WHAT IS CAMPAIGN SCHOOL?
This program is designed to equip women, Two Spirit, and gender diverse individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to run for political office in Canada. Whether you are considering federal, provincial, municipal, or even local leadership roles like your school board or PTA, our campaign school supports you in taking that first step into politics with confidence.
This module will focus specifically on municipal elections as we prepare for upcoming races across the country, while building a foundation that applies across all levels of government. As a multi partisan organization, Equal Voice brings together elected officials and experts from all political parties, giving participants the opportunity to learn from a wide range of perspectives and experiences while developing the skills and vision to create meaningful change in their communities.
REQUIREMENTS
Are you a woman, non-binary, or gender-diverse individual? Then you’re in! Equal Voice welcomes people from all walks of life, all ages, all backgrounds, and all levels of education. All you need is a positive attitude and an eagerness to learn.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Our campaign school programs, curated by political and policy experts, guide you through hands-on virtual and in-person learning on everything you need to understand the political process and launch your own campaign.
Module 1: Why Your Voice Is Needed: Politics from the Inside
Module 2: Building Your Campaign Team & Operations
Module 3: Networking Lunch (lunch provided)
Module 4: Building Your Candidate Message & Public Profile
Module 5: Connecting with Voters: Doors & Conversations
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Why Your Voice Is Needed: Politics from the Inside
Learn about the importance of local government while preparing first-time candidates for unexpected challenges. We'll explore how to turn personal experience into effective leadership, while addressing the emotional realities of public office.
Building Your Campaign Team & Operations
This in-person module covers essential campaign structure and operations, including key roles, canvassing, fundraising, and election logistics, while guiding participants on managing post-election tasks and scaling their campaign to fit their community
Building Your Candidate Message & Public Profile
Craft a strong elevator pitch by clarifying your purpose and priorities, strengthening communication strategy, ensuring consistent messaging, and applying effective design and messaging best practices.
Connecting with Voters: Doors & Conversations
Practicing your message at the door. We'll covering canvassing fundamentals, handling challenging conversations, and engaging voters through additional touchpoints like calls, events, and social media.
PLUS — hear directly from politicians, political staffers, and campaign managers from every level of government and political stripe. They’ll share their journeys into politics, wildest campaign-trail stories, what they wish they’d known before they started, their biggest wins, toughest challenges, and all the messy, hilarious, inspiring moments in between.
More details & speaker line up coming soon!
WHEN & WHERE
Our Campaign School will take place at the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce Boardroom
80 King Street, Unit 3, St. Catharines, ON L2R 7G1
(Breakfast, snacks, and lunch included)
PROGRAM COSTS
The program fee is $25 - childcare subsidies are available upon request! Please indicate interest for these items in the program registration form.
ABOUT US
Equal Voice is a registered, multi-partisan charity dedicated to improving gender representation in Canadian politics through education, training, research, critical network building, and leadership development.
Since 2001, Equal Voice has worked to increase the election and leadership of women and gender-diverse individuals in Parliament, provincial and territorial legislatures, and municipal councils.
OUR VISION A Canada where gender equity in politics is the norm.
OUR MISSION To champion democracy and political diversity by creating multipartisan spaces that advance gender equity in Canadian politics.
09:45am - 4:30pm PT
Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
80 King Street, Unit 3, St. Catharines, ON L2R 7G1
Program Agenda:
10:00 AM – 10:10 AM
Welcome & Orientation
Exercise: Candidate Self-Assessment
Set expectations for the day, build a welcoming learning environment, and encourage curiosity about public leadership.
Topics include: Welcome and land acknowledgment, overview of the program and learning objectives, participant introductions, and reflecting on motivations for running for office.
10:10 AM – 10:55 AM
Why Your Voice Is Needed: Politics from the Inside
An honest conversation about public leadership, campaigning, and navigating municipal politics as a first-time candidate.
Topics include: Why local government matters, what first-time candidates often do not expect, translating professional and lived experience into leadership, the realities of campaigning and holding office, and understanding how municipal government interacts with other levels of government.
10:55 AM – 11:10 AM
Coffee Break
11:10 AM – 12:10 PM
Building Your Campaign Team & Operations
Learn the practical foundations of running a local campaign and organizing an effective team.
Topics include: Key campaign roles and team structure, canvassing and signage coordination, fundraising basics, Election Day logistics and planning, post-election wrap-up and transition planning, and scaling a campaign to fit your community and capacity.
12:10 PM – 1:40 PM
Networking Lunch
An opportunity for relationship building, peer learning, and informal conversations with fellow participants.
1:40 PM – 2:40 PM
Building Your Candidate Message & Public Profile
Develop a clear and authentic public message that connects with voters and reflects your priorities.
Topics include: Clarifying your “why” and key issues, communication strategy fundamentals, creating consistency across campaign materials, messaging and design best practices, and an interactive exercise on crafting your elevator pitch.
2:40 PM – 3:00 PM
Coffee Break
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Connecting with Voters: Doors & Conversations
Explore practical voter engagement strategies and build confidence in community outreach conversations.
Topics include: Door-knocking and literature drop fundamentals, navigating challenging conversations, community outreach beyond the door, coffee chats, phone calls, events, and social media engagement, and an interactive door-knocking and message practice exercise.
80 King Street, Unit 3, St. Catharines, ON L2R 7G1