Canadian ambassador fails public relations 101
Carson Jerema Staff
If Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan David Sproule, who visited the U of M last Thursday, had been speaking to a wider audience, it would have been little less than a public relations disaster. After explaining what Canadian forces are doing in the country, Sproule faced an onslaught of confrontational and often hostile questions from some of the students in attendance who oppose Canadian involvement in Afghanistan.
Whatever the merits of the arguments of those opposed to the mission, Sproule did not exhibit much confidence when making his case, and he likely failed in any attempt to convince people who are on the fence about the mission to support it.
Sproule appeared confused, uninformed and, to put it bluntly, downright naïve when the legitimacy of Canada’s role was called into question. Some alleged that Canada was aiding a brutal regime in Afghanistan, while others compared it to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Canada’s involvement in Haiti, where president Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted, was used to criticize the government’s commitment to democracy. Accusations were also levelled that Canada is unfit to help in development issues, a reference to the conditions in which some Aboriginal communities live.
Sproule’s responses were often monotone reiterations of the talk that preceded the question period — that is, if he bothered to respond at all. It is to be expected that people speaking for the government will use skilful wording to sidestep confrontation. But Sproule didn’t even attempt to put up the usual smoke and mirrors, often giving the audience blank stares.
It’s not as if any of the arguments raised by some of the audience members are new or that Sproule was unaware of them. On Saturday, March 18 there were demonstrations, albeit small ones, across the country voicing similar concerns to those of the students who challenged the ambassador.
Sproule has been giving talks on the Afghanistan mission all over the country and even held a press conference with Omar Samad, the Afghani ambassador to Canada, where the concerns of anti-war protesters were discussed. Still, he was unable to give even sham answers.
The absurdity of Sproule’s lack of preparedness was nowhere more clearly demonstrated than when an audience member asked if he could provide a historical example where, after a government in a developing country was overthrown, there was a successful transition to democracy. Sproule replied with “You’re in university; have you not discussed this with your proffessors before? My expertise is focused on Afghanistan, and I usually do not venture opinions on . . . .” The rest of the sentence was unintelligible.
The disinterested nature of Sproule’s talk marks what has been a bumpy public relations ride for newly-elected Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Canada’s beefed up mission in southern Afghanistan was inherited from the outgoing Liberal government, which made little to no attempt to have a public discussion about it. And now, the Liberals are using Harper’s reluctance to have a debate as fodder to attack him.
This has been compounded by the simple reality that few in the House of Commons are actually interested in foreign affairs, let alone informed about Canada’s role in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Consider Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Mackay, a criminal lawyer by trade: he has almost no experience dealing with international issues, either professionally or as a Member of Parliament.
Harper has said that he wants Canada to be a leader in the world and that backing away from its commitment in Afghanistan is not the way to go about it. While recent polls have shown that most Canadians support the mission, sending a near-sighted bureaucrat like Sproule across the country to explain Canada’s role and garner support from those who might be on the fence won’t do much to convince the country that Canada is capable of carrying the mission through.
Moreover, evading critics, especially at a university where this sort of debate is to be expected and encouraged, could lead the public to believe that there is something to hide.
If government officials like Sproule continue to fail to adequately prepare for public discussion and avoid even an attempt to converse with people who challenge them, will Canadians continue to support the mission in Afganistan when casualties start rising?
Carson Jerema is a fourth-year political studies student and the Manitoban’s Comment Editor.
