Jan. 27, 2008 - Contact information for government officials

Want to get something happening around homelessness? Here's a whole lot of contact information that will direct you to the right government officials to receive a letter at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. Letters still count for a lot in the world of politics, and we're sure to get noticed if lots of people write lots of letters on this issue. '

All info in the list is current as of today's date, but keep in mind that cabinet shuffles and elections can change things in the months to come.

Write on!


PROVINCIAL:

You’ll want to target your letters about homelessness - if the issue you are pressing in a particular letter is housing, write to the housing minister; if mental illness and addiction, write to the health minister; if welfare, to Employment and Income Assistance, etc.
You can also write letters directly to the premier and his deputy minister. But even when your letters are directed to a different minister, be sure to CC the premier and his DM every time. This will ensure that the premier’s office sees every letter on the subject, while allowing you to direct them to other ministers at the same time.
Keep letters short - I’d suggest one page maximum - and respectful, but relentless. Use facts whenever you can find them - the mayor’s report has a ton and is on-line at www.victoria.ca, under “What’s New.” Hard copies are also available at City Hall. Let’s do it!

premier@gov.bc.ca
PO BOX 9041 STN PROV GOVT
Victoria BC
V8W9E1

Jessica McDonald, Deputy Minister to the Premier (assistant’s e-mail)
angela.koutougos@gov.bc.ca
PO BOX 9041 STN PROV GOVT
Victoria BC
V8W9E1

** If Murray Coell or Ida Chong is the MLA for your riding, write letters directly to them as a constituent and CC them on all letters. They are cabinet ministers in the current government:

Murray Coell
AVED.Minister@gov.bc.ca
PO Box 9059, Stn Prov Govt,
Victoria BC
V8W9E2

Ida Chong
CS.minister@gov.bc.ca
PO BOX 9056, STN PROV GOVT.
Victoria BC
V8W9E2


HOUSING ISSUES -

Minister of Housing - Rich Coleman
For.minister@gov.bc.ca

P.O. Box 9049
Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC
V8W9E2

Deputy Minister Doug Konkin (Housing is in the Forests portfolio)
Forests.DeputyMinistersOffice@gov.bc.ca

BC Housing (Crown Corporation)
Vancouver Island Region
Regional Director Roger Butcher
Suite 301 - 3440 Douglas Street
Victoria BC V8Z 3L5

Email: VanIslandRegion@bchousing.org


WELFARE ISSUES

Minister of Employment and Income Assistance- Claude Richmond
EIA.Minister@gov.bc.ca
PO Box 9058 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC
V8W9E2

Deputy Minister Cairine MacDonald (no e-mail available)
PO Box 9934 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC





ISSUES RELATED TO FOSTER CHILDREN, FAMILIES OR PEOPLE WITH
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY

Minister of Children and Family Development - Tom Christiansen
Minister.MCF@gov.bc.ca
PO Box 9057 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC
V8W9E2

Deputy Minister Lesley Du Toit (pronounced dew-toy)
mcf.deputyministersoffice@gov.bc.ca
PO BOX 9721 STN PROV GOVT
VICTORIA BC
V8W9S2

Minister of State for Child Care - Linda Reid
Minister.Childcare@gov.bc.ca
PO Box 9062 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC
V8W9E2

Issues of law and order (e.g. safe streets, policing)

Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General - John Les

SG.Minister@gov.bc.ca
P.O. Box 9053, Stn Prov Govt
Victoria
V8W9E2

Deputy Minister David Morhart (no e-mail available)

PO Box 9290
STN PROV GOVT
Victoria
V8W9J7

Municipal:

Write frequently to the mayor and council of the municipality you live in to ask them to report to you specific actions they’ve undertaken that month to reduce homelessness and related issues in our region - affordable and subsidized housing, addiction, mental health support, family well-being. If they tell you that x will be done within y time frame, monitor and hold them to it.

Find your municipal contacts here:
http://www.civicnet.bc.ca/siteengine/ActivePage.asp?PageID=88

Federal

When writing federally, you are writing as a constituent, so first find out which of the following three MPs represent your riding and then direct letters to that one:

Gary Lunn
lunnmp@garylunn.com
9843 Second Street
Sidney, British Columbia
V8L 3C7

Keith Martin
Martin.K@parl.gc.ca or martik1@parl.gc.ca
666 Granderson Road
Victoria, British Columbia
V9B 2R8

Denise Savoie:
savoid@parl.gc.ca
970 Blanshard Street
Victoria, British Columbia
V8W 2H3

CC all federal letters to the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper

Harper.S@parl.gc.ca
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6