Writing to your MLA
Your voice has power
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Writing to your MLA is the best way to ensure protection of the Ingram River watershed. It only takes a few minutes to make a lasting impact and put it on the government’s agenda.
A personal letter is better than a template
Template letters are sometimes easier to dismiss; personalized letters are far more influential to MLA's.
A personal letter proves that a resident cares deeply about the issue, making it much harder for officials to ignore.
MLA’s and their staff look out for unique, heartfelt messages over copy-and-paste messages that are usually from templates.
How to write a letter
Find out who your MLA is:
MLA’s are responsible for representing the needs and concerns of the communities that elect them.
Before you begin writing, the best place to start is to find out the MLA that represents your community so you can write specifically to them.
Click the link to find out who your MLA is.
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Be specific when you are writing:
Make sure to tell your MLA what you are hoping for and if you have an idea in mind about how to address the issue, let them know.
Make it personal:
When a letter is written in your own voice and with deep care, it gets noticed and helps those in power understand how important an issue can be and how it truly affects someone.
Why it matters to you:
Write about how the issue affects you and/or a large number of people.
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Be clear and concise:
Clearly explain what you are asking for. Even a short letter can be effective, it doesn’t need to be long and take you a whole day to write it.
Conclusion:
End the letter with a hopeful statement for next steps. An example could be “I look forward to hearing back from you and learning of your plans about this important issue.” At the very end leave your contact information.
Look at the example below for how it could be formatted.
Letter example
MLA info:
List the contact information of your MLA from what you find in the “Find your MLA” link.
Identify yourself:
Start by stating your name and the riding you are in. Also mention the Ingram River Wilderness Area so they know exactly what you are going to be writing about.
Make it personal:
Why is this issue important and why it matters to you?
The “ask”:
What would you like your MLA to do to fix the problem.
Ask for a response:
End your letter by asking your MLA for a reply to hear their stance on the issue you have outlined.
Envelope example
Your return address
A stamp will go here
MLA's office address. Use the civil address when you are looking up your MLA.
Additional resources
