Opinion: Opening thoughts on Cornwall’s draft media relations policy

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That is by no means all there is to say about the draft media relations policy brought to Cornwall city council on Tuesday.

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As someone whose regular job duties are regularly affected by the City of Cornwall’s approach to media relations and communications, there are a few important things about this policy that concern me and other colleagues in the media. the local media I interacted with – both as a journalist working in and covering Cornwall and a taxpayer and resident.

Considering the resolution introduced Tuesday for this policy and eight others was ultimately postponed, I’ll keep my gunpowder dry. I’ve also asked the city to consider meeting in person with local journalists to discuss the policy, and if the powers that be agree to it, it’s fair to let it happen.

Between now and then, it is useful to expand on these two points.

cone Dean Hollingsworth spoke in an urgent and frustrated tone Tuesday about refusing to ever accept a policy that would muzzle him as a board member or abide by one that requires any board member to clarify what he or she wants to say with a manager of communications—or director, because that’s the job that was posted, closed, and is currently hiring. He referred to the fact that it could contravene everyone’s right to freedom of expression under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

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Let’s analyze this thought and politics.

The policy states that it applies to all Cornwall employees, elected officials and representatives. It defines the mayor and council members as authorized spokespeople when it comes to official statements and positions in the areas of policy, governance and strategic initiatives – noting that before speaking to the media, comment should be coordinated with the communications manager / team.

It should not be mustor must. It doesn’t prevent a council member from taking my call, although it does provide coverage for those who don’t want to answer that call.

In the procedures, the policy is about what you hire must I do when I receive a media inquiry. It defines who writes and approves Cornwall’s press releases and statements and who manages Cornwall’s social media accounts. It also talks about crisis communications (which should already be included and defined in city emergency management plans), media training and monitoring.

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Board members, while included in the policy generally, are not specifically named or included in the sections directing employees (which must respect) on how they interact with the media.

It’s an easy fix. Remove board members from the defined scope of this policy, given that they are already governed by a code of conduct.

What about constitutionality? It’s a little grayer and deserves a vet by the city’s employment attorney.

Freedom of speech does not come with guaranteed freedom from consequences. A vulgar colloquialism that comes to mind and I will rephrase is that you do not defecate where you eat without expecting that you will soon be eating feces.

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There is case law that supports an employer’s ability to write a policy and impose consequences when an employee expresses himself so freely that he violates the policy.

Council members can already be warned for inappropriate communications, and those who don’t know could discuss it with the mayor, who had a front-row seat to the limit of his free speech a few years ago.

Take the board members out of this policy and that’s another problem solved.

The second broader point worth raising is one made by Coun. Syd Gardiner. He was responding to Coun. Elaine MacDonald’s comments regarding the failure of the city’s contracted communications team at Winston Wilmont to quickly post and disseminate information for the heat wave that began on June 18. Gardiner, the city’s representative to the Eastern Ontario Health Unit and its president, pointed to EOHU as a better example.

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I give the benefit of the doubt that he was referring to EOHU’s routine statements issued before an expected heat wave, because what if it was EOHU’s approach to media relations as a whole? Medical Officer of Health and CEO Dr. Paul Roumeliotis daily, then weekly, then infrequently during the peak of COVID-19 were good, but before then and since then?

EOHU’s media relations policy, which if there is one I have not seen, and practice should not be the standard by which Cornwall defines its approach going forward, although its recent practice already is similar.

Take as an example a statement issued on Friday. The health facility has seen an increase in reported cases of pertussis (whooping cough).

The best defense against pertussis is vaccination, which is why it is included in the recommended immunizations for children. When the pandemic eliminated all routine childhood immunization clinics and campaigns organized by health facilities for more than two years, entire cohorts of children did not receive their routine pertussis immunization and have fallen behind in recent years.

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All of this is mentioned in the EOHU statement, along with a canned quote from Roumeliotis and information on how to immunize yourself or your loved ones.

What is not included? Any numbers or other data to put the growth in any kind of context. Are you mentioning an increase in cases without information on how many cases, how the number compares to an average or usual number of cases, and if there is a specific geographic area that is seeing a higher number of cases? It’s a huge hole.

It tries to encourage immunization without giving people information that makes it relevant to themselves and therefore a higher priority to act.

Should we contact the EOHU press office to seek this additional information through the press office as needed? We won’t get an answer right away (certainly not on the Friday before a long weekend), and it wouldn’t come from the public health staff who actually handle this data. It would come later, and only from Roumeliotis. We know because we’ve tried in the past and that’s what happened.

This example is far from an isolated one. Look back at the increased overdose statements. Or a West Nile virus positive mosquito or resident. Or a rabid animal. They all push the message while missing the details mentioned above.

There are better examples of practice and policy to look at as Cornwall finalizes its own policies. EOHU is not one of them.

Hopefully, during this delay period, Cornwall can step back and consider some changes, rather than insisting that what has been put forward is the best and only approach.

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