Visiting Dignitaries

We take great pride in hosting government officials at Western. To ensure visits are conducted in a welcoming and professional manner, we have put together some best practices to consider when planning to host a dignitary.

1. Notify the Government Relations Team

Before you reach out to a dignitary, please email the government relations (GR) team at govrelations@uwo.ca. We're here to support your efforts and provide strategic advice for your outreach. Someone from the GR team will respond to your request within 48 hours. If you don't receive a response within that timeframe, please follow up. It's important that the GR team is notified so that we can ensure all communication with government officials is being properly reported to the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada.

2. Outreach Considerations

It's not everyday you email a government official. If you're looking for help crafting your first communication here are three tips for your outreach:

When addressing a dignitary, it's important to use their formal title. For a list of proper titles, please refer to the Government of Canada's Styles of Adddress resource.
Always consider a dignitary's schedule when coordinating an event. They receive a large volume of requests and it's important to provide them with multiple options. There are specific dates that parlimentarians must be present to fullfill their duties, such as debating legislating or voting. Thankfully, you can see this information in the sitting schedule.
Lastly, make a detailed request. Don't simply invite them for a meeting, let them know exactly what you'd like to discuss. Your request will be quickly evaluated if they have all the necessary information up front.

3. Secure Parking

Those new to the University may find Western a bit of a challenge to navigate. That’s why securing parking for guests and providing detailed instructions on the parking process is essential for all campus visits.

Please follow these steps to secure parking:

Sign into the guest parking tool and purchase the number of required tickets. Make sure to choose a parking lot that is in close proximity to the building your guest will be visiting during their time on campus. Need access? Email wparking@uwo.ca.
Inform the parking office that a government official will be welcomed to campus. The parking office will make note on the events calendar, advise of any conflicts, and ensure the onsite parking attendant is aware of the visit.
We encourage you to greet your guest(s) upon arrival. Let them know in advance that they'll be greeted in the parking lot at their designated arrival time.

4. Provide the Details

Providing guests with a detailed itinerary of the visit is essential. Government officials are busy individuals, and detailed information helps plan the rest of their day. This should include information like arrival time and events of the day.

All relevant policy information such as the University’s COVID-19 policy and the Government of Ontario COVID-19 policy should be provided in advance.

It’s also best to let guests know ahead of time who they will be interacting with at each stage of the visit. The preferred format for guests would be a briefing note that includes name, photo, job title, and brief bio of each individual. Make sure to provide your guests with their briefing note at least one week in advance so they have time to review it and offer feedback.

The GR team is pleased to help with planning and preparation of the details. Please reach out for assistance.

5. Say Thank You

Finally, a thank you note is highly recommended. It delivers a nice closing to the event and an opportunity to provide any requested information from the visit.

After completing the thank you note, be sure to also fill out the GR lobbying form with details from the discussion. Have questions? The GR team is pleased to support you: govrelations@uwo.ca.