New kid on the West Block

From: POLITICO Ottawa Playbook - Friday Jan 21,2022 11:01 am

Jan 21, 2022

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WELCOME TO OTTAWA PLAYBOOK. We're your hosts, Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Zi-Ann Lum. TGIF. We take a closer look at the kid who's shaking things up at high-profile press conferences on Parliament Hill. Plus, everyone has an opinion about 24 Sussex. And the most recent polls say what?

Driving the Day

Wyatt Sharpe records a video on Parliament Hill

12-year-old Wyatt Sharpe on the job, on the Hill | Photo courtesy of Wyatt Sharpe

THE HILL'S BOY WONDER — StatsCan's Wednesday inflation report obviously had Tory finance critic PIERRE POILIEVRE raring to go. The ubiquitous MP called a press conference for 11 o'clock, pre-empting Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU by 30 minutes. Most reporters were holding their fire for the PM. Only two journalists put questions to Poilievre. One of them was WYATT SHARPE.

Anyone who watches pressers on the Hill has heard Sharpe's voice, because he makes time between classes to pelt politicians with rapidfire queries. Not university or college journalism courses. Sharpe is 12 years old and in middle school. (The energetic resident of the village of Orono, Ont., told Playbook he officially enters teenagerdom on Sunday.)

— A novelty, but no joke: When Poilievre heard the voice of the child over the phone line, he couldn't hold back a grin — a typical response from powerful people, whether it's an opposition politician like Poilievre or a Trudeau Cabinet minister.

When Indigenous Services Minister PATTY HAJDU announced an agreement-in-principle on billions in compensation for First Nations children and families harmed by child welfare programs, Sharpe asked a pointed question about how eligibility would be determined.

"Thank you for being a young person interested in covering this story because I think this is important for all young people to know — and hopefully your young audience is listening," she said.

Hajdu and CINDY BLACKSTOCK , the executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, later talked about the compensation agreement on Sharpe's YouTube show, alongside Globe and Mail reporter KRISTY KIRKUP.

PETER MANSBRIDGE — he's just "Peter" in a one-on-one interview — wore the same look. So did the prime minister himself, who spoke to Sharpe in the final week of the federal campaign.

Erin O’Toole is interviewed by 12-year-old Wyatt Sharpe.

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole takes questions from 12-year-old Wyatt Sharpe on Friday evening. | Wyatt Sharpe, Twitter

— Grumbling off-screen: Not every journalist in town is taken with Sharpe's youthful exuberance. The sparsely attended Poilievre presser was one thing, but every question scored by Sharpe can often mean one fewer for the Parliamentary Press Gallery reporters who are paid to hold powerful politicians to account.

The press gallery is changing its call-in system, but Sharpe isn’t the reason. Prez CATHERINE LÉVESQUE said Zoom will soon be the platform of choice so gallery execs can control who gets a question. The change, she says, is a longstanding demand from members.

Sharpe also made waves in Alberta, where former Alberta premier RACHEL NOTLEY d-comm LEAH WARD took exception to his questions in early January: "It's not actually cute to give a 12-year old podcaster from Ontario access to Ministers when journalists in Alberta are regularly denied this basic measure of accountability."

— Hearts and minds: Sharpe's style has already won over some of the pros. CTV's GLEN MCGREGOR petitioned for him to nab honorary press-gallery membership. "The kid asks concise, well-researched questions."

For the record, Sharpe hasn't applied for membership. Yet.

HORSE RACE CHAOS — A day after Abacus Data gave DOUG FORD a comfortable lead in Ontario, the Angus Reid Institute pushed out a mega-poll on Thursday with dramatically divergent results. We're talking Premier ANDREA HORWATH divergent, driven by the NDP's apparent 3-point edge over stumbling Progressive Conservatives.

— New Dem Nation: And that's just where it starts for the orange team. Angus Reid showed the party's provincial wings well ahead in B.C., gaining the advantage in Alberta and Manitoba, and even narrowing the gap with SCOTT MOE's Sask Party. The NDP-adjacent Quebec Solidaire is a strong third behind DOMINIQUE ANGLADE's Liberals. The only region with little hope appears to be Atlantic Canada.

— The caveat: Sample sizes outside of Ontario and Quebec were small: 611 in Alberta, 474 in Saskatchewan, 482 in Manitoba.

So this isn't a definitive poll. But Angus Reid presents a hypothetical nation governed by four NDP premiers, where Liberals beat Conservatives in New Brunswick and Conservatives beat Liberals in Newfoundland and Labrador. Like we said, chaos.

REFORM 3.0 — The event formerly known as the Manning Centre conference has a new in-person location for its 14th gathering: May 5-7 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa. ICYMI: The Manning Centre rebranded in 2020 to “Canada Strong and Free Network.” Last year’s conference went virtual with speakers including former PM STEPHEN HARPER and former British PM DAVID CAMERON . May’s conference will be the first time delegates will have a chance to meet in-person in the nation’s capital since 2019.

HOUSE BUSINESS

— The House industry committee agreed to question Innovation Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE, along with senior public servants, about why the feds didn't conduct a national security review of critical minerals miner Neo Lithium's takeover by a Chinese state-owned firm. The committee will also study the critical minerals sector more broadly.

The Tory motion to launch the study, amended by Bloc Québécois MP SÉBASTIEN LEMIRE, passed with unanimous consent. NDP MP BRIAN MASSE credited committee chair JOËL LIGHTBOUND for the good vibes: "Just a notation that you've continued a long line of compromise and consensus with regards to the committee, and actually ending a meeting early should be well noted," said Masse.

