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SFU Thesis Template Files The Right to Authentic Political Communication by Ann Elizabeth Rees M.A., Simon Fraser University, 2005 B.A., Simon Fraser University, 1980 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Communication Faculty of Arts and Social Science Ann Elizabeth Rees 2016 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Spring 2016 Approval Name: Ann Elizabeth Rees Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Title: The Right to Authentic Political Communication Examining Committee: Chair: Katherine Reilly, Assistant Professor Peter Anderson Senior Supervisor Associate Professor Catherine Murray Supervisor Professor Alison Beale Supervisor Professor Andrew Heard Internal Examiner Associate Professor Political Science Department Paul Thomas External Examiner Professor Emeritus Department of Political Studies University of Manitoba Date Defended/Approved: January 22, 2016 ii Abstract Increasingly, governments communicate strategically with the public for political advantage, seeking as Christopher Hood describes it to “avoid blame” and “claim credit” for the actions and decisions of governance. In particular, Strategic Political Communication (SPC) is becoming the dominant form of political communication between Canada’s executive branch of government and the public, both during elections and as part of a “permanent campaign” to gain and maintain public support as means to political power. This dissertation argues that SPC techniques interfere with the public’s ability to know how they are governed, and therefore undermines the central right of citizens in a democracy to legitimate elected representation by scrutinizing government and holding it to account. Realization of that right depends on an authentic political communication process that provides citizens with an understanding of government. By seeking to hide or downplay blameworthy actions, SPC undermines the legitimation role public discourse plays in a democracy. The central questions that shaped this dissertation are first, why citizens in a democracy have a right to understand government and second, what role does communication play in realizing that right? The arguments rely on national and international rights jurisprudence; communication rights theory, in particular concerning communicative action (Habermas); authentic deliberation (Dryzek); arguments for and against critical citizenship (Tully, Norris and Schumpeter); and political studies, including deliberative democracy and legitimization of government (Dewey). Methodologies include multi-disciplinary literature reviews; primary records obtained through the Access to Information Act (ATIA); media monitoring; database analysis and process tracking through elite interviews with scholars, government actors and political journalists. Chapter two considers rights history, philosophy, and jurisprudence in arguing that access to authentic information is both a right and is essential to the informed, reasonable public deliberations (Young) central to democratic legitimation (Dunn). Chapter three considers SPC, including the positivity bias of partisan SPC actors, and the countering “negativity bias” (Hood) of political journalists. Chapters four and five examine SPC practices of politically-appointed partisan staff in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) of Stephen Harper. Chapter six concerns secrecy, and resistance to Canada’s ATIA. The conclusion makes recommendations for greater transparency and accountability. iii Keywords: communication rights; strategic political communication; authentic deliberation; deliberative democracy; exempt staff; Access to Information; transparency; accountability; strategic political communication; political marketing; propaganda; authentic communication; politically-strategic communication iv Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my parents Edwin and Olwen Rees for making dreams possible, and to my husband Steve Berry for his love and unfailing support for making my dreams reality. v Acknowledgements I wish to acknowledge the important contribution of Professor Alasdair Roberts of the University of Missouri’s Truman School of Public Affairs, and a leading world authority on access and disclosure law. Our paths first crossed while I was still a journalist working for the Toronto Star on a one-year Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy Journalism to investigate Access to Information and Freedom of Information in Canada. I had also just begun an M.A in Communication at Simon Fraser University. Dr. Roberts served as my mentor in discovering the field of disclosure law and access rights, including sending me an electronic copy of his extensive references. He also read and commented on my writing and helped me to begin the difficult transition from journalism to scholarly writing and research. He also shared his own work, and included me in the circle of scholars, journalists and interested individuals and groups whom he also so generously mentored in the field of freedom of information. Dr. Roberts’ enthusiasm for access rights and implementation, and his interest in my own research helped to convince me that pursing this area of research was not only important, but possible. I owe him a huge debt of gratitude. I would also like to acknowledge the important contribution made to my research by Dr. Paul Thomas, Professor Emeritus in political studies at the University of Manitoba. His ground-breaking work on political communication in the Prime Minister’s Office helped fill many of the blanks in my own research, particularly concerning political institutions, hierarchies and administration. Like Dr. Roberts, Dr. Thomas included me in a select circle of journalists and scholars whom exchanged readings, ideas and analysis of governance and political communication in the executive branch of the Canadian federal government. While I am certain that he does not feel that he did anything out of the ordinary, Dr. Thomas introduced me to sources and ways of thinking about my project that I would not otherwise have discovered. Finally, I owe the greatest debt of gratitude to my husband Steve Berry, a writer, editor and fellow former journalist, who served as my first editor and constant sounding board. No words can describe how much I appreciate and depend on his love, patience, support and professional expertise. vi Table of Contents Approval .......................................................................................................................... ii Abstract .......................................................................................................................... iii Dedication ....................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ vi Table of Contents ...........................................................................................................vii List of Figures................................................................................................................. xi List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................ xiii Authentic Communication and Democracy ........................................... 1 1.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Literature Review.................................................................................................... 6 1.3. Non-Academic Sources ........................................................................................ 10 1.4. Methodology ......................................................................................................... 11 1.4.1. Primary Records ...................................................................................... 11 1.4.2. Media monitoring ..................................................................................... 12 1.4.3. Quantification data ................................................................................... 12 1.4.4. Process tracking and data collection through elite interviews ................... 14 1.5. Ethics Approval:.................................................................................................... 16 1.6. Conclusion............................................................................................................ 17 Authentic Political Communication and the Right to Know ............... 19 2.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 19 2.2. Defining rights ...................................................................................................... 22 2.3. Defining government transparency ....................................................................... 27 2.4. The right to know as authentic information that facilitates understanding .............. 33 2.5. Authentic deliberation through access to authentic information and understanding ....................................................................................................... 35 2.6. Understanding and accountability ......................................................................... 41 2.7. Authentic political communication versus strategic political communication .......... 43 2.8. Stitching together the communication rights argument. ........................................
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