Bright Ideas

Bright Ideas | GR Success Stories

I am often asked what can government relations achieve? Bright Ideas | GR Success Stories describe these client outcomes.

Legally Backed Analysis is Always a Smart Move

In a surprise move even the Minister wasn’t aware of the Provincial Throne Speech declared it would outlaw the international export of garbage and landfill waste, effectively putting my client out of business. After 2 legal opinions and 3 years of behind-the-scenes information sharing on International Trade Agreement implications, careful public positioning to politically protect officials, countless discussions in multiple jurisdictions with bureaucrats and local politicians trying to understand the legal context and their obligations, the declaration quietly was overturned.

Research-Based Strategic Thinking and Effective Lobbying Creates New Policies

Regional districts procurement processes were inconsistent from one tender to the next. The private sector who had built the majority of the infrastructure the public sector relied on to complete community services were often left out of the process. By researching the provincial regulations, being abreast of change in political wins, effective lobbying of decision-makers to understand the benefits competition would bring the sector, a new provincial procurement policy was adopted that brought open competition to procurement processes and a level playing field between the private and public sector.

Objective Achieved

A community was divided. The government was in the middle and making things worse. Tempers were flaring, government memorandums of understanding and other commitment documents were not being adhered to, and some community members were not being heard. The change was coming, and there was great unease.
Cynthia was hired to elevate the discussion to ensure representation from the local level was included. She sifted through the rhetoric, researched the policy context, worked with the community to calm fears and prepare for change, developed a tactical approach and exercised her access to the senior decision-makers in order to get their attention. Senior-level meetings were scheduled, COVID hit, and activity ground to a halt. When the issue surfaced, community organizations had a seat at the table to be consulted during the upcoming negotiations.

Government Impacts Neutralized

For more than two decades an industry had been adversely impacted by various provincial governments’ on-again-off-again policies. Relationships between the public and private sector were strained as a lack of consistent government response shunned investor support for the fledgling industry. Cynthia Shore was hired to advocate for a shift in government policy to bring about stability in government relations and a growth in the industry. By working closely with her client’s talented team of professionals, applying an understanding of cross-border trends and policy directions, knowing with whom and when to advance her client’s position, assisting in managing industry association expectations and reframing the perception of the benefits derived from the industry, a new provincial policy was enacted that placed British Columbia in a leadership position while enabling a new industry to become a significant economic development generator for the province.

Policy Alternatives Work

A national life insurance company, who participates in its national industry association, had a unique position with respect to a policy change that BC had taken. Working through their industry association had not achieved results nor had a direct appeal to the Minister responsible. The offending resolution had been passed and changes announced that were to come into effect three months later. Cynthia Shore was hired to delay the implementation of the new policy and reverse the Board’s decision. She accomplished this through working with the staff, developing a policy alternative and obtaining political support. The policy was shelved and is still there today.

Collaboration to Quash an RFP

A major newspaper publication feared the introduction into their market of a competing newspaper product. The regional authority had received a report from staff supporting such a policy change. The Request For Proposals (RFP) was being drafted. The company feared the authority would vote on the staff report and issue the RFP. Cynthia Shore was hired to develop a stakeholder/community relations campaign to support her government relations efforts to change the policy decision. Working with a Public Relations firm to implement the campaign, together they were successful and the decision to issue the RFP quashed.

Project approvals, jurisdictional dispute, problem solved

A major resort developer’s project had been caught in a jurisdictional dispute between 3 provincial ministries and 2 levels of government for 4 years. All options to get the political and bureaucratic will to affect change appeared to have been exhausted. Development permits and public meetings were scheduled to enable the developer to get the needed approvals. While this savvy corporation conducts its own government relations, they were at an impasse. They feared they would miss the approval deadline and jeopardize their already purchased international advertising campaign. Cynthia Shore was brought in to obtain bureaucratic support and political intervention. Through her in-depth understanding of provincial government operations and personal contact, she was able to solve the dispute by digging deep into the bureaucracy, finding the original offending boundary documents and bringing together the parties within a political context to achieve the company’s objectives.