This week's perspective from Bob Reid: Before the inevitable online debate had even begun; before any public calls for it came; and, most importantly, before he found himself in a position of responding rather than leading, Prime Minister Stephen Harper had already decided to offer Olivia Chow the honour of a state funeral for her late husband. And thus, the wheels were set in motion for Jack Layton to lie in state in the rotunda of the House of Commons, with a state funeral to follow tomorrow in Toronto. We’ll set aside any discussion of the policy decision. But anticipating developments and how the resulting media coverage might play out, well, that’s issue management and media strategy. And, although I’m speculating wildly here, I do remain convinced that someone in the PMO – likely including Harper himself – saw the outpouring in the wake of Layton’s death and quickly realized that calls for a state funeral would be inevitable. It’s always best to be leading a major story than responding to one, and with such a large emotional layer to this one, it was a good communications play to get out in front of all of it by making (and announcing) the offer, rather than being put in the position of having to consider and then respond to the inevitable calls for it. I don’t at all doubt Harper’s sincerity in also wanting to pay respects to his “friend and colleague” as he described Layton, as well.
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