You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”

– Henry Ford

INSITE – Advocacy

CHALLENGE

During the federal election campaign, the Conservatives opposed Insite, a federally supported safe injection site in Vancouver, despite widespread support from the previous Liberal government, Vancouver’s past and present mayors, and the Vancouver Police Department. The Conservative government delayed making a decision on extending the facility’s approval until September 2006. The Prime Minster has stated the government is not committed to the facility, but asked various agencies including the RCMP to evaluate the program and come to a conclusion. In September, Health Canada had to decide whether or not to extend the facility’s approval.

STRATEGY

Insite

Reputations was commissioned by the Portland Hotel Society to design an advocacy–facilitation media strategy campaign to bolster support among Conservative MPs and influence the Prime Minister and Health Canada to commit to extending approval for Insite.

RESULTS

On September 1, 2006, federal Health Minister Tony Clement announced that the government had “deferred the decision” on Vancouver Coastal Health’s application to extend the operating exemption for Insite until December 31, 2007. The Minister said that during that time, additional studies will be conducted into how supervised injection sites affect crime, prevention and treatment.

Insite will be allowed to continue operations during this review.

In addition, the media campaign resulted in the publication of 249 print articles with an approximate impact value of $2.1 million, and 17 radio and television clips with an approximate impact value of $450,000.