LOBBYISTS AND LOBBYISTS AND PRESSURE GROUPSPRESSURE GROUPS

What are pressure groupsWhat are pressure groupsBusiness as a pressure groupBusiness as a pressure groupPositives of pressure groupsPositives of pressure groupsNegatives of pressure groupsNegatives of pressure groups

Did you know:

The word lobbyist originated with President Ulysses S Grant, who liked to get out of the White House and often went to Washington’s Willard Hotel for brandy and cigars. Anyone who wanted access to the President would know to find him in the lobby there. President Grant was the first to refer to these DC power brokers as lobbyists.

PRESSURE GROUPSPRESSURE GROUPS

pressure groups are interested pressure groups are interested in influencing political decisions in influencing political decisions not in holding political officenot in holding political office

pressure groups representpressure groups represent labourlabour agricultureagriculture professionalsprofessionals religious groupsreligious groups ethnic groups ethnic groups the environmentthe environment

PRESSURE GROUPSPRESSURE GROUPS

most use the up-to-date technologies most use the up-to-date technologies like e-mail, the internet and fax like e-mail, the internet and fax machines to communicatemachines to communicate

pressure groups use both direct and pressure groups use both direct and indirect methods to influence indirect methods to influence decisionsdecisions

lobbying is a from of direct or indirect lobbying is a from of direct or indirect communication with government communication with government members to influence public policymembers to influence public policy

in Ottawa there were more than 5,000 in Ottawa there were more than 5,000 lobbyists registered with the federal lobbyists registered with the federal government in 2011government in 2011

LOBBYISTSLOBBYISTS lobbyists often focus their attention lobbyists often focus their attention

on senior civil servants who are on senior civil servants who are more permanent than elected more permanent than elected officialsofficials

it is easier to influence the policies it is easier to influence the policies of a government during the of a government during the formation stage rather than after formation stage rather than after they are announcedthey are announced

when they do focus on elected when they do focus on elected officials, they choose cabinet officials, they choose cabinet ministers as their focusministers as their focus

politicians and the major parties use politicians and the major parties use their own public relations companies their own public relations companies to provide feedback by pollingto provide feedback by polling

BUSINESS AS A BUSINESS AS A LOBBY GROUPLOBBY GROUP

large corporations have entire public large corporations have entire public relations departments dedicated to relations departments dedicated to influencing government decisionsinfluencing government decisions

Corporations are also large contributors Corporations are also large contributors to both the Conservative and Liberal to both the Conservative and Liberal parties in Canadaparties in Canada

the NDP receives most of its funds from the NDP receives most of its funds from labour organizationslabour organizations

to prevent wealthy groups from having to prevent wealthy groups from having too much influence, the government too much influence, the government limits the amount of money that limits the amount of money that candidates and parties are permitted to candidates and parties are permitted to spend to an election campaignspend to an election campaign

in addition, radio and television stations in addition, radio and television stations must provide both paid and free must provide both paid and free broadcast time for each party during an broadcast time for each party during an election campaignelection campaign

POSITIVES OF POSITIVES OF PRESSURE GROUPSPRESSURE GROUPS1.1. Principal mechanism by which Principal mechanism by which

interested groups make their interested groups make their preferences known to governmentpreferences known to government

2.2. Pressure groups provide decision Pressure groups provide decision makers with feedback from the real makers with feedback from the real worldworld

3.3. Pressure groups provide opportunities Pressure groups provide opportunities for meaningful political activity and for meaningful political activity and help governments identify areas of help governments identify areas of dissatisfactiondissatisfaction

4.4. Pressure groups act as an escape Pressure groups act as an escape valve for peoplevalve for people’’s frustrationss frustrations

5.5. Governments use pressure groups to Governments use pressure groups to test proposals, giving opportunities for test proposals, giving opportunities for advice and inputadvice and input

NEGATIVES OF NEGATIVES OF PRESSURE GROUPSPRESSURE GROUPS 1.1. Pressure groups are disproportionate in Pressure groups are disproportionate in

their ability to finance with time, effort their ability to finance with time, effort and money their lobbying effortsand money their lobbying efforts

2.2. The most active pressure groups The most active pressure groups represent producers rather than represent producers rather than consumersconsumers

3.3. The most influential pressure groups The most influential pressure groups represent businessrepresent business

4.4. Pressure groups work behind closed Pressure groups work behind closed doors undermining the concept of open doors undermining the concept of open governmentgovernment

5.5. pressure groups have the potential to pressure groups have the potential to enable the minority to dominate the enable the minority to dominate the majoritymajority