General Public Relations
Your target audience is the general public, and any issue relating to lands and Indians will always be the subject of intense public scrutiny. When Aboriginal groups express a need or desire for a larger land base, the public pays attention. It is up to you to reach the public early with accurate messages before rumours distort the issue. Once the media segment of your communications plan has been implemented, you can move on to general public relations. There are many ways to get the word out to the public.

1. Town Hall or Community Meeting
   A town hall meeting should be a wellpublicized event for the public. In a rural area, you might rent the local parish church hall or school gymnasium. The public will be invited to hear from your community to find out what your ATR is, how it came about, and what benefits it may provide to both First Nations and non-First Nations communities. Here you may also find it helpful to include a brief history of your reserve. A strong moderator is important to maintain control of the meeting, to keep the questions focussed, and to limit individual questions to a reasonable length of time. Occasionally, people will attend your forum to raise points of their own, so you must maintain control of the agenda. In all conversations with media, treat every comment as being on the record.
2. Local School Assemblies
   Another effective forum may be the local schools in your district. Schools often begin the week with an assembly and the national anthem, followed by principal's remarks and announcements. At times, they can include a guest speaker, and you might be welcomed to address one of these assemblies. These 10-to-15-minute periods provide an opportunity for you to address a large segment of the school's young population. Students should be encouraged to bring the message home to their parents. You could also be asked to address a few history or social studies classes.
3. Service Clubs
   There are usually many service clubs in any area, such as the Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, and Chamber of Commerce. These groups meet at least once a month, usually over lunch, and they are always looking for speakers. These groups are important because they are comprised of a good cross-section of the local community that you might have otherwise missed. A speaking engagement would typically involve lunch followed by a 10-to-12-minute address and brief question period.
4. Special Interest Groups
   Churches should be considered as another possible forum. You could be asked to address a general meeting of parishioners. Pastors and priests have been known to invite guest speakers to address the Sunday service. All forums should be welcomed. Parent-teacher meetings; city, town or municipal council meetings - whenever there is a formal gathering of any kind, you should try to put yourself on the agenda.