Canoe museum lobbying strategic, intelligent

In August, I wrote in this space about the sticker shock experienced by Peterborough city councillors upon learning that the Canadian Canoe Museum (CCM) was requesting $4 million from the city in support of its proposed $65 million building by the Lift Lock. When the CCM chairman first made his pitch to the budget committee in June, seven of the eleven councillors asked him questions, all of which revealed an undercurrent of concern. Even more forceful concerns were emerged at the July city council meeting, when no councillors spoke in favour of the $4 million request.

In November, a city staff report urging payment of the full $4 million was rejected in favour of a contribution of only $2 million.

All of this came to head last week, when – in a substantial turnaround – city council agreed to the original $4 million request from CCM, spreading its payments over a period of eight years. It is a rare occurrence that city council decides to so dramatically reverse a decision of its own budget committee. The fact of the reversal is a testament to the intelligent work of CCM in mounting one of the most effective lobby campaigns we have seen in quite some time at city hall.

The campaign began with a decision by CCM to consult personally with all of the councillors – a reversal of an earlier ill-advised course of dealing with only the mayor and selective councillors. Dozens of CCM volunteers carried out an orchestrated telephoning and emailing of councillors, many of whom were specifically chosen to approach individual councillors. All councillors were invited to tour the CCM facilities, an offer taken up by five – most of whom ended up switching their votes.

The lobby included a more rational explanation of the long-term economic impact of the $4 million figure – a reversal of what appeared to be an inability to account for its selection in the first place. CCM also wisely repositioned its request in terms other than cultural nicety and noblesse oblige, arming councillors with a case that could work for them in dealing with complaints about the need for more socially responsible city investments.

A key turning point was CCM agreement, following discussions with the mayor, to expand the event space in the new building to flexibly accommodate double the number of people for convention and meeting purposes. CCM leadership was aware that Mayor Bennett had proposed a new convention centre as part of his 2010 election campaign; so had MP Monsef in her 2015 federal campaign. Presto.

At last week’s council meeting, CCM invited its 130 volunteers to pack the room and some 50 attended. Six CCM speakers made their case, their presentations managed so as not to overlap in content. Letters of support from organizations such as Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development were distributed to councillors.

A supportive guest column appeared in this paper. Space for print ads in two newspapers was reserved in the event that a last day push was required. The earlier demand for a five-year phasing of the city contribution was relaxed, in the knowledge that federal funding is to be determined on the amount rather than the time frame of the grant. The well publicized donation of canoes by Gordon Lightfoot three days before the city council vote was fortuitous, but effective.

In response to a business delegation, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said “OK, you’ve convinced me. Now go out there and bring pressure on me.” CCM brought pressure that was strategic and intelligent. For that, they are fully deserving of their reward.