Engaging with Governments Around Election Time

It is sometimes difficult for Directors on the Boards of Crown corporations and NFPs to understand when it’s appropriate for their organizations to connect with elected officials or those running for office in the lead up to, during and after an election. Many Directors also have questions about whether or when it may be appropriate for Directors, as opposed to their executive, to engage with government on behalf of their organizations.

NFPS and Crown Corporations are quite different in that NFPs have no formal relationship with government, whereas Crown Corporations have government as their shareholders. Having said that, it is often the case that Crown Corporation Boards don’t have regular contact with the Minister responsible for them, and therefore Crown Corporation Directors have many of the same types of questions about engaging with government that NFP Directors have. Answers to these questions are more important around election time.

This session proposes to explore what Directors of NFPs and Crown corporations should be thinking about when engaging with government around election time.