Indigenous Services Canada said federal managers need strategies to deal with media on sensitive First Nations controversies, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. .“Frequently media requests focus on sensitive or controversial topics,” said Indigenous Services Canada in a memo. .“To address this need, the department requires the services of professional media spokesperson trainers to develop and deliver individual or group media spokesperson training sessions.”.Indigenous Services proposed hiring media coaches at undisclosed hourly rates. .It said its managers needed “general information regarding dealing with the media as well as tips, tools, and techniques for conveying the department’s messages in a professional and compelling manner.” It added it will pay for techniques for understanding media trends and dealing with reporters, including the importance of meeting deadlines. .No budget was detailed. Cabinet disclosed in a 2018 inquiry of ministry tabled in the House of Commons it had paid $923,000 for media coaching over two years. .Conservative MP Ben Lobb (Huron-Bruce, ON) said he does not know where this money is coming from. .“For my dollar, I’d rather see zero spent on media training and nearly a million bucks go to pumps for people with diabetes,” said Lobb. .“I think people from one end of the country to the other would say that’s reasonable.”.Lobb said it would be interesting to figure out who is taking the training and why they feel the need to. He called speaking to the media “pretty straightforward.”.Fisheries and Oceans Canada disclosed in a 2016 access to information and privacy request its guide for spokespeople. It recommended mannerisms and a suggestion managers speak to reporters as if they were addressing children. .Fisheries and Oceans Canada said an audience can tell if spokespeople are bored, upset, or uncomfortable. .“Try to remain as neutral as possible in your demeanour no matter how aggressive the questioning may become,” said Fisheries Canada. .The Auditor General said in November Indigenous Services is putting First Nations communities at risk by failing to provide them with the support needed to manage emergencies from common extreme weather events. .Auditor General Karen Hogan released a review of the Canadian government’s on-reserve emergency management efforts, which said chronic problems identified in a similar audit one decade ago remain unaddressed..“We found that the department's actions were more reactive than preventative, despite First Nations communities identifying many infrastructure projects to mitigate the impact of emergencies,” said Hogan.
