Assessing Crisis Communication Teamwork Performance during a Terrorist Attack: A Pragma-Dialectic Analysis

Abstract

Background On October 22, 2014, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau shot and killed a soldier standing guard at the Canadian National War Memorial. Analysis Using a pragma-dialectical approach, this article analyzes the three chronological sequences of communication related to the attack: the pre-crisis period, the crisis itself, and the post-crisis management. Conclusions and implications This article asserts that before the crisis, the constitution and the functioning of the crisis management team impacted its ability to communicate effectively. Insufficient communication prompted the crisis to remain in the spotlight numerous years after its conclusion.