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