A Historic Vote for Tahltan Nation

The Situation

The Tahltan Central Council (TCC), the governing body of the Tahltan Nation, had negotiated agreements with the Government of British Columbia and BC Hydro Corporation for land use compensation for a section of the Northwest Transmission Line to be built in Tahltan territory, in Northwestern British Columbia. Tahltan bylaws require such agreements to be taken to the Tahltan people to vote whether or not to approve. The TCC had to help its members make an informed decision by providing transparent, unbiased information about the project, the agreements and the vote. The TCC hired PR Associates to develop and implement a communication plan and manage community outreach activities.

The Solution

An integrated marketing communication campaign was developed that addressed the goals of the campaign, the communication needs of members and inherent challenges. These included a vast range in the age of members (from young adults 18 years old to elders in their 90s) and an extreme geographic spread of members (on reserve in three communities within the traditional territory, and spread across British Columbia, Alberta, the Yukon and in the United States.  Aboriginal culture and individual preferences in how they receive information also had to be taken into consideration. Another major challenge was the lack of a member contact list, which was created as the campaign was implemented.

Key messaging was developed at the start of the campaign and modified as needed as the campaign progressed through the different stages and incorporated into the material produced. A variety of communication channels (both traditional and social media) and tactics were used. These included a special section on the TCC website to house the information material created. Information packages were sent to members by email and postal mail and community information meetings were held in key areas where Tahltans live. A Tahltan communication team was established and trained to contact members in person, by phone and email. Radio ads, posters and videos were created. Facebook was an important communication channel to reach members.  Media outreach was also undertaken at select stages of the campaign.    

The Results

Information about the projects, agreements and votes was provided to members in a variety of methods. More than 1,700 Tahltans registered to vote and more than 770 of eligible voters turned out to vote, achieving a 45 percent participation rate, which is comparable to Canadian municipal election turnouts. Members voted 82 percent in favour of the agreements (voted as one package). This was a phenomenal outcome given the challenges faced. The Tahltan leadership couldn’t advocate for or against the agreements; therefore their satisfaction was in the unprecedented involvement of the Tahltan people in choosing their future and that fact the majority of those who voted supported the agreements. The communication process established for the campaign is now the standard for any community outreach for projects and votes facing the Nation.