On losing strategies

The Globe and Mail discusses the pattern of other governments trying to centralize the flow of information - and the futility of trying to do so:

The Harper government's move to demand central control over all government communications is part of an international pattern of governments seeking to centralize their message while they face pressures to increase openness and accountability, an expert in government information practices says.

Communications aides to leaders say the move is just an expansion of the kind of efforts most administrations have tried — efforts that have invariably fallen apart...

Patrick Gossage, a former press secretary to prime minister Pierre Trudeau who coaches politicians on media relations, said the new government's strategy is simply unworkable.

"Every PMO in the history of PMOs since Trudeau's PMO at least have made attempts to control the message centrally, usually without success," he said. "We tried to do it for a little while. It didn't work...They're in a way, dysfunctional, because it makes the team look like it's not a team."

So much for Harper representing any change from politics as usual. It remains to be seen whether Harper will eventually learn from both his mistakes and those of others, or whether he'll face the inevitable leaks that come from a smothered party. But judging from the rush toward central control, it seems far too likely that Coach Harper is too busy trying to impose his system to recognize what's best for his team.