2024 Provincial Election Toolkit
A message from the Advocacy Committee
Dear Community Member,
As a member of the ME, Fibromyalgia, and Long-COVID community, your personal experiences and insights are invaluable assets. Whether you are a seasoned advocate or just starting your journey, your voice is crucial in influencing public policy that affects those living with these conditions.
No one understands the challenges faced by individuals with ME, Fibromyalgia, or Long-COVID better than those who experience it daily. Your stories, concerns, and questions are essential in guiding our future policymakers to prioritize the needs of our community in their platforms.
This election season, we encourage you to engage with candidates in your riding. Our 2024 Election Toolkit is designed to equip you with the resources you need to take action. Whether you choose to meet candidates in person, advocate through social media, or write about our issues in local media, your participation is vital.
Additionally, we want to let you know that the society will be reaching out to the three parties with the same questions we encourage you to raise (see letter here). Any responses we receive will be shared with the community to keep everyone informed and engaged.
By raising awareness and advocating for policies that support individuals with ME, Fibromyalgia, and Long-COVID, we can collectively influence the legislative agenda.
Together, we can ensure that our needs are acknowledged and addressed. We’re excited to stand alongside you in this advocacy effort.
Sincerely,
The Advocacy Team of the ME|FM Society of BC
P.S. If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to us at mymlaandme@mefm.bc.ca.
Download the complete 2024 Election Toolkit here
What you can do
ELECTION DAY IS OCTOBER 19TH!
Make sure you’re on the voters list!
On October 19th, eligible voters can exercise their right to vote for candidates who will represent our interests. There are also advance voting days in the weeks leading up to this date. To register and find more information, visit Elections BC. For details on voting by mail, check here: Vote by Mail.
LET’S PUT ME/FM AND LONG-COVID ON THE PROVINCIAL AGENDA!
Community groups, organizations, and individuals can all play a role in putting ME/FM and Long-COVID issues on the election agenda by taking action.
1
SHARE our ME/FM/Long-COVID Election Toolkit and materials with your family, friends, and network. This 2024 Election Toolkit webpage shared by copying this link (https://www.mefm.bc.ca/2024-provincial-election-toolkit).
Please pass it on!
2
CONTACT your local candidates in your riding (and their political parties) to ask where they stand on the issues that matter to you and our community.
You can email them, chat with them while they campaign in your neighborhood, or call their campaign headquarters.
A list of candidates by electoral district is available here: Elections BC Candidate List. Check our advocacy tools included (script, sample tweets and questions).
3
REGISTER & VOTE! Remind your friends and family to vote as well!
4
USE THE “ADVOCACY OUTREACH” tools provided in our toolkit to effectively communicate your message and engage with candidates. And keep the society updated on any responses by emailing mymlaandme@mefm.bc.ca.
Key themes and questions for candidates
Healthcare system priorities
"As your party plans to improve healthcare for British Columbians, what specific initiatives are being designed to support patients with ME/FM and Long-COVID? How do you envision patient groups contributing to these efforts?"
Improving access to care
"Given early diagnosis of ME/Long-COVID - ME is critical to long term outcomes and quality of life, and that the only provincially funded ME/FM Long-COVID clinic has a 3 year wait list, what specific actions will you take to improve access to timely specialized care for these illnesses?”
Addressing Healthcare Provider Capacity and Knowledge Translation
"Given the scant number of doctors in BC currently equipped to provide care for the over 175,000 patients with ME/FM and Long-COVID, what concrete steps will you take to "fund physician education and improve diagnostic capacity in management of these diseases?”
Disability Support and benefits
“Many individuals with ME/FM and Long-COVID are unable to work and rely on disability benefits, often struggling to afford essential medications. Will your party consider raising disability rates? Additionally, will you expand coverage for ME/FM and Long-COVID medications under Fair Pharmacare?"
Best practices for engaging with candidates
To effectively reach out to candidates and amplify the concerns highlighted in our ME|FM/Long-COVID Election Toolkit, consider the following suggestions:
Engage in person if you can
-
Face-to-Face Conversations: Meeting candidates in person provides an opportunity for real-time engagement. Being prepared with your questions can capture their attention effectively.
