hot topics: management of controversial issues
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Hot Topics: Management of controversial issues
Susan Emigh, McMaster UniversityKathryn Warden, University of Saskatchewan
CCAE conference – June 9, 2009
Hot topics• Potential areas of controversy
– Animal research– Nuclear reactors– Containment Level 3 (CL3) laboratories
• Stem cell research• Vaccine development
• Why?– Manage potential reputational risks– Maintain and build profile
Animal Research
Long history of animal use in science
-- Louis Pasteur, rabies research, 1880s
Public Campaigns Against Research Institutions
— Letter-writing campaigns, public demonstrations
— Threats, hoax bombs, character assassination
— Doorstop firebombs against researchers, property destruction
Public Campaigns ...Internet
• “If you care about animals, consider checking out where your alma mater or favorite university stands on animal research.” -- a column on World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week, April/2009
Stop Animal Testing in Nova Scotia (August 2007 to now)
• Stop dogs, cats and other animals from being murdered at Dalhousie University and other universities across Canada!!
I saw what was going on to dogs and other animals at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The things I saw were extremely painful, archaic and scientifically valueless experiments. Drilling into cat heads and shining a flashlight into their exposed brains?. . . This work also was supported by the Medical Research Council of Canada….. -- Facebook
Student animal rights group activities Hosting an Animal Rights Event at the University of Saskatchewan!
Written by Amanda Griffiths, a student at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. October 2008 So when I heard about the Carnival of Solidarity, I decided to set up a booth to raise awareness about the oppression of animals. I actually got a really great response, and several emails and names of students who would be interested in being part of an animal rights group in the future. We had a TV and DVD player set up, playing the peta2 DVD as well as the movie Earthlings. A couple of guys actually pulled up some chairs and watched. They were horrified at the footage of the fur industry and the meat industries. A few people said that they were going to go vegetarian after reading the information and seeing parts of the videos. One girl said she was a vegetarian but that she was inspired to go vegan from now on! A few of us are now seriously considering starting up an actual group on campus, which I’m really excited about!
Publicity Campaigns – General
U.S. animal rights groups spend > $280M/yr
Public Campaigns . .Youth audiences
In Defense of Animal Research
Animal research
• The stories– Pet dog
– Rick Mercer
– Gnotobiotic laboratory
Issues reports– Name of issue: Report name and Date, Month, 20XX
– Report writer: Name and position
– Issue: The topic in form of the question.
– Spokesperson(s) (Most often only one person)
• Name, title that makes this person the relevant spokesperson for the educational institution
• University phone numbers, E-mail, other contact info (home or cell phone)
– Other resources: Names and contact information
– Response: In point form, all follow-up items to the situation decided or confirmed.
– Background: In point form, all the facts of the situation as known.
– Distribution: Names of all people given report.
Animal research approaches• McMaster
– Animal research ethics committee/policies
– Low profile
– Media training
– Issues management (prepared Q&A)
– Changes in research
Animal research approaches
• University of Saskatchewan– proactive issues management –
FAQs and backgrounder on website, media training presentations to communicators and CLC group
Challenges and Opportunities
• Education– Within the research institute– Within the academic institution– With specific support / interest groups– With the public in general– With youth
• Crisis Management Plan– Training on responding to activists; media
• dedicated spokespersons– Key messages, Q & As
Challenges and Opportunities• Partnering With Supporters
• Positive Relationships with Local Reporters
• Tracking Local Animal Activist Groups & Individuals & Activities
Nuclear Research Reactors
• Eight research reactors in Canada: two at AECL's Chalk River Laboratories and six at universities.
• The stories:– Tabloid TV
• McMaster• U of S
– The law suit
“The Bigger Picture” in SK
• SaskBusiness | March 1, 2009:| “Saskatchewan's SLOWPOKE:
unknown to many, Saskatoon has been home to nuclear reactor since 1981.”
• Future reactors being explored at U of S
Nuclear research approaches
• McMaster– Research policies– Media training– Proactive: Public tours, myth-busting
• University of SaskatchewanGetting prepared (key messages, Q & As, communications plans (int/ext), energy forum, media training, op-eds, etc.)
Level 3 laboratory research
• The stories:– Smallpox
– HIV
– Letters
Level 3 laboratory approaches
• McMaster– Human research ethics committee/
policies
– Monitoring what’s going on in field/ at university
– Media training/ relationship building
Level 3 laboratory research
• Coming soon … U of S International Vaccine Centre (InterVac) (slated for completion in 2010)
• Letters – even from the Pope!
$140-M CL3 lab. . . InterVac
• Canada’s largest investment in vaccine R & D• first CL3 in Western Canada for both human
and large animal diseases • one of the world’s few CL3 facilities for large
animals ie. livestock
Level 3 laboratory approaches …
• University of Saskatchewan InterVac-- Major 2-yr targeted profile-building plan --
media and advertising campaigns, video– Ambassador toolkits – internal and external– Media training for scientists– New approach to community engagement:
InterVac CLC -- Model for building trust
Public forums, website, Q & A, fact sheet, incident reports, etc.
Hot topics summary
• Be prepared– Policies/ ethics committees
– Media monitoring
– Media training
– Media products: backgrounders, Q and As
– Proactive media
– Crisis management preparations
Hot topics summary
• Questions and discussion– Have you had a hot research issue?
Hot Topics: Management of controversial issues
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