How can stakeholders effectively "meet the moment" during unpredictable times?

Over the past few months, you’ve likely heard politicians and pundits frequently use the phrase "meet the moment," especially when discussing how U.S. tariffs are creating uncertainty for both the public and decision-makers. While government officials are working tirelessly to respond to shifts in public policy, the concept of "meeting the moment" is also crucial for anyone involved in government relations outreach.

Simply put, ‘meeting the moment’ is about showing leadership in response to a new or emerging challenge or complex situation. Right now, we’re seeing leaders needing to step up into unexpected situations with a sense of urgency balanced with pro-active, measured and decisive response. This creates a changed environment for stakeholders seeking to engage and partner with decision makers.

On a near-daily basis, we hear from political leaders in British Columbia and across Canada about their plans to navigate the changing political landscape, offering us a glimpse into the issues that are keeping them awake at night. But the real question is: how can stakeholders also effectively "meet the moment" during these unpredictable times?

Reviewing your policy proposal

Priorities have shifted quickly for decision makers to focus on economic response to tariffs such as strengthening and diversifying the provincial and national economies. Those efforts don’t eliminate the work to address the pressing needs for social services, but they are the space decision makers are spending much of their time considering proposals for right now.

This means your organization needs to be assessing if this is the right time for your policy or funding proposal from a fiscal or political perspective. Better yet, take a fresh look at what you are looking for from the government with an eye to economic response, building local economies or addressing potential issues that tariffs may bring to British Columbians like availability of products or services or support for their small businesses and workers.

While we are still in the early days, stakeholders from unions to businesses and organizations bring extensive knowledge about community impact that can benefit the government in decision making. This is valuable knowledge in normal times, let alone with these shifts.

Does this mean we need to drop our policy proposals if they aren’t related to tariffs?

Absolutely not. As we saw in the pandemic, complex policy times find decision makers politically and in the public service engaging externally for solutions. We always recommend a solution focused approach to government relations and now is the time to dust off those solutions and start to think about framing innovative new policies to bring forward. And like we saw with policy development in the pandemic periods, economic impact exacerbates global issues such as affordability, health care and housing. Those policy partnerships are always needed.

Timing is everything in public policy

Do you have a regular cycle for requesting meetings with politicians for your organization built into your annual government relations plan? We always recommend calendarizing your outreach, however, these periods of high pressure require taking the time to review it and decide if you are trying to do outreach that only meets your internal needs but doesn’t ‘meet the moment’ for where decision makers are focused right now. Plan ahead and be targeted in your outreach.

Build your networks

It’s too early to see what the full impact of the new U.S. administration will have on our province or country - or even the world. But it’s important to take the steps you can to ‘meet the moment’. Think about how you talk about your proposals and priorities, who your partners are, and where the gaps could be. Think about talking to those who might traditionally support your initiative, and how to build relationships with those that might be less familiar with them. Think about how you can work with political leaders to advance shared objectives. These partnerships can serve us all in the months and years ahead.

Seek advice

Reach out to our team for support in how to navigate the complexities of these current dynamics.