Write a letter to the editor

take action now!

write a Letter to the Editor (LTE)

why write an LTE

Write an LTE if you want to make your opinion heard in a timely manner. You don’t need a lot of research, and your LTE can be brief and to-the-point - just 150-200 words! When time is of the essence, choose to write an LTE.

expert fact

Once submitted, you can track your letter by doing an internet search of your name and following up with the publication to find out if/when it is getting published.

secret tip

Your letter doesn’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to be an expert to have an opinion. You simply need to care.

use your voice on social media

why use social media

Use your voice on social media to tell Canada why they need to step up to #ReachEveryChild

expert fact

Tweets with images can receive approximately 160% more retweets than those without.

secret tip

When posting on social media, be genuine and speak from the heart. People want to connect with other human beings online, so be yourself and it'll help you get your message across!

report your actions see all actions taken about this call-to-action

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

Call-to-action summary:

We are calling on Canada to stand up for children in emergencies at the G7 in Italy in June by unequivocally condemning violence against civilians, reinforcing the need for humanitarian access and protection and recognizing the unique needs and rights of children living in emergencies around the world.

read full call-to-action

letter to the editor (LTE)
: a letter written to a newspaper, magazine or other periodical about issues of concern to readers, usually intended to be published in the paper/periodical

Use the upcoming Italian G7 in June as a hook to write a letter to the editor (LTE) on why it’s important for Canada to champion children in emergencies by upholding humanitarian access and law to ensure their protection from violence. Underscore the importance of standing in solidarity for the needs of children in emergencies, including access to healthcare, nutritious food, education, clean water and sanitation facilities, caregiver support, and protection.

Mention that Canada is hosting the G7 next year in 2025 and how it will be a critical moment to elevate the needs of children around the world drive political will and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Feel free to include how Canada has used past G7s across different governments to support the rights of children through the Charlevoix Declaration and the Muskoka Initiative.

Outline how the G7 in Canada is a valuable opportunity to regain our global reputation and leadership for critical issues affecting children. Share how you hope to see Canada step up for the needs of children globally next year when we host the G7 in 2025 by committing to support mechanisms like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB, and Malaria, a renewal and expansion of the Charlevoix Declaration to support education in emergencies, and political coordination to end malnutrition and food insecurity around the world.

follow these step-by-step instructions to write an LTE

Volunteers on average spend 1-2 hours researching and planning, 30 minutes writing their draft and 15 minutes submitting it to newspapers.

Read our current call-to-action and note the “ask”.
Research the current issue by reading the news or external reliable sources (e.g., the World Health Organization).
Draft your LTE. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to be an expert to have an opinion.
- Create an outline of your letter using the EPIC format.
- Keep it short – 150-200 words. Being clear and concise will increase your chances of getting published. 
- Focus on your perspective and speak from the heart while supporting your opinion with evidence from our call-to-action and/or your research.
- Remember to state the problem early on and include a solution to the issue which is usually the “ask” in the call-to-action.
- Write a catchy title that will draw the reader in.
- Review your draft to make sure you are using respectful and inclusive language – see our anti-oppression best practices.
Decide if you are sending your LTE to one or many newspapers. If you’re emailing multiple newspapers, put their addresses in the BCC field. Use our database of editors’ emails for options.
Press ‘send’ – congratulations! Tell your Group Leader you’ve submitted an LTE. If you are not part of a group, consider joining one.
Send your LTE draft to your Member of Parliament (MP) to let them know your opinion.

did you get published?

Do an internet search of your name and a key sentence from your LTE for a few weeks after you submit if the newspaper editor didn’t notify you that they picked up your LTE.
If you got published, complete the “I got published in the media” form.
Share it on social media by using #Canada4Results, plus tagging @ResultsCda and your Member of Parliament.
Keep submitting LTEs on future calls-to-action and you could become a publishing expert like Dena.

secret tips

Look at our latest learning session on LTEs (15 mins).
Get more traction by connecting your LTE to a newsworthy topic or hook that inspires you - refer to our key dates, hashtags, tags, and keywords.
Respond to a recently published article as a hook for your LTE.
Collaborate with other volunteers. Nothing is stopping you from submitting a co-written LTE!
Speak another language? Send your LTE to community newspapers published in that language.
Consider writing an op-ed if you have lots of research material and 200 words isn’t enough!

see an example of an LTE

Canada should invest $1-billion in the Global Fund: reader

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the contribution of frontline community health workers around the world to protect communities. Health workers are the overlooked backbone of any well-functioning health system. Much of the success of the Global Fund is due to the efforts of these health workers—most of whom are women. They identify and fight disease outbreaks, provide vital health services, and prepare communities for future health threats. More than two million community health workers are on the front lines in countries where the Global Fund invests.

To recover from yet another wave of COVID-19 and its devastating impact on AIDS, TB and malaria, and to strengthen systems to build a healthier and pandemic-proof world, Canada must invest a billion dollars in the Global Fund.

Randy Rudolph, Calgary, Publication date: September 26, 2022, The Hill Times

See more published volunteer LTEs.

See all our resources to help you write your LTE, along with key dates, hashtags, tags and keywords found on our call-to-action page.

Before volunteering with Results, I was so intimidated to write a letter to the editor but they gave me the tools to write one about immunizations and it ended up getting published! I feel so empowered to continue making a difference.

– Megan, Results Canada volunteer