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

– Henry Ford

INSITE - Advocacy

CHALLENGE

In 2006, Canada elected a new federal government headed by the Conservative Party’s Stephen Harper. For Vancouver’s InSite, the country’s only supervised injection facility, this meant that they were under threat. The exemption granted by the Liberal federal government to InSite that enabled them to operate despite Canada’s drug laws was set for review in September, 2006, and Stephen Harper made it clear during his election campaign that he opposed the InSite facility. In spite of widespread support from the global medical community, the Vancouver Police Department, the federal Liberal government and Vancouver’s past and present mayors, InSite knew it would be up for a fight.

PHS Community Services Society (PHS), the non-profit organization that oversees InSite, engaged Reputations to build public support for the facility and to persuade lawmakers to keep it open.

STRATEGY

Reputations designed an advocacy-focused media strategy campaign to bolster support among Conservative MPs and influence the Prime Minister and Health Canada to commit to extending approval for InSite. We developed a support network of high-profile influencers comprised of Vancouver’s past five mayors, police chiefs in large urban centres, prominent members of the facility’s nearby Chinatown community, as well as reputable health professionals. We garnered millions in earned media value, and informed government decision-makers on community support, positive media coverage and positive scientific research. A supporter letter-writing campaign received over 3,000 letters.

Reputations also designed the key messages and media strategy throughout InSite’s high-profile battle with the Federal Government in Canadian courts.

RESULTS

PHS and plaintiffs Shelly Tomic and Dean Wilson filed a case in the BC Supreme Court in 2007. The BC Supreme Court ruled in favour of InSite, and their decision was upheld by the BC Court of Appeal in 2008. The lawsuit went to the Supreme Court of Canada in 2011 and was again ruled in favour of InSite. The Health Minister was ordered to grant InSite an exemption, allowing the clinic to operate indefinitely and potentially paving the way for similar sites across Canada. The Supreme Court of Canada’s decision was met with great public support, including a rally of community members and health workers at InSite on the morning of the announcement and positive media coverage from coast-to-coast.

Winner: CPRS National Awards – Government Relations “InSite for Government”