“I’m not sure it was ever going to impact Trump’s favourability. It isn’t new news that Trump has an irregular relationship with Russia and Putin.” – Travis Kann
This week, Navigator’s Travis Kann discusses former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony and Canada-US relations.
Navigator Principal Randi Rahamim weighs in on how James Comey may be preparing for Thursday’s Senate Intelligence Committee hearing.
Aired on Global News on June 8, 2017
Navigator’s resident crisis expert Randi Rahamim joins The Panel to discuss the Comey hearing and Canada’s defence spending strategy.
Aired on Global News on June 8, 2017
On June 6, 2016, only days before one of the most highly-promoted fight cards in UFC history was about to take place, the UFC Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance announced at a press conference that Jon Jones, the former light heavyweight champion, would not be facing current champion Daniel Cormier for the belt. Jones had just tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
Jones received a one-year suspension, which he is still waiting out, but the UFC has already announced that he will be facing Daniel Cormier for the belt at UFC 214. At the UFC 214 Press Conference, fans cheered Jones’s return and his upcoming fight is expected to be one of the most-watched in UFC history.
How did this happen? How was an accused cheater with a history of public scandals able, in the span of only a few months, to rebuild his reputation and win back the trust and admiration of fans? In his response to USADA’s allegations, Jones followed several key rules of crisis response: he got out in front of the message; he was sincere, honest, and authentic; and his statements remained consistent.
At first, the PEDs announcement seemed like the end for a once-great fighter. After being pulled from a previous fight with Cormier for cocaine use and sentenced to probation for a non-fatal hit-and-run, this looked like it would be the final straw for fans and the UFC. UFC President Dana White implied as much when he said Jones would “never headline a card again”.
In less than 24 hours after the PEDs announcement, Jones claimed innocence. Jones was glassy-eyed, his voice frequently cracked, and, at several points, he broke down in tears. It was a side of the fighter the public had rarely seen before. Known for his undefeated record and his cocksure attitude, Jones, who first won the UFC championship belt at 23 (the youngest ever), was now a pariah and an accused cheater. Not only would he lose out on his six-figure payday from UFC 200, but he faced a potential two-year suspension from the sport. Perhaps worse than risking his livelihood, Jones’s reputation was now in tatters – a fighter with such preternatural ability was ripe for accusations of cheating; his otherworldly skill was now chalked up to steroid use.
From the start, Jones asserted his innocence saying the test was, at best, a mistake and, at worst, a tainted supplement he took unwittingly. In either case, Jones would not be culpable for his supposed cheating and he would face a lesser punishment if he received one at all. Likewise, in the court of public opinion, either option would exonerate the athlete and reestablish his reputation.
While he answered reporters’ questions, Jones had to pause several times to collect himself and wipe tears from his face. With a shaky voice he apologized to fans and ticket holders, lamented the “long ladder” he had to climb again to prove his wins were legitimate, and apologized to his opponent, Daniel Cormier. Jones broke down completely, barely choking out the words “I’m sorry” between asking for tissues to wipe away tears. Cormier, the 38-year-old former Olympic wrestler renowned for his professionalism and positive attitude, has played a perfect foil to the upstart Jones. At 29, Jones was known for his constant partying and frequent criticism of his opponents (he has bragged about beating Cormier “a week after doing coke,”). But this moment of vulnerability allowed the public to connect with Jones and understand his distress – it made his story all the more believable.
Ultimately, Cormier did forgive Jones, saying that the former champion was the only fight he really wanted and he would wait through Jones’s suspension to face him. By stating this, Cormier helped open the door to jilted fans to forgive Jones – they wanted the fight, they had paid for the fight, and they could still see it happen, just at a later date.
Throughout the process – the initial press conference, the weeks of re-testing alternate blood samples and supplements, and his eventual exoneration – Jones stuck by his story. While some elements were revealed slowly (like the fact that Jones’s positive results were due to his use of over-the-counter erectile dysfunction drugs), the main thrust remained constant: Jones did not use PEDs; he was not, nor had ever been a cheater; and the test results had to have been caused by human error of some kind. Jones didn’t have to keep multiple untruths straight in his mind. Instead, he told the public what he knew, and he knew he was innocent.
