Rookie MPs get advice from 3 seasoned pros

Balance and rules — those are two important words new members of Parliament should keep in mind as they make their way to Ottawa, three high-profile politicians say.

Former cabinet ministers Lisa Raitt and Tony Clement and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May spoke to Yahoo News Canada on Thursday to offer some advice to new members and cabinet ministers.

All three said finding balance — between personal and work life, between Ottawa and their ridings, between online interactions and meeting people face-to-face — will be the key for rookies to becoming successful in their new roles.

“For those who have gone into cabinet, you are serving your country as well as your constituents,” said Raitt, MP for Milton, Ont., and former transport minister. “Your time is very tightly controlled. Every minute of the day is filled.”

It will be hard to find time to socialize with friends or even spare a moment to exercise, she said.

“You are looking at the reality where you’re not going to be as free as you once were,” she said. “But it’s well worth it because you’re helping shape the country.”

The mother of two boys also said it was important for her to set aside certain times that were dedicated to her family. She always tried to cook a sit-down meal on Sunday evenings to ground herself and reconnect with her sons. She said she made their sports a priority, and most people were very understanding when she would say she needed to leave an event early to go see her son’s hockey game.

“Keep sacred what you can keep sacred,” she said. “I had a keen awareness that I wanted to be a big part of my kids’ lives.”

Clement, the former Treasury Board president, is well known for his use of social media, but he said MPs who like to keep connected online should not forget the importance of knocking on doors.

“One of the things I did right from the get-go was keep track of how many days a month I spent in my riding. I didn’t want to be an absentee MP,” he said. “I made it a goal and a target to average at least 10 days a month in my riding, doing riding things, meeting constituents, knocking on doors.”

He said during the campaign, people commented to him about how often they saw him in the riding, and he believes it made the difference when it came time for people to vote. He edged out a win over Liberal candidate Trisha Cowie, 22,204 to 19,936.

But Clement also sees the immense opportunity connecting online with not only his constituents, but all Canadians, presents. He takes the time to converse with people on Twitter and to like Instagram photos because it “breaks down the barriers.”

“You don’t have to write a long-form letter and wait a couple of weeks or months for a reply,” he said.

For those MPs who like to be present online, develop a thick skin, he added.

“It can be a nasty world, but my point of view is you have to be able to accept unfair criticism,” he said.

In the past, Clement has been criticized for tweets he made about a former Globe and Mail editor's move to communist Cuba and for once calling a 15-year-old a jackass. But he also faces attacks regularly, such as on Wednesday when a non-supporter called him a "classless jerk" for a tweet where Clement commented it was a lovely day to be in Ottawa, weather-wise, about the same time Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was being sworn in.

Know the rules

May admitted her advice to rookies would be very different than what they may be hearing from their own parties — she suggests they all get well acquainted with the rules of Parliament.

Many new MPs might be told they don’t need to read O’Brien and Bosc, the procedural rules, that someone else in the party knows how things work. But May said so many politicians, including seasoned veterans, don’t realize something like heckling isn’t permitted under the rules.

“Become familiar with the rules. It will assist you in becoming an effective member of Parliament,” she said, adding new MPs need to do what is right for their constituents. “You have a right as a member of Parliament to speak.”

Rookies will be so busy getting budgets set up, finding staff and opening constituency offices, they will also need to find time to connect with the people of their riding starting immediately.

“An effective member of Parliament is one who is responsive to constituents from the get-go,” she said, adding people may be attempting to contact MPs via various forms online or by phone. “Ask some of your volunteer team to pay attention to any place you might be hearing from constituents.”

May, who made a big impression during the one English leaders debate she was part of during the election for knowing her facts and mediating when the other three leaders started to squabble, added she’s always willing to help any new MP.

“Most of the MPs in that room are my friends. I regard the House of Commons as a community,” she said.

There is much for new MPs to do in the coming days, but there is one more thing Clement recommended: be in the moment when you enter the House for the first time.

“I remember the feeling of awe as I was sitting in my seat … I said to myself, I don’t want that feeling of awe to ever go,” he said. “Whenever I’m in the House of Commons, I take the time to look around.”