Introduction Post: Definition & Scope
I’ve been called a policy wonk exactly once. It was by a dude who was trying to flirt with me before I scared him off with my personality, and it was way before I even thought about a career in analysis. But I guess I am one: I do have a graduate degree in public policy (and from a prestigious university if you put stock in that sort of thing), and prior to that, I dropped out of an undergraduate political science degree (also from a prestigious university if you put stock in that sort of thing). But I think what sealed the deal is, lo these many years later, I find researching public policy and writing organizational policies actually enjoyable. I was even energized by the all nighters and hours of reading.
But why start writing about it if I’m already writing it?
Two words: free will.
Okay, several more words that include a thesis and supporting arguments.
I think policy is cool, I like thinking about and writing about policy, politics, and power, and I want to demystify the systems we live in. That’s one reason I’m here. But I also know policy can be transformative as much as it can be limiting. As much as I like writing policy, I can’t go into the hows and whys of my recommendations in the finished product. So unless policies that are heavily annotated by its authors become mainstream, there will ultimately be questions about influences and conclusions. And I can do something about that!
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So here’s Lobby Hobby: a weekly Canpol publication by someone who isn’t regularly described as a wonk. There will be roundups of lobbying in Canada, looks at historical and contemporary lobbying trends across the country, analysis and breakdowns on proposed legislation and other policy, and sometimes breakdowns of media portrayals of lobbying and the arts.
Lobby Hobby is where I analyze culture and policy in Canada with the transparency I wish policy documents allowed. While I won’t be analyzing policy I’ve written here, I will be analyzing upcoming or recently implemented public policy for the hows and whys it came to be. (Quick note: recently will be doing a lot of heavy lifting. Time is relative, I’m depressed, etc.) A lot of the hows and whys have to do with government lobbying, or attempting to influence political decisions on behalf of an individual, group, or organization. I’ll have a primer series on lobbying coming up that goes into the history of lobbying and recent changes to federal lobbying, and I’ll even hyperlink to it when it’s done! You’re welcome.
So why Lobby Hobby? Since I’m so invested in having an audience for policy and its analysis, and I’m already spending so much time writing, why not just become a policy or civics instructor?
I don’t know if I could be an instructor as a hobby. And as much as I like writing policy, it doesn’t provide the freedom to write with personality. And I’m a strong writer, and I’m having fun writing this. And pastimes should be fun.
As for the title: it’s a reference to Hobby Lobby, the American crafts supply chain store. Along with my title being a cute inversion of the store name, Hobby Lobby is a perfect case study in how cultural values become political influence. They have had a pretty big influence on American labour policy and worker compensation. (Despite this having a Canpol lens, there’ll be a case study about the store owners’ history of lobbying and the outcomes.) Drilling down into the name: fun pastime, having fun writing about culture, policy, and sometimes cultural policy, and I need you to know I’m clever.
Speaking of clever: I guess I skipped some steps between polisci drop out and earning a graduate degree. My Master’s was in digital cultural policy, and I’ve completed research residencies and fellowships in those areas. I’m sharing this not just to brag, but to let you know my thoughts, feelings, and hunches are usually backed up.
Enough about me and what I want. If you’re curious about Canpol and don’t want to read the Hansard parliamentary reports, then this might be a good read for you. Let’s get into how culture and power collide in Canada and shape us.
