When the next book on political communications will be written, the first chapter on "HOW NOT TO DO IT" will be the mess over the decision of the Ontario Government to purchase a plane.

You're all aware of the debacle a few days ago when an announcement of the acquisition of a $29 million jet dropped.

The ink-stained wretches of the Ontario Legislature press gallery are particularly sensitive to what they often see as crafty government PR mavens trying to sneak one by late on a Friday afternoon. Within hours, the opposition parties and the media were competing to come up with nicknames for the 'luxury' jet. "Gravy" and other choice phrases quickly hit the world wide web.

Premier Doug Ford initially defended the acquisition. That lasted a day and a half, until he announced on Sunday that the plane would be resold at the same price.

There were so many mistakes made by the communications strategy that it is hard to list them all. Somehow the initial impression was that it would be used for the private benefit of Premier Ford. That made him the direct target and was the polar opposite of his blue-collar image. It was only later that the fuller explanation came out that it would also be used by cabinet ministers and other government people on duty—perhaps by firefighters, or for getting medical staff to a health crisis.

The longer it went on—and we are only talking one weekend before the plug was pulled—the more intense the insults and negativity covered the premier. The narrative had been set. Ford had no choice.

Ironically, he was then clobbered in the backlash by people who felt cabinet should have a plane, and that the premier had wimped out.

Opposition parties will no doubt remind voters of this circus at election time.

There is a well-worn truism in political communications: If you're explaining, you're losing.

Mr Ford and his team lost.

You will have your own opinion on this. Mine is that the Ontario budget for this year is snuggling up to a quarter of a trillion dollars. To expect the CEO of such a huge corporation to be slogging through airports dragging a bag is ridiculous for several reasons, not the least of which are use of time and security.

The result is a black eye for Premier Ford, higher future costs for when he and other senior officials will have to charter a plane, and a realization once again how important communication strategies are to city halls, legislatures, and parliament.