Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff gives a year-end interview at Stornoway on Dec. 16, 2010.DAVE CHAN
With Michael Ignatieff beginning his 11-day winter tour of 20 un-held ridings Wednesday, Grit party officials are sending out an email survey trying to drum up business, identify "possible Liberals" and discern what issues Canadians are interested in them tackling.
The "2-minute Email Preference and Issues Survey" asks respondents what files they want to be "kept up to date about," what topics interest them - including "Liberal policy and platform, new TV, print and radio ads and even 'Behind-the-scenes' stories" - and gives the option of how often they want to hear from the party (twice a week, every two weeks or only at election time).
Sent out by the party's national fundraising director, Adam Smith, it's an effort to get more information about potential voters or those who already support them. Near the end of the survey respondents are asked - under the category of "Political Engagement" - to identify political affiliation, including whether they are a "possible Liberal."
In addition, Liberal officials want to know whether respondents would consider being volunteers in the next election, put up a Liberal lawn sign or make a donation to the party in 2011. A senior Ignatieff official said Wednesday that so far about over 3,000 people have filled out the survey, which went out late last week.
"Email remains one of the most important tools to communicate with Canadians and at the start of a new year we wanted to give them the opportunity to tell us what types of information they like receiving and what other services we could provide," the official said. "Many Canadians are bombarded with emails and ads in their day-to-day life, so doing it right matters."
The survey asks Canadians about their email habits. For example, Grits want to know "what time of day are you most likely to read - and act - on our emails?" It also asks how much of an email respondents read: "subject line, first few lines, at least half, most or all of it."
In his note explaining the survey, Mr. Smith asks respondents to "take a moment to personalize your relationship with the Liberal Party of Canada. ... Let's make this a conversation, not a broadcast."
The survey is being conducted as the Liberal Leader launches his consultation tour in Ottawa, continuing on to Vancouver and Winnipeg later this week. But Mr. Ignatieff isn't the only leader talking to Canadians - indeed, it appears as if January is the month to consult.
NDP Leader Jack Layton is on tour of Conservative-held ridings. And Bloc Quebecois chief Gilles Duceppe, meanwhile, is to begin a tour of Quebec Thursday, gauging the interests and concerns of voters in his province.
It's good practice, after all, should Canadians be sent to the polls at some point this spring.