Dziekanski: Public Relations Disaster

The 'fess up' suggestion makes sense but only where public scrutiny is inevitable. Otherwise silence is golden. The problem here, from a purely public relations view, is that the government misestimated the media interest in Mr. Dziekanski -- or, perhaps, they were right except the video changed everything? Absent the video the story might well have died a quieter death than poor Mr. Dziekanski.
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Internal memos show border officials stalled details of Dziekanski death

THE CANADIAN PRESS

April 9, 2008 at 3:37 PM EDT

VANCOUVER -- Internal documents from the Canadian Border Services Agency show it was more concerned about protecting its reputation than providing information about a Polish immigrant who died at Vancouver International Airport, last year.

The documents, obtained by CTV News, show significant co-operation between the airport, RCMP and border services officials in controlling the release of details following the Oct. 14, 2007 death of Robert Dziekanski.

"Hopefully things will be quiet on this until tomorrow AM," reads one document.

"The material has been cleansed too much," reads another.

The documents show the federal agency and the Vancouver airport authority worked closely with the RCMP to ensure the three had their media messaging synchronized after an agitated Mr. Dziekanski died.

Two days after the death, the border agency came up with key messages for its spokesmen to deliver to the media -something called media lines.

"The CBSA is co-operating fully with RCMP," was one line.

"It would be inappropriate to comment on the case," was another.

An e-mail dated Oct. 25 from CBSA communications states: "The RCMP are hoping to stay with the no comment line today."

It was six weeks before the border agency made any kind of comment on Mr. Dziekanski's death.

In the immediate aftermath, reporters were directed to Ottawa.

The policy appears to have raised concerns from one local manager with the agency who wrote: "Our silence is deafening and criticism of our failure to speak is mounting."

The border services said they were not commenting until they'd had a chance to gather all the necessary information.

Although six weeks passed, the documents show that with only one exception, all the statements were gathered within three days of Mr. Dziekanski's death.

Walter Kosteckyj, the lawyer for Mr. Dziekanski's mother, said he expected some kind of spin, but was surprised at the co-operation between the three agencies.

He said more interest was taken in trying to get a public relations message out than in getting to the bottom of the story and getting it out as quickly as possible.

"No one wants to accept blame," said Mr. Kosteckyj.

Prof. Lindsay Meredith, of Simon Fraser University, said the documents are a great example of how not to handle a crisis.

His public relations motto is: If you mess up, you fess up.

"You don't duck and bob and weave because all you're doing is making everyone suspicious as to what you're up to," said Prof. Meredith.

"This happened last October 2007. Here it is April 2008. We're still trying to bury the carcass on this story.

"Bad idea. This is how you don't do it."

CTV News contacted the Canadian Border Services Agency for a comment on the released documents but did not hear back.

James Morton
1100 - 5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
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