There was a lot of discussion about government communications this weekend, and a lot to ponder on about it. First of all, there was this thread, which is long but worthwhile to read, because it gives a lot of context and examples of what it is we talk about with regard to these kinds of communications issues.
I have no comment on the particulars of her federal story, but yes x1000 to this @SusanDelacourt point generally. A generation of 🇨🇦 pols & officials have paid a certain stream of consultants millions to train them to sound insincere, aloof & robotic. A non-partisan observation. pic.twitter.com/cnfTA0ElLV
— Brian F. Kelcey (@stateofthecity) January 22, 2022
Another example of poor government communications were the proliferation of Cabinet ministers, and others from across party lines, and several who weren’t in Canada, posing with signs that said #StandWithUkraine.
https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1485251476687663109
They all looked ridiculous and like hollow performance, it was a combination of trying to appease the Ukrainian-Canadian lobby here in Canada (which largely advocates for the Conservatives, for what it’s worth), but part of a movement to try and get the hashtag trending over the weekend, because apparently international relations and diplomacy is really turning into a junior high exercise of being mean to one another over Twitter. (Meanwhile, haven’t politicians learned not to pose with signs like that, because they just get photoshopped?)
https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1485254090229747713
Oh God, was that all just a hamhanded way of making #standwithukraine trend?
Jeeezus.
— Chris Selley (@cselley) January 24, 2022