We’re now less than four weeks away from the Alberta Legislature returning to session, a pivotal time on the political calendar and a crucial window for organizations to get ahead. As MLAs prepare to debate, introduce, and shape key policies, now is the moment for advocacy groups, associations, and industries to refine their strategies, sharpen their messages, and make sure their priorities are front and centre when the House resumes. With the government returning to the chamber, Naheed Nenshi will face Premier Smith for the first time since his by-election victory this summer, setting the stage for high-stakes debates, policy shifts, and decisions that could directly impact your sector.
For advocacy groups, associations, and businesses, this is the critical window to make sure your priorities are clearly understood by decision-makers. Once session begins, the focus quickly shifts into a political horse race, debates, legislation, and competing agendas dominate the chamber. That’s why it’s important to ensure you have all the tools you need to be at the table when the session begins, ready to make your voice heard and your priorities stand out.
At JB+A, we want to share a few practical tips on how your organization can make the most of the weeks ahead and position itself for success during this session and beyond. Whether it’s refining your message, building relationships with key MLAs, or preparing leave-behind materials, the work you do now can pay dividends in the months ahead.
1. Review Government Priorities
Governments are far more receptive to advocacy that helps them deliver on their own agenda. Go through recent budget commitments, mandate letters, ministerial announcements, and party policy platforms. Identify where your priorities overlap with theirs and frame your advocacy as enabling government success. For areas where there is no clear alignment, prepare a case that shows why your issue should become a priority using data, economic impact, or voter relevance as your leverage.
2. Examine New Mandate Letters and Portfolios
Mandate letters are a roadmap of a particular ministry’s priorities. Read them carefully to see what issues ministers are being measured against and look for natural entry points for your advocacy. Ministers may be looking to make their mark early; this can create opportunities for organizations to step in as trusted advisors. Similarly, watch for changes in deputy ministers and senior staff, often the people who shape implementation behind the scenes.
3. Refresh Your Leave-Behind Materials
Decision-makers have limited time, so your materials need to be crisp, credible, and compelling. Update one-pagers, briefing notes, and infographics with the most recent data, stories of impact, and clear, actionable asks. Tie your information directly to the government’s stated priorities (jobs, affordability, innovation, rural development, etc.), making it easy for MLAs to connect your issue to their mandate. A well-prepared leave-behind is more than a document; it’s a tool to keep your issue top of mind after the meeting is over.
4. Sharpen Your Core Messages
Effective advocacy depends on clarity and repetition. Review your key messages to ensure they are easy to understand, politically relevant, and framed in terms of solutions, not just problems. Anticipate counterarguments and craft responses that highlight your value proposition to the government. This is also a good time to align your messaging across all platforms; what you say in a meeting should match what stakeholders see in your public communications.
5. Follow Up with Key Contacts
Strong government relations are built on trust and consistency, not one-off meetings. Reconnect with MLAs, staffers, and senior officials you’ve met before, even if you don’t have a new ask. A quick check-in call, a thank-you note, or sharing relevant updates from your sector can help maintain momentum and signal that you value the relationship. Warm relationships ensure that when you do bring a priority forward, your outreach is welcomed rather than transactional.
6. Build or Refresh Your Stakeholder Map
Influence in government isn’t just about ministers. MLAs, caucus committees, and regional representatives all carry weight in shaping positions. Update your stakeholder map to reflect electoral realities, rural vs. urban divides, and caucus members who may champion your cause. At the same time, identify external allies (industry associations, NGOs, think tanks) that could amplify your message and broaden your credibility. Coalitions often move government more effectively than single voices.
7. Prepare for Rapid Response
Legislative sessions move quickly: bills can be introduced, debated, and amended within days. Having a proactive monitoring and response system is essential. Decide now who in your organization will track debates, draft responses, and approve communications. Prepare template op-eds, press statements, and social media content that can be quickly adapted. Being able to respond within hours, not weeks, positions your organization as credible, prepared, and influential.
Make Your Voice Count: Partner with JB+A Public Affairs
The weeks before a legislative session are critical, but you don’t need to navigate them alone. At Jenni Byrne + Associates, you’ll have a team of Canada’s most influential political operatives and lobbyists in your corner. We know how governments think, how caucuses move, and how decisions are made behind closed doors. Our job is to make sure your priorities aren’t just heard, but acted on.
When the session begins, the race for attention will be fierce. Let JB+A be the team that ensures your organization has the strategy, the message, and the influence to win.