-
Be Prepared: If a candidate comes to your door or you see them in public, use the priority questions from this toolkit to guide your conversation. If it’s busy, consider emailing instead.
-
State Your Name: Clearly identify yourself and let them know you are a constituent in their riding. Staffers often record this information.
-
Request Follow-Up: If the candidate cannot answer your questions, ask for a written response. Be sure to leave your contact information so they can update you on their position or any actions taken.
Keep us in the loop!
Forward any responses to the society (mymlaandme@mefm.bc.ca) so we can keep a running list of candidates who have engaged.
This will further help our work going into a new Legislative session.
Download the complete 2024 Election Toolkit here
Write an email
-
Reach Out: Writing to a candidate in your riding or their party headquarters is a powerful way to express your priorities and gauge their support. You can find all candidates listed by riding and party affiliation on the Elections BC website: Elections BC Candidate List.
-
Stay Updated: Check the Elections BC list regularly, as it will be updated until September 21st, when the official election campaign period begins. All candidates must be listed by that date.
-
Make Your Voice Heard: Candidates will often take note of who reaches out to them. If you have the time, consider emailing all candidates in your riding whose opinions matter to you.
-
Contact Method: You can send an email through a candidate’s website. Incumbents typically have easily accessible email addresses, while new candidates may take longer to set up their sites.
-
Keep It Simple: Focus on one or two priority issues from this toolkit that are important to you. Feel free to copy and paste the priority questions into your email.
Sample "Talk to the candidates" script
Hello, my name is ______ and I am a concerned citizen in this riding.
{Add one sentence about your personal connection to concerns about ME/FM and Long-COVID in BC.}
I want to discuss the pressing issue of healthcare access for individuals living with ME/FM and Long-COVID. Many patients face significant barriers in obtaining timely and specialized care, which is crucial for their recovery and well-being. The lack of healthcare providers trained to support these conditions has led to increased suffering and frustration among patients and their families.
I’d like to know where you stand on the following issues: {Choose two of the questions below to focus on.}
Healthcare system priorities: "As your party plans to improve healthcare for British Columbians, what specific initiatives are being designed to support patients with ME/FM and Long-COVID? How do you envision patient groups contributing to these efforts?"
Addressing healthcare provider capacity and knowledge translation: "Given the scant number of doctors in BC currently equipped to provide care for the over 175,000 patients with ME/FM and Long-COVID, what concrete steps will you take to "fund physician education and improve diagnostic capacity in management of these diseases?”
Improving access to care: "Given early diagnosis of ME/Long-COVID - ME is critical to long term outcomes and quality of life, and that the only provincially funded ME/FM Long-COVID clinic has a 3 year wait list, what specific actions will you take to improve access to timely specialized care for these illnesses?”
Disability support and benefits: “Many individuals with ME/FM and Long-COVID are unable to work and rely on disability benefits, often struggling to afford essential medications. Will your party consider raising disability rates? Additionally, will you expand coverage for ME/FM and Long-COVID medications under Fair Pharmacare?"
Thank you for your time; I look forward to your response.
[Your Name] [Your Contact Information]
_edi.jpg)
Tweets for you to use to connect with candidates
Tweet 1
As you plan to improve healthcare in BC, what initiatives will support patients with ME/FM and Long-COVID? How can patient groups help? @mefmbc #BCHealth #LongCovid
Tweet 2
With over 175,000 patients needing care, what steps will you take to increase the number of specialists for ME/FM and Long-COVID in BC? @mefmbc #BCHealth #FM
Tweet 3
What actions will you implement to help specialists manage waitlists for timely consultations for ME/FM and Long-COVID patients? @mefmbc #BCHealth #LongCovid
Tweet 4
What initiatives will your party introduce to address healthcare access challenges in rural communities for those with ME/FM and Long-COVID? @mefmbc #BCHealth #RuralHealth
Tweet 5
Will your party consider raising disability rates for individuals with ME/FM and Long-COVID and expanding medication coverage under Fair Pharmacare? @mefmbc #DisabilitySupport #BCHealth
Download the complete 2024 Election Toolkit here