As political parties become more broadly based, their inherent aggregating function means that fewer interests are actually articulated or advocated by the parties. Along with professional lobbyists, interest groups provide another means to channel citizens' concerns to policy makers and administrators. However, there are also significant concerns about the privileged access of the richer and better organized.
Related problems emerge from the direct campaign donations made to politicians.
On this page you will find material linking you to a variety of interest groups, as well as to the nature and regulation of lobbying. For material specific to Canada, visit the Interest Groups and Social Movements page in Nelson's Canadian Politics on the Web . Quite a detailed discussion on How to Lobby Politicians is provided by Aldis Ozols. Although the piece is written about the Australian political system, it is highly relevant to Canadian politics, too. A variety of lobbying strategies are covered at this site.