Jones’s adherence to these three principles – getting his side of the story out front of the issue; being sincere, honest, and authentic; sticking with his message – allowed him to return to the UFC without much, if any, damage to his reputation. At the press conference announcing Jones’s eventual return, fans cheered Jones and jeered Cormier. While their rematch is still months away (and Jones may yet get himself into more trouble) it appears every party involved has been willing to wipe the slate clean and give the former champ another chance. Had Jones not followed these rules of crisis response, he might not be preparing to fight at UFC 214 – he might not be fighting in the UFC at all.
Today, the Conservative Party is led by a young leader who is working with a number of promising young MPs and a nearly absurd stockpile of cash.
The Conservative leadership election has come to a close, but it has opened a new chapter for a party that needed renewal.
Any party that has served in government faces challenges following an election defeat. Its brand has been buffeted by years of criticism from the opposition parties and from the media. Its players are tired and the recriminations come quickly.
Renewal can be a long and challenging process that takes several election cycles. The situations faced by the federal Liberal party in 2006 and the Ontario Progressive Conservatives in 2003 show how what seems like a temporary exile can turn into a long stay in the wilderness.
The Conservative Party of Canada has much to celebrate after last weekend.
Through the long leadership campaign, it seemed the party wouldn’t have much to rejoice about at the end of it. Media commentators and pundits panned the field of contenders as has-beens or never-weres, and dwelled on the fact that major players had opted out of running for the leadership. They panned the policy proposals as uninteresting.
But, today, the Conservative Party finds itself well-positioned.
Its already prodigious fundraising has been increasing, even in the midst of a leadership campaign populated by 14 candidates raising money from the same pool of donors.
Those major players the media called out for staying out of the race have merely gone on to other things. Jason Kenney has moved to Alberta and united the conservative movement there, creating an immediate opportunity for the province to return to the conservative fold in the next election.
John Baird and Peter MacKay have returned to the working world, but have signalled their intention to strongly support the party moving forward.
And, more importantly, the candidates that were dismissed as the second tier have demonstrated that they are capable of carrying the mantle forward.
The conservative movement in Canada has a tendency to break at the seams from time to time. The split between the Progressive Conservatives and Reform Party in 1993, and the split in the parties on the right in Alberta are the most recent examples of the fragility of the movement.
Once, a result as close as 50.5 per cent to 49.5 per cent in a leadership contest would herald, at the very least, increased tensions and frustrations in the party. But party leaders and activists seem to understand the fundamental importance of maintaining a united and strong party to challenge the Liberals if they are to be successful.
The leadership contest brought to the fore fresh faces. A number of MPs who were less than prominent during the Harper era have emerged as important players.
Erin O’Toole, Maxime Bernier, Michael Chong and a host of other contenders may have lost the leadership election, but they have certainly boosted their profiles. Each can boast that they have shared their perspectives with party members, gained followers and boosted their media profile. They struggled to emerge from the shadows of the bigger Conservative players in Stephen Harper’s government, but they have demonstrated that they are ready and able to help steer the party.
Importantly, Andrew Scheer’s election as leader heralds the end of a sometimes cold Conservative Party. Scheer seems intent on reframing his party as one that is positively focused on growth for Canadians. Party members will welcome this tone.
Leadership contests often leave bruised egos and open wounds in their wakes. The aftermath produces periods of introspection and frustration.
None of that has been evident this week.
To the contrary, the new cadre of Conservative frontbenchers seems content with the results and pleased with the direction of the party. There has been none of the usual discontent and grumbling.
Many of the Conservative MPs are newly elected, since generational renewal was a goal of the Harper political machine as it approached the 2015 campaign.
That path was chosen with foresight. Today, the Conservative Party is led by a young leader who is working with a number of promising young MPs and a nearly absurd stockpile of cash.
Sunny ways, indeed!
Jaime Watt is the executive chairman of Navigator Ltd. and a Conservative strategist.
