

    Re: Two New Announcements

    I get the volunteer and only so many hours in the day. Thank you and others who put in their time. I would have liked to have heard earlier so as to be able to begin the art of persuasion sooner. I wrote our MP Rachel Blaney on Trudeau's OIC. The NDP office responded and subsequently organized a town hall (zoom) on this subject. Six people attended of which 2 were from Sayward. Sadly Ron C. is probably right in thinking most gun owners pay their memberships and do little else.

    FYI Ms. Blaney took her Restricted after being elected and had a desire to understand the situation. She did infer that looking across the aisle at the Liberals was looking a party that had no exposure to firearms. My words, not hers.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    North Van
    Posts
    1,888

    Re: Two New Announcements

    ^^^

    "I would have liked to have heard earlier so as to be able to begin the art of persuasion sooner"

    Your observation is spot on - we have room for improvement in communication and we've been trying to address that - not just with firearms, but with a lot of the work that BCWF does with government. Thanks for bringing it up.
    Rob Chipman
    "The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders" - Ed Abbey
    "Grown men do not need leaders" - also Ed Abbey

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Surrounded by Socialists
    Posts
    7,931

    Re: Two New Announcements

    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Chipman View Post
    It's tough when your MLA or MP is from a party that isn't sympathetic....but....they kind of have to take meetings with constituents. I've been through the party switch - first MLA was Liberal, current one is NDP, and we've met (albeit over Zoom).

    My thought process on it ranges from taking the "how do you eat an elephant" approach through the "what do you have in common" approach to the "we are many, you are few" approach.

    You eat an elephant one bite at at time. The NDP MLA who's going to go to bat for you later this afternoon on gun issues or right to hunt or scientific management over social license simply does not exist. You meet with them anyway, and you tell them who you are, where you live (their constituency) and what you care about. You don't argue with them or try to demonize them. At worst they'll agree to disagree, but more likely (after all, they're politicians) they'll treat you politely. That's the first bite.

    You build on common ground. What hunter conservationist doesn't like clean air and clean water? What politician (in fact, what person) doesn't like clean air and clean water? That's common ground. Hunters and anglers have a great story to tell, and it starts with that: clean air and clean water. Rebeka Breder may demonize us as bloodthirsty psychopaths, but she doesn't actually know what she's talking about. We are, in fact, very reasonable people with very reasonable concerns about the future of our province and what it will look like for those who come after us. It's very easy to make that clear, and you'll get buy in.

    Last, even if you go after Ravi Kahlon one bite at a time, and even if he decides that you're a good and reasonable guy, the fact is that right after you he's going to meet with someone from the timber industry, and then he's going to meet with someone from the craft brewers guild, then he's going to talk with someone from the Shoppers Drugmart....(all of these are just from his Twitter feed).

    You get the picture. You were one guy who was immediately followed by three more guys, and guess what? The timber guys met him repeatedly. You were outnumbered and rendered less important. Solution? Have more than you hit Ravi Kahlon up. Make him know that we are many and he is few.

    Simple. Not easy. But pretty simple.


    "And that's another problem we have - many hunters aren't technologically savvy enough to know how to even conduct zoom meetings. Maybe the BCWF could dedicate a webpage or send out a letter to members explaining specifically how to conduct zoom meetings with their elected officials?"

    Absolutely. It's a wicked idea and one we should pursue. Zoom meetings, webinars, podcasts, social media. All of that needs to be made easier for hunters and anglers to exploit. We will get there.
    Thanks for taking the time to reply Rob. I get it - persistence and politeness are keys to persuasion and just throwing in the towel is worst option. Ravi actually engaged with me via private message over Twitter last year after I went after him a few times publicly for not responding to my letters; and he even said via private message that he would indeed reply to my letters, but alas he failed to do so. After he got re-elected I was pretty demoralized, but you're right, giving up is not an option. However I did close my Twitter account in December because I could no longer take the cesspool and constant battles. But at some point I will definitely request a formal zoom meeting once I figure out how to use it on my phone.

    You've got a great MP in Bowinn. She's probably the hardest worker of any MLA and she does listen to her constituents. She actually followed me on Twitter when I had my account and this was in spite of the fact that I was very open about being a hunter and liking to shoot guns - so that obviously wasn't too much to scare her away.

    I run 2 small businesses so volunteering my time is not quite possible right now, but I plan to change that over the next 2-3 years as I'm beginning the process of selling those businesses and exiting the rat race. Its more important than ever that we hunters try to unite with one voice and support the BCWF however we can (just increased my monthly donation to $100) because you guys are the only ones sticking up for us, and I really appreciate all the great work you do. Keep it up man!
    "It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority." - Benjamin Franklin

    "The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it" - George Orwell

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    North Van
    Posts
    1,888

    Re: Two New Announcements

    Yeah, I though retiring would free up a lot of time (I'm in a phased sell out of my business with reduced work hours) but boy oh boy can you fill all that spare time up fast!
    Rob Chipman
    "The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders" - Ed Abbey
    "Grown men do not need leaders" - also Ed Abbey

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