There are less than 75 reported cases of listeria linked to Maple Leaf in the entire Country and there are presently over 1,500 claim mongers attached to Tony Merchant alone not to mention the other legal firms in the country who have filed suit. So lets see, Maple Leaf had an accident and people got sick and some died. These Lawyers figure that there will be about 10,000 people on this class action suit by the time the dust settles. Is Maple Leaf responsible? Sure, but to what degree? It’s nice to see the noble man McCain, stand in front of National Television and say “The Buck Stops Here” but why did he do that? Maple Leaf, all be it, had a problem that led to some illnesses and exactly how many deaths? When it was agencies above him and company that kept this information from the public and for how long? This could have been stopped sooner. So Maple Leaf is not totally to blame here and McCain played scapegoat.

Ah yes, we have a wealthy family (a very wealthy family), who have friends in high places, and it is election time….. hmmmmmmm … I really wonder if the current government would stand a chance of a re-election with dirty hands on this issue if Michael McCain didn’t take the total hit? What do you think?

Now for all you thieves who have attached themselves to this class action suit, if you win, where will the money come from? Maple Leaf? McCain? …. Lol …. It’s called third party liability insurance and if there isn’t enough there to cover, well rest assured there are company assets that would be liquidated but never would McCain or his family have to pay personally. So who are you thieves really hurting and taking from?

Let’s say there is enough insurance to cover the estimated possible 1 billion in claims. Do you really think the Insurance Corporations will just hand it out and life goes on?? Not likely. Now everyone can look forward to major insurance premium hikes for all areas of coverages. They have to replace that loss somehow and we’re it.

Now the flip side. If it isn’t enough money, and the sheriff is called in to seize company assets to satisfy a claim and divisions of the Company are forced to close or the company claims bankruptcy, well I guess then we have a tax hike to look at to cover the E.I . and the Welfare and you’ll be able to walk down the street and look these people in the eye and smile knowing that you were partial cause for them being out of work.

Now for Tony Merchant… Solicitor means lawyer… not a person who Solicits business … like you’ve had your hands wrapped so many times for. It is you with your big money words an promises who is actually making thieves out of some of these once honest people. Why don’t you look after some of the claims for people you took money from on promises and commitments you have never filled….. like me!

See David Fleet‘s analysis of Maple Leaf’s response, which includes the public apology principle.

1. Use a prominent spokesperson
2. Publicly apologize
3. Be Proactive
4. Fix the problem
5. Use appropriate messaging
6. Be consistent
7. Be open

This should be open and shut.

Here is Michael McCain, president of Maple Leaf Foods, making a public apology in a television spot:

Here’s an interesting Law is Cool article about the liability issues involved in making such a public apology.