Public Affairs Bureau — Continued
Strategic Context
Looking Ahead
By looking at the next three years and beyond, the Public Affairs Bureau will establish goals and objectives that will see British Columbians, Canadians and citizens of the world well informed about the province's policies, benefits, programs and services.
While continuing to support issues management and the use of traditional communications tools, the Bureau will expand into a different level of communications — one that balances reactive issues management with proactive communications messaging. There must be communications research, strategic planning, input into major submissions and policies so that proactive strategies can be developed. Given the competition in the market place to " attract the public's eye and ear", we must use new, innovative, ways to reach our target audiences whether at the grass roots of our communities or international investors.
Some of the strategies we will employ include:
- Providing additional resources in key areas of government such as health care, children and family development, the Olympics and strategic planning;
- Making information more accessible, timely and relevant through a variety of traditional and non-traditional means;
- Reaching out to ethnic communities/press and client of government programs and services (such as senior, small business operators, families, etc.);
- Making information more accessible in grassroots communities and to international media through innovative technologies and stakeholder relations;
- Communicating with British Columbians through both the use of traditional mechanisms (announcements, paid and earned media) but also by introducing new marketing approaches to ensure our messages are reaching citizens at the grassroots (for example, partnerships with the private sector to distribute info to seniors with their prescriptions, partnerships with other public sector organizations to distribute information such as BC Hydro billing inserts or messages printed on BC Ferry ticket stubs);
- Expanding use of e-services in support of cross government initiatives and/or themes (for example, Achieve BC, ActNow BC, or the soon to be launched seniors site, etc.);
There is an opportunity to achieve some very real gains using the power of communications to reach out to the grassroots of our communities and to strengthen our relationship with the media not only in the regional markets of British Columbia but across North America and around the world.
Much has been achieved over the last four years and British Columbia has a powerful story to tell. We will move past the reactive and towards becoming more engaged and proactive in telling this story of accomplishment across ministry lines, across the province and around the world.
Risks and Opportunities
Existing resources within the Public Affairs Bureau are fully engaged in issues management with little opportunity to engage in proactive communications planning. While issues management is critical to protecting the reputation of government, providing our key audiences with proactive and balanced information is key to enhancing public confidence and balance. Getting ahead of issues and providing context to British Columbians can significantly reduce the risks.
The ability to creative proactive strategies which link to the Five Great Goals and straddle cross government priorities will be key to both the management of risk and taking full advantage of the skills reflected in the PAB team and opportunities to serve and inform citizens.
Linkage to the Five Great Goals
Public Affairs Bureau contributes to all Five Great Goals by:
- Communicating the province's policies and programs to the public in a consistent, informative and timely manner.
- Ensuring that themes identified in the government strategic plan are reflected in communications strategies as appropriate.
Cross Ministry Initiatives
Cross ministry initiatives the Bureau is leading:
- Development of cross-ministry communications strategies (for example, seniors, international and domestic branding)
Cross ministry initiatives the Bureau is involved in:
- Labour file
- ActNow
- Crystal meth
- First Nations
- Economic performance
- 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
- Expanding reach to ethnic community/press
- Repositioning the Public Service
