Organizing Local Teams

Real Influence Begins with a Local Team

Citizens working together in ridings across Manitoba to hold leaders accountable.

Section One

Why Local Teams Matter

You can write letters and make calls on your own — but when citizens work as a coordinated group, politicians take notice. Local teams keep each other informed, active, and effective.

A team doesn’t need to be large. Just 5–10 organized citizens in a riding can become a watchdog, a voice of reason, or a force for change.

When leaders know you’re organized — they think twice.

Join Manitoba Stronger Together

One Voice Can Be Ignored — A Team Commands Attention

In today’s political environment, it’s easy to feel powerless.

Government decisions are made behind closed doors, bills move quickly through the system, and public input often feels like a formality. But when informed citizens organize and act together, everything changes.

That’s why local teams are essential to our mission.

The Power of a Local Team

A local team isn’t a formal committee. It’s a small group of people in your community who decide to stay alert, stay connected, and take action when it counts. You don’t need dozens of members — even a team of 5 to 10 people in one riding can:

Monitor what’s happening at City Hall, the Manitoba Legislature, or Parliament
Flag concerning legislation or policy shifts
Respond quickly with coordinated phone calls, letters, or public statements
Show up at meetings — or organize their own
Support aligned candidates or speak out against harmful agendas

These teams are the eyes and ears of a free society. And when they speak together, elected officials listen.

Grassroots Pressure = Political Accountability

Here’s what political insiders won’t tell you:
Most elected officials pay more attention to a small, vocal group in their riding than they do to national opinion polls or Twitter trends.

Why?

Because local teams can:

Influence media coverage in their area
Mobilize vote shifts in close elections
Hold public events or town halls that demand attention
Become trusted sources of information for others in the community

Politicians understand power. A well-informed, well-connected local team is power.

You’re Not Alone — We’re Building a Network

When you organize a team, you’re not starting from scratch. Manitoba Stronger Together:

Connects you with other teams across the province
Shares templates, resources, and strategies
Highlights your efforts in Zoom meetings and blogs
Offers regular updates on government actions so your team stays informed

Together, we’re creating a web of active citizens riding by riding — ready to push back when needed and offer leadership when the moment demands it.

Change starts locally — and it starts with you.

Section Two

What Local Teams Do

Local MST teams are formed around:

Electoral ridings (provincial or federal)
Shared issues (e.g., education, health, land rights)
Levels of government (municipal, provincial, federal)

These teams:

Monitor local MLAs, MPs, and council members
Coordinate submissions and public feedback
Organize Zoom calls, in-person events, or delegations
Track committee meetings, votes, and development proposals
Provide mutual support and accountability

Local teams are the heartbeat of grassroots influence. They keep watch over what’s happening in your community and ensure that politicians can’t quietly pass legislation or make decisions without scrutiny.

Here’s exactly how it works — and how you can take the first step:

1. Define Your Focus

Start by deciding what you and your neighbours care about most:

Tracking your MLA or MP
Monitoring a specific issue (e.g. school board decisions, healthcare policy, land use)
Keeping tabs on municipal councils or local development
Supporting political reform or citizen education in your riding

You can choose one focus or combine several.

2. Contact Manitoba Stronger Together

Email or message the MST team and tell us what you’re thinking. We’ll help you get started, even if you’re just one person with an idea.

Email: kendrysdale@manitobastrongertogether.ca

Let us know:

Your riding or municipality
What issues or goals are important to you
Whether you want to start a team, join an existing one, or just explore ideas

3. Connect With Like-Minded People in Your Area

Once we know what you’re about, we’ll:

Introduce you to others in your district who share your concerns
Help you set up a private communication channel (e.g. Telegram, Signal, or email group)
Provide simple tools like checklists, meeting guides, and shared trackers for accountability

No big meetings or fancy titles — just real citizens working together.

4. Share Your Ideas Publicly (Optional)

We give you a voice. Once your team is running, you’ll have the chance to:

Present your findings or concerns at a future MST Tuesday Zoom Call
Write a guest blog post on the MST website to reach a wider audience
Submit documentation or reports that MST can help amplify through its channels

You’re never just a spectator. You become part of the movement.

Section Three

How to Start or Join a Team

Ready to build a team in your riding — or join an existing one?

Here’s how:

Register your interest using our contact form
We’ll connect you with others in your area
You’ll get a starter guide, best practices, and regular support
We’ll notify you of local legislation or issues that need response

We won’t flood your inbox. We only send what matters to your community.

