Liberals eyeing up trust-building strategies while ignoring reasons for growing skepticism

The Liberal cabinet needs new “strategies” to build back public trust in their governance, as reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.

"Based on internal discussions and trends, the memo by the Department of Public Safety’s Canada Centre for Community Engagement states, “There is growing evidence there has been an erosion of trust in democratic institutions.” 

“What are the key factors that have contributed to this erosion and what are some of the strategies that can be put in place to restore the public’s trust?”

Distrust in institutions is a globally occurring phenomenon in the post COVID-19 pandemic world.

“Declining trust in institutions is occurring globally and measures of decreasing confidence in Canada’s democracy are cause for concern,” reads a Values and Ethics Report to the Clerk of the Privy Council.

“Citizens rightfully expect publicly funded institutions to deliver services effectively and efficiently and are vocal when those institutions fail to meet those standards. The public service has struggled to adapt, to innovate and to meet expectations, resulting in a growing deficit of trust and negative perception of legitimacy,” it furthers.

Apparently this public discourse has been impacted by “polarization of views” compounded by “social media algorithms and echo chambers.”

“There is a wide range of misinformation and disinformation circulating in the public sphere,” the report reads, which they say “further erodes confidence.”

The report highlights instances of public sector employees taking to social media to “inappropriately complain or rant about their work, their boss, or policies and decisions they don’t agree with,” stating that “This is rampant and difficult to prevent, as they are often posting anonymously.”

International conglomerates like the Trusted News Initiative (TNI) aim to control the spread of such “misinformation.” Through collaboration between major news and global technology organizations, they will utilize “engineered solutions” to conduct this work.

Former mainstream media journalist Rodney Palmer discussed the difference between newsgathering and propaganda at the National Citizen’s Inquiry in May 2023. He shares that trust is built through truth-telling, not propagandization.

Marianne Klowak, a former CBC reporter with over 30 years experience, said that editorial control over her reporting related to COVID-19 was aggressively magnified throughout the pandemic.

In May 2021, a central agency of the federal government, the Privy Council Office (PCO), sought 'behaviourally sound messaging' to downplay vaccine injuries and ensure that nothing compromised the ‘safe and effective’ COVID-19 vaccine strategy.

As the Liberal cabinet grapples with rebuilding public trust, it’s evident that truth-telling, transparency, and accountability are needed to restore trust in governance – not propaganda and behavior modification.

Instead, the federal regime is opting to regulate the internet and control social media.

Tamara Ugolini

Senior Editor

Tamara Ugolini is an informed choice advocate turned journalist whose journey into motherhood sparked her passion for parental rights and the importance of true informed consent. She critically examines the shortcomings of "Big Policy" and its impact on individuals, while challenging mainstream narratives to empower others in their decision-making.

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