Workbook 4 Activity 2

Activity 2: Lobby Groups and the Media

Get Focused

You are presented with current events and news every day. It may be a friend or neighbour saying, "Did you hear about...?" It may be something that you saw on the front page of your newspaper, read in a magazine, heard on television or the radio, or read on a news service on the Internet. Media is everywhere, and it is a very important part of keeping all Canadians informed about government actions and decisions.

In this activity, you will examine these questions:

What is the role of the media in relation to political issues?

How do lobby groups impact government decisions?

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The ability to voice your opinion is an essential right that all Canadians enjoy. The ability to share your views on issues of governance is part of being an active citizen.

Media works to present the many points of view or perspectives of an issue to the general public. This may include points of view of individuals and government officials and the perspectives of lobby groups and government parties.

Media informs the public about what government is doing. Media also questions government about their actions/decisions and how these will affect Canadians.

Many voices together have more power than one lone voice. Often, Canadians with a specific interest join to form a larger voice to influence and effect change on government decisions. These groups are known as lobby groups.

Lobby groups often represent Canadians and work to influence government decisions. A few examples of lobby groups are Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), Greenpeace, and Friends of Medicare.

Each of these lobby groups has been pressuring governments actively to make changes to present laws or enact new laws. For example, MADD has been lobbying for more serious penalties for drinking and driving.

Lobby groups represent the interests of their members on a specific topic/issue. They do not necessarily represent the interests of all Canadians.

lobby group: an interest or pressure group that tries to influence government decisions