You're Ready — And You Won’t Be Alone

Whether you're stepping forward alone or already have a few like-minded people in mind, Manitoba Stronger Together is here to help you build momentum, structure, and confidence. You don’t need permission to get started — just conviction, curiosity, and connection.

Here’s exactly how you can begin:

Option 1: Start a New Team in Your Riding or Region

If you're motivated to lead or coordinate — even informally — this is your path.

Steps to get started:

Contact MST — Let us know your name, your riding or town, and what issues matter to you.
Get the Startup Kit — We’ll send you a simple guide, a team email template, and tips on finding your first 2–3 teammates.
Choose Your Platform — We’ll help you set up Signal, Telegram, or another tool for internal chat.
Hold Your First Chat or Zoom — You don’t need to run a meeting — just a conversation. We'll provide a sample agenda.
Start Small and Stay Consistent — One check-in per month is enough to stay active.

Most teams start with just 2 or 3 people. It grows organically.

Option 2: Join an Existing Team

If you’re looking to contribute but don’t want to lead — no problem.

Here's what to do:

Let us know your riding using our Join a Team form or by emailing us directly.
We’ll connect you with the coordinator of an existing team in your area (if one exists).
Join the chat and introduce yourself — no pressure to speak or take on tasks right away.
Receive updates, alerts, and optional invitations to local calls or meetings.

You can choose how involved you want to be — supportive member, researcher, writer, spokesperson — or just a quiet ally.

Option 3: Collaborate Without Joining a Team (Yet)

If you’re not ready to commit to a team, you can still participate by:

Submitting ideas or alerts to MST
Sharing findings or research
Writing letters or contributing content
Volunteering for special projects or campaigns

We’ll credit your input, connect you with others if you choose, and invite you to MST Zoom sessions where these ideas can be presented and discussed.

Some of our strongest contributors started this way.

Get in Touch with MST to Begin

Whether you're ready to start, join, or explore — reach out today:

📧 Email: kendrysdale@manitobastrongertogether.ca
🌐 Contact Form: www.manitobastrongertogether.ca/contact

We respond personally, match you carefully, and support you at every step.

You’re not waiting for change. You are it.

Section Four

Communication and Coordination — How Local Teams Stay Connected

Each team uses tools like:

Private Signal or Telegram groups
Zoom or in-person meetings
Shared Google Docs or tracking sheets
MST resources and strategy guides

We provide optional team coordinator guides and training to help you get started.

No experience necessary — just a desire to act.

Once a local team is formed, the most important thing is staying connected — easily, efficiently, and privately. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. MST provides the basic structure so you can focus on action, not admin.

Here’s how communication typically works:

1. Choose a Secure Platform to Talk

Most teams use private messaging platforms like:

Signal (highly secure)
Telegram (easy to use and customizable)
Email loops (good for smaller, less active teams)

We’ll help you:

Set up your group
Decide who the main contact is
Establish simple group norms (e.g., updates once a week, quick alerts when bills or news breaks)

If you’re not tech-savvy — don’t worry. We’ll walk you through it.

2. Meet Virtually or In Person When Needed

Most teams:

Meet on Zoom monthly or bi-weekly
Keep meetings short (30–45 minutes max)
Use a basic agenda template (provided by MST)
Occasionally meet in person if convenient

We encourage every team to designate a convener or coordinator, but it’s a flat structure — no hierarchy required.

3. Use Shared Documents for Tracking

You’ll get access to MST-provided tools like:

Shared Google Docs or Sheets for tracking bills, MP/MLA votes, or local developments
Templates for:
- Letter-writing campaigns
- Delegation submissions
- Meeting summaries and reports

These tools are plug-and-play — ready for your team to copy and customize.

4. Get Ongoing Support from MST

We don’t just connect you and walk away. MST can:

Join your team calls when needed
Provide guides on how to make presentations or launch campaigns
Help you strategize next steps
Keep your team updated with relevant alerts, legislation, and opportunities

We also highlight the work of active teams during our Zoom calls and blog updates, so you can inspire and learn from others.

Bottom Line:

You don’t need experience to be effective.

You just need a couple of motivated people, a communication plan, and a little backup. MST gives you all three.

Section Five

Final Call to Action

Don’t act alone. Organize.

The most powerful form of advocacy is local, strategic, and sustained.

If we want to reclaim our province and country, it begins riding by riding — one team at a time.

[Start or Join a Local Team →]
[Download the Local Team Guide →]