I feel for Stockwell Day. He’s endured some bad PR over the years, a fact that shows on his Wikipedia page. It’s hard to believe his famous arrival at a press conference on a Jet Ski was nearly 10 years ago.
One thing you can’t fault Mr. Day on is his confidence and daring spirit to try something new. Like him or not, you have to respect that the newly appointed President of the Treasury Board challenged the establishment of ministerial communication by adding a personal tone in his letter to “Treasury Board land” (see Day reaches out to bureaucrats).
When was the last time a minister emailed an entire department relating stories of interactions with grandchildren to profile responsibilities, and admitting to being overwhelmed by binders full of briefing notes? These are ideas everyone can relate to. Why should elected officials be any different or be denied the opportunity to share a relatable human quality with the public?
You may not like the politics or the person and you may not like how “folksy” his letter was, but you have to like that by doing the unexpected, Stockwell Day — or his people – sent a message that wasn’t ignored and won’t be forgotten.
