Right this moment’s letters: How public servants can deal with social media’s perils

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Classes from radio for public servants

Re: What can (and may’t) public servants say on social media?Nov. 15.

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I consider there needs to be separation between a person’s private {and professional} identities on-line.

Catherine Morrison’s article refers to a 2003 doc referred to as The Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector. In response to the doc, workers should have “respect of democracy, respect of individuals, integrity, and stewardship.” The doc doesn’t include any steerage about representing these values in social media use, as Fb, Twitter and Instagram had not been invented when it was written.

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The radio trade navigates this subject very properly and will present options that enable workers to precise themselves whereas staying true to their employer’s values. I’ve expertise operating promotional occasions and social media channels for radio stations in Ottawa and Toronto. Listed below are some suggestions.

When workers of a radio station are given permission to put up on their employer’s social media, it’s expressly prohibited to put up something racist, homophobic, sexist or violent. Most contracts additionally stipulate that if a radio persona is posting on the station web page, they need to signal the put up with their title so it may be attributed to them.

On their private accounts, radio workers are inspired to put up about music they get pleasure from, occasions they’ve attended, or contests the radio station is operating. When posting about political matters, radio professionals should embrace the disclaimer “The views expressed are my very own.” If a put up violates the Canadian Broadcast Requirements Council guidelines, that worker will be terminated.

These easy directions eradicate nearly all of errors that may happen. I consider workers in all industries needs to be allowed to share opinions whereas additionally supporting the views of their employer.

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Kasandra Black, Promotions Workforce Member, LiVE 88.5 and The New HOT 89.9, Nepean

PM’s ‘private days’ totally regular

Re: Trudeau devotes 1 / 4 of his time to ‘private days’: information, Nov. 20.

This text is deceptive. It’s not unusual for a Canadian employee to have 125 private days per yr (weekends and three weeks’ trip). Upon retirement, I had 164 days of private time plus holidays.

If the prime minister had taken the same variety of private days since 2015, the whole can be nearer to 1,000 days, not 680 as reported. The truth that 68 per cent of the times had been weekends is nearly buried within the article. What’s the motivation behind this text?

Lorraine Lys, Orleans

Trudeau’s day off: What’s your level?

So the headline is that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spends one-quarter of his time taking private time. Supposed, I assume, as a rage-baiting headline, since few will learn additional.

Weekends account for simply lower than 30 per cent of a yr, not even counting statutory holidays. And never counting normal trip. In reality, within the small print we discover out that Trudeau’s 24 per cent is lower than the Canadian common of 34 per cent. And he has three youngsters staying with him. However who’s going to learn that?

If his private time is lower than common — and that was most undoubtedly not your lead — what precisely was your supposed level?

L.J. Ridgeway, Ottawa

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