Lobbying vs. Advocacy
When a big company such as BCE sends someone to Parliament Hill to represent
its interests and influence decision-making on telecom legislation, it's
called lobbying. But if the Heart and Stroke Foundation calls for tighter
restrictions on tobacco, it's often called advocacy. What's
the difference?
Although the words are frequently used interchangeably, advocacy is usually
the disseminating of information to support an argument. It can include
handing out pamphlets, organizing rallies, talking to government, or setting
up a website or call centre.
Lobbying is one part of advocacy. In common usage, lobbying is usually
defined as trying to influence government to act a certain way on legislation.
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