What it measures
Dimension: Communication
This indicator reports the average percentage of MP budgets spent on communication with their constituents. According to Samara, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to political engagement, communications typically are sent out in the form of pamphlets detailing a Member of Parliament’s activities in Ottawa and in their local constituency. The volume of print communications is normally higher preceding an election year, but should be produced and shared with constituents on a regular basis during non-election periods to keep them informed of ongoing activities and interests.
Why this matters
Understanding how much money an MP invests in communications gives us an idea of the strength of the connection between constituents and their local representative. An important aspect of democracy is that elected officials keep their constituents appraised of their activities and progress in their role, and use the opportunity to encourage feedback from them.