Prime Minister Brian Mulroney privately expressed frustration by stating some of his cabinet members were ineffective spokespeople and needed to be directed to "keep the message simple."According to Blacklock’s Reporter, newly declassified records reveal the cabinet developed a 56-point memo on effectively communicating and explaining its actions and decisions.Mulroney told a June 18 1987 cabinet meeting “communications remained the government’s greatest failure,” according to secret minutes. “One Toronto supporter had heard 10 or 12 ministers speak and could hardly believe they were members of the same government,” said Mulroney.Meeting minutes showed the cabinet created a 56-point Communication Plan Checklist intended for use by all ministers. Ministers were instructed to articulate "the government line" in straightforward language.“Keep the message simple,” said Checklist. “Make it understandable to the man in the street. Explain clearly why you are taking or not taking this action.”The advice on "how to sell the message" cautioned the cabinet had to contend with an anti-Conservative press and an indifferent public.“Identify major communications impediments such as media hostility, public indifference, provincial resistance, complex issue material, competing regional, sectoral or international interests and outline strategies to deal with them,” said the memo.Ministers were instructed prior to every policy announcement to give MPs “fact sheets,” “speech modules,” “question and answer notes” and a “standard letter response to general public inquiries.” All are now standard practice in federal caucuses.Declassified records revealed that following his election in 1984, Mulroney complained the majority of the media were unfriendly or hostile towards him.“The prime minister suggested that ministers should not become discouraged by the attitude of the press towards the government particularly since the majority of reporters were not supportive of the Conservative government in the first place,” said minutes of a confidential September 17 1985 cabinet meeting.Bill Fox, who served as Mulroney's communications director, advised cabinet members to exercise caution when interacting with the press.“Mr. William Fox of the prime minister’s office provided a brief presentation on approaches to the news media,” said minutes of a January 17 1985 meeting.“He emphasized the need to think carefully before speaking and suggested that it is useful to have a press aide with a tape recorder to produce transcripts of everything ministers say to the electronic media,” said Minutes. “He expressed his personal view of the usefulness of having a press spokesman who is able to speak for the ministers.”Meeting minutes reveal Mulroney expressed dissatisfaction, noting that the cabinet was being held responsible for matters beyond its control, such as parliamentary decorum.“Decorum in the House of Commons at the present time is scandalous and the Speaker does not appear to be in control,” read minutes of one cabinet session.The Speaker at the time was John Bosley. He abruptly resigned a year later in 1986, citing an “erosion of public respect for parliament.”
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney privately expressed frustration by stating some of his cabinet members were ineffective spokespeople and needed to be directed to "keep the message simple."According to Blacklock’s Reporter, newly declassified records reveal the cabinet developed a 56-point memo on effectively communicating and explaining its actions and decisions.Mulroney told a June 18 1987 cabinet meeting “communications remained the government’s greatest failure,” according to secret minutes. “One Toronto supporter had heard 10 or 12 ministers speak and could hardly believe they were members of the same government,” said Mulroney.Meeting minutes showed the cabinet created a 56-point Communication Plan Checklist intended for use by all ministers. Ministers were instructed to articulate "the government line" in straightforward language.“Keep the message simple,” said Checklist. “Make it understandable to the man in the street. Explain clearly why you are taking or not taking this action.”The advice on "how to sell the message" cautioned the cabinet had to contend with an anti-Conservative press and an indifferent public.“Identify major communications impediments such as media hostility, public indifference, provincial resistance, complex issue material, competing regional, sectoral or international interests and outline strategies to deal with them,” said the memo.Ministers were instructed prior to every policy announcement to give MPs “fact sheets,” “speech modules,” “question and answer notes” and a “standard letter response to general public inquiries.” All are now standard practice in federal caucuses.Declassified records revealed that following his election in 1984, Mulroney complained the majority of the media were unfriendly or hostile towards him.“The prime minister suggested that ministers should not become discouraged by the attitude of the press towards the government particularly since the majority of reporters were not supportive of the Conservative government in the first place,” said minutes of a confidential September 17 1985 cabinet meeting.Bill Fox, who served as Mulroney's communications director, advised cabinet members to exercise caution when interacting with the press.“Mr. William Fox of the prime minister’s office provided a brief presentation on approaches to the news media,” said minutes of a January 17 1985 meeting.“He emphasized the need to think carefully before speaking and suggested that it is useful to have a press aide with a tape recorder to produce transcripts of everything ministers say to the electronic media,” said Minutes. “He expressed his personal view of the usefulness of having a press spokesman who is able to speak for the ministers.”Meeting minutes reveal Mulroney expressed dissatisfaction, noting that the cabinet was being held responsible for matters beyond its control, such as parliamentary decorum.“Decorum in the House of Commons at the present time is scandalous and the Speaker does not appear to be in control,” read minutes of one cabinet session.The Speaker at the time was John Bosley. He abruptly resigned a year later in 1986, citing an “erosion of public respect for parliament.”
