When an opponent is doing well, it’s wise to take the time to figure out why that is so
THE ARMCHAIR MAYOR (COLUMN) — It doesn’t do any good to sit around complaining and worrying about what your opponent is doing if you don’t learn anything from it.
That’s why the Stop Ajax folks — the Kamloops Area Preservation Association, Physicians for a Healthy Environment, Kamloops Moms for Clean Air, the Labour Council and whoever else is part of that umbrella — should pause to analyze what KGHM International is doing.
As you may know by now, I’m not a fan of Ajax but I admire good work when I see it.
I’ve always said Ajax will be a hard train to derail because of the expansive resources available to this big Polish company that wants to dig an open pit mine in our community.
In political-campaign style, they are marching as if to an election with a determination that would make a Christy Clark communications strategist proud.
The big event at the Interior Savings Centre was just the latest piece. Let’s look at that and the other stuff that’s been going on.
One of the most important things any political campaign does is to identify its support, generating a list of people it can rely on. Like KGHM has been doing with Ajax. Such lists are indispensable.
Supporters must be appreciated, as with the party at the ISC, which coincidentally had the added benefit of proving that a lot of people want Ajax here.
Politicians do a lot of polling. As important as knowing who supports you outright is knowing how many undecideds are leaning one way or the other, and how it breaks down demographically and geographically. KGHM does a lot of polling, too.
Politicians do their best to control the message. Christy Clark did it; Adrian Dix blew it. Stephen Harper is a master at it. Pauline Marois thought she could control it but she found out otherwise in short order.
Managing the message has been central to KGHM’s strategy from the start. It has carefully managed any public engagement, sometimes avoiding it altogether but at least taking care not to get into situations that would provide opponents much in the way of a soapbox.
For example, had the corporation made a big public deal about the ISC event and therefore alerted Stop Ajax, it would have provided an opportunity for a protest rally outside in the plaza. Instead, there were no interruptions; everything went without a hitch.
The promotional video released this week is better than most political commercials I’ve seen. Say what you like about it being propaganda (imagine, a proponent of one side of an issue producing propaganda!) it’s a damn good video.
Balanced? Of course not. But beautifully photographed, well written, effectively messaged, watchable? Absolutely.
Politicians are schooled to keep the key messages simple and few. KGHM knows this — its key messages are science, jobs and engagement.
It assures everyone it will act on science, but says it’s too early to produce that science. It promises jobs and economic benefit. It produces a video urging a conversation, but comments are closed on the YouTube site. It asks for patience. It won’t debate.
Politicians who are ahead don’t like to debate. Debating the opposition when you’re in the lead gets you nothing; it only adds risk. KGHM won’t share the stage with the opposition.
Call it arrogant if you want, tear your hair out, rant and rave, but it’s working.
AROUND THE TOWN — Ran into Yves Lacasse at Motivo. Offered to buy him coffee but he was waiting for someone… Enjoyed lunch with Pat Wallace at Terra’s… Coffee with Holly Therrian, who’s enjoying settling into her events management job at the chamber…. Meanwhile, Jamie Mayes, Holly’s predecessor, is likewise much enjoying her new position with Venture Kamloops… TRU J-school students are busy with projects: talked with Karla Karcioglu about the North Shore-South Shore dichotomy and John King about the history of the City’s water system…. Good line from TRU dean of science Tom Dickenson who moderated at the Clocktower talk last weekend that featured Dr. Peter Tsigaris: “Peter’s the only Greek economist I trust”…
armchairmayor@gmail.com
ArmchairMayor.ca 
The promotional video, the info booklet, and other KGHM propaganda are carefully crafted. Having to working hard to appear friendly, open, honest and trustworthy, KGHM spin doctors are failing miserably. The face and demeanor of Ajax in print and in person are obviously heavily coached and therefore appear insincere. You can try to fool people, but it won’t work for long. But keep it up, KGHM. You are reinforcing and confirming the facts in the minds of Kamloops residents that this mine, so close to the city, will have many negative, perhaps devastating, effects on our city.
LikeLike
Is KGHM or Ajax trying to tell us something? Their March booklet has added 4 pages and changed a few photos. The 2 hikers are now going in a different direction, just like Ajax. The hills are familiar and the lake is reduced to a 3mm yellow strip at the bottom because KGHM Ajax “mitigated” the original.
Mentioned on the same page “Ajax is not building a smelter.”
Is KGHM ??
LikeLike
This recent bit of chest-thumping by KGHM doesn’t necessarily mean they’re stronger now than they were. And I don’t think polishing their message or making pleasant little feel-good videos is going to change the game. It’s been 3 years now, and battle lines are firmly drawn. You simply can’t wipe the slate clean. As far as the video goes, yes, it is professional, well-crafted propaganda. But for those of us who weren’t born yesterday, the “let’s keep talking” message couldn’t be more incongruous with the KGHM we know.
One curiosity about this video is that the hockey scene appears to have been filmed at Inks lake, you know, the lake which they plan to turn into a waste water receptical. Enough said.
LikeLike
I think KGHM is ramping up its propaganda not because it is following some well thought-out master plan, but rather because it is responding in great desperation in the face of this substantial opposition.
No complaining or ranting from this opponent (me) — the video makes Kamloops look terrible and has seemingly misrepresented TRU as a supporter. I think the video is a giant misstep.
Yes, KGHM is trying to be the Borg. However, resistance is not futile, and the opposition is not going anywhere.
LikeLike
Totally agree. I can’t imagine they would be spending so much on holding focus groups to identify concerns, creating glossy booklets to try to quell the concerns, having big parties to try to prove they have support etc, if they were confident that they had a healthy majority of public support. I think this latest push is just evidence that they feel the need to pound their chests.
Hasn’t intimidated me at all. I am so grateful to you, Cynthia for being one of the leaders this community so desperately needs!
LikeLike
Conver$ation , but no facts , no comment! Slick as a EAP ad !
LikeLike