Canada PoliticsThe Conservative Party’s crisis management strategy
The last several Harper government controversies - or scandals if you will - seem to reveal a pattern in terms of the way the Tories handle crises.
Step 1 seems to be to denial. During this step critics are ridiculed for suggesting any wrong doing.
Step 2 is what CTV Question Period's Craig Oliver calls 'mudify.' In this step the Tories complicate the issue by claiming a misunderstanding or a difference in interpretation.
Step 3 is to find some way to make the Liberals look bad. They haven't been in power for six years, they've been relegated to third party status and they only have an interim leader but they are, and always will be, the enemy.
And finally, step 4 is hold no one to account. If you hold someone to account, after all, isn't that admitting you did something wrong?
Here is a closer look at some of the most recent scandals and how the Harper government responded:
1) F-35 debacle:
Step 1 -Deny:
Despite the auditor's general's comments suggesting otherwise, the Conservatives continue to claim they did not mislead parliament, or the public on the true cost of the F-35s.
Step 2 -'Mudify:'
Days after the report the Harper government has come up with their defence: the discrepancy between the auditor general's figures and their figures are apparently due to differing accounting methodologies.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said the Auditor-General's "new approach" means that every procurement purchase must include costs for salaries of Canadian Forces members, fuel, food, "shoelaces" and "boot leather."
Step 3 - Try to make the Liberals look bad:
Over the past year, the Conservatives have deflected criticism on the F-35 file by consistently reminding Canadians it was the Chretien Liberals who first agreed to purchase the fighter jets.
Step 4 - Hold no one to account:
No one in Harper's cabinet has been forced to resign.
2) Robocall scandal:
Step 1 -Deny:
The Conservatives have denied any wrong doing
Step 2 -'Mudify:'
Tory MP, Dean Dal Mastro has been front and centre in the 'mudify-ing' the robocall scandal.
He alleged that Conservative supporters in his riding also received misleading robocalls directing them to the wrong polling stations.
When that didn't work, the Conservatives blamed Elections Canada.
Step 3 - Try to make the Liberals look bad:
At one point, the Conservatives blamed the Liberals for being the only party to use American based robocallers.
According to CTV News, the accusation turned out to be a dud.
Step 4 - Hold no one to account:
To date, no one has taken responsibility.
3) Peter MacKay's helicopter trip:
Step 1 -Deny:
Despite documents suggesting the helicopter pick-up was only to be under the "guise" of a search-and-rescue exercise, defense minister Peter MacKay continues to insist he did nothing wrong.
Step 2 -'Mudify:'
Apparently believing in the credo the best defence is a good offense, MacKay suggested he might take legal action against any MP who accused him of lying about why he took the helicopter ride.
Step 3 - Try to make the Liberals look bad:
According to emails uncovered by the Toronto Star, just one day after revelations of MacKay's trip, Royal Canadian Air Force staff were enlisted to look through flight logs to find similar actions taken by Liberal MPs.
Step 4 - Hold no one to account:
To date, Peter MacKay is still in Stephen Harper's cabinet.
