1. UBC POLI 101 Canadian Politics
Group Politics

2. Midterm The big points of the course, not little stuff
No point form answers, but no need to link sentences together really smoothly
Please arrive early, take a seat, and put your stuff away
Sit by TA:
Broadhead in the back four rows
Owen in the middle four rows
Rickey in the front four rows
Please write your TA’s name on your answer book
They’ll be returned in tutorial

3. Interest (or Pressure) Groups
Definition: Organizations whose members act together, attempting to influence public policy in order to promote their common interest.
institutional groups
stable; organizationally developed; significant resources & personnel
focused on broad agenda of issues
Cultivate relationships with officials
e.g. business groups, trade unions
special issue groups
focused on single set of issues, often outsiders
fewer resources other than volunteers
more willing to exercise pressure through mobilization of public opinion
e.g., women’s groups, environmentalists

4. Development functional versus spatial representation
But… all groups face a Collective Action Problem
federalism & shared jurisdiction
multiplies veto points; gives leverage over gov’ts dependent on particular resource; federalizes group organization
Parliamentary system
produces concentration of power; premium on access to cabinet ministers & officials; less concern for access to MPs
Charter of Rights
establishes rights of individuals vis-à-vis gov’ts giving groups leverage via legal system

5. Functions communication, legitimation, administration, regulation
communicate concerns & provide information
convince public & policy-makers of need for policy changes
e.g. BC teachers advertising during Olympics! Not Cheap!
supplementary role in provision of social services
formal regulatory powers for professional groups: engineers, lawyers, doctors, accountants
response to bureaucratic needs
delivery of services requires talking to special publics receiving services
information needs
legitimacy needs
So these groups are an indispensable part of the policy process
Not only that, their existence shapes the policy agenda
Think of what groups involved on the homelessness issue: cities? churches? but homeless people can’t organize!

6. Policy Communities development of policy communities
specialization occurs throughout policy making system
groupings of government agencies, pressure groups, media people, academics who have an interest in a particular policy field and attempt to influence it
core consisting of gov’t agencies most directly involved in setting policy & regulating a field together with small group of interests whose power requires them to be consulted
e.g., broadcasting, publishing, fish processing
symbiotic relationship
Specialized knowledge/skills to do this, so professional lobbying firms
Democratic problem if gov’t (or parties) and groups get too cosy?
Lobbying out of control in the USA?

7. Interest Group Tactics
protest
presentations to hearings/committees
litigation (against or with government)
lobbying politicians
contacting officials
participation in policy decision-making
donations to parties

8. Registering Lobbyists
Lobbyists’ Registration Act (1996)
The Act provides for the public registration of those individuals who are paid to communicate with federal public office holders in attempts to influence government decisions, i.e. lobby
Public office holders are persons occupying an elected or appointed position in the federal government
Principles of Lobbyists’ Registration Act
free and open access to government is a matter of public interest
lobbying public office holders is a legitimate activity
it is desirable that public office holders and the general public be able to know who is attempting to influence government
the system for the registration of paid lobbyists should not impede free and open access to government
Why? To make these connections more transparent…
competition among groups should lead to whistle-blowing if there’s real bias in the policy process
e.g. Non-Smoker’s Rights Association vs. Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers’ Council

9. Canadian examples Business groups New social movement groups
Business Council on National Issues (BCNI)
Canadian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (CPMA)
National Golf Course Owners’ Association
New social movement groups
Canadian Ethnocultural Council (CEC)
National Advisory Committee on the Status of Women (NAC)
Assembly of First Nations
Greenpeace
Miscellaneous
Canadian Noise Pollution activists
Consumers’ Association of Canada

10. Top 20 Subjects of Lobbying
Industry
Taxation and finance
International trade
Environment
Science and technology
Transportation
Consumer issues
Health
Employment and training
Internal trade
Energy
Government procurement
Regional development
International relations
Intellectual property
Labour
Agriculture
Financial institutions
Telecommunications
Small business

11. Interest Groups and Democracy
Pluralist Theory: all interests get represented through membership in groups – political function is to balance all of the interests communicated by these groups
Privileged access to government? Yes, but…
registration of lobbyists since 1988
publication of political contributions
Essential representational role in modern bureaucratic state?
Fragmentation of political community?
Money = Power? Equality of Access?
Voice and Equality
Groups depend on money. More Money = more chance to influence
But ultimately, group influence can’t conflict too much with public opinion

12. Some Interest Group Web Sites
National Citizens Coalition:
Council of Canadians:
Assembly of First Nations:
Greenpeace:
Canadian Labour Congress:
Canadian Federation of Students:
Business Council on National Issues:
Canadian Women’s Internet Association’s Advocacy Page:
Noise Group
Canadian Federation of Students
Canadian Association of University Teachers