Fumble: Liberals mix messages

Bill doesn’t want to get into the unprecedented developments in Ottawa this week, but I’ll give it a whirl. It’s too complex and too political to try and cover off all that happened and was said while it was happening, so instead, allow me to slice off one piece that could apply to a wide range of organizations. Specifically, let’s focus on the dangers of mixed messages. Any time there are different voices from the same organization saying different things, it’s trouble. Case in point: after the announcement that the Governor-General had agreed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s request to shut down Parliament until the end of January, it was Liberal leadership candidate Bob Rae – and not Stephane Dion, the guy who actually holds the top job – who stepped up to the microphones first. Rae said the issue at the heart of the Liberal-NDP-BQ coalition effort to unseat the government runs much deeper than just the economy – it’s about Harper’s overall agenda and approach to governing that he can no longer support. In other words, Rae said the coalition should get rid of Harper no matter what happens. Enter M. Dion, whose words were in stark contrast, saying Harper could get a stay of execution if he made a “monumental change” in the way he has been governing. Asked to define that, Dion replied that a real plan to deal with the economic crisis would fit the bill. So where do the Liberals stand? Depends who you ask. And that’s a communications Fumble for any organization, on any issue.