PERSPECTIVES

24 Sussex Drive, as viewed from across the Ottawa River

24 Sussex Drive, as viewed from across the Ottawa River | Photo by Sean Kilpatrick/CP

LOVE IT OR LIST IT — 24 Sussex was sure a talker this week, with a trio of Toronto Star columns by SUSAN DELACOURT, ALTHIA RAJ and the paper’s editorial board.

Delacourt: “For safety’s sake alone … make Rideau Cottage the new official residence.”

Raj: “Please, don’t tear it down.”

Star ed board : Politicians are too timid. Appoint an independent non-partisan group to plan its future. “They should agree not to indulge in cheap finger-pointing when the bills come in.”

Postmedia’s JON WILLING reports that Canada’s official residences were on the non-public agenda during Thursday’s board meeting of the National Capital Commission.

Through the fault of politicians and media, upkeep of the prime minister’s official residence evolved into a game of hot potato that has been played for 60 years. That’s how much time has passed since 24 Sussex saw its last significant investment, according to the National Capital Commission.

History teacher and “Being Prime Minister” author J.D.M. STEWART shared with Playbook last week that he’s on Team Fix It and polled passersby on Twitter’s digital promenade for their views. Majority says: Fix it up.

Decades of neglect have now lined up with an era of policies promoting building retrofits to improve energy efficiency as a good thing. Theoretically, what better place to start with than the official residence of a G7 leader.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

It’s LINCOLN ALEXANDER DAY in recognition of Canada’s first Black MP (1968-1980) and Ontario’s first Black lieutenant governor (1985-1991). Born on this day 100 years ago, Alexander died in 2012.

8:30 a.m. Statistics Canada will release retail trade figures for November.

9 a.m. Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU will participate in a foreign minister’s meeting on Haiti, hosted by Foreign Affairs Minister MÉLANIE JOLY.

10 a.m. The PM will join Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion AHMED HUSSEN for a virtual announcement.

11 a.m. Canada West Foundation hosts a virtual discussion with Cong Peiwu, China’s ambassador to Canada.

11 a.m. The House of Commons finance committee meets to continue its study of “Inflation in the Current Canadian Economy.” On tap are Peter Routledge, the superintendent of financial institutions, and CMHC president/CEO Romy Bowers.

12 p.m. The prime minister will participate in a virtual celebration of LINCOLN ALEXANDER.

1 p.m. The House Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Special Committee on Afghanistan meets in camera to discuss internal business.

ASK US ANYTHING

What are you hearing that you need Playbook to know? Send it all our way.

PROZONE

For POLITICO Pro s: The Pro Canada PM Memo by ANDY BLATCHFORD and ZI-ANN LUM: Cyberthreat bulletin puts Canada on warning.

Lawmakers will return to a hybrid House in a little over a week. The Jan. 31 return of MPs will come amid significant unknowns that will influence Canada’s 44th Parliament. Our new Pro Analysis by Andy Blatchford and Taylor Miller Thomas guides s through the moving parts.

In other headlines for Pros:

— Scientists say CCUS credit betrays Canada’s climate goals.
— Will planes fall out of the sky? 5 questions about 5G.
— WTO chief warns of potential conflict over competing industrial policies.
— EU trade chief warns U.S. counterpart over electric vehicle tax.
— Democrats’ new climate target: Bitcoin.

MEDIA ROOM

— From BARBARA SHECTER in the Financial Post: Stephen Harper — activist investor? Why the former PM's path after politics shouldn't surprise anyone.

— How’s this for a headline: JASON KENNEY has become the BORIS JOHNSON of Canadian politics via GARY MASON in The Globe.

— Pick up the phone, they say: “We're talking about 10 f---ing minutes of your time.” POLITICO’s RYAN HEATH, ALEXANDER WARD and NAHAL TOOSI on what foreign ambassadors really think about Biden’s first year.

— DAVID PUGLIESE reports on National Defence hitting pause on its purchase of 5G equipment. Read Playbook’s report from last week of the strange trajectory of the federal tender.

— DAVID LOCHEAD reports in the Nunatsiaq News that there is no timeline for bringing water treatment online in Iqaluit.

— From POLITICO’s MICHAEL KRUSE: 145 Things Donald Trump Did in His First Year as the Most Consequential Former President Ever.

PLAYBOOKERS

Spotted: Freedom of info guru DEAN BEEBY tweeted his own translation of the information commissioner’s just published findings on file 5821-00483. “Stop trying to hide behind blanket privacy excuses, and just process the goddam request,” he tweeted.

CBC’s CAROL OFF, in LEGO: “My career has now peaked,” she tweeted.

CTV’s ANNIE BERGERON-OLIVER commuting to work via the Skateway.

Movers and shakers: ALAIN MIGUELEZ is joining the National Capital Commission as VP capital planning. … MONETTE PASHER is interim president of the Canadian Airports Council.

From the tenders: The Canadian Space Agency, conducting a security vulnerability assessment on its new-ish RADARSAT Constellation Mission satellites. … Parks Canada, preventing bison herd collisions in northern Alberta. … Indigenous Services Canada, purchasing 32,246 units of naloxone nasal spray "to help protect against potential opioid overdose."

Employment and Social Development Canada, obtaining workplace assessment of its Income Security and Social Development Branch that will "focus on the effectiveness of leadership, work ethics and civility in the workplace and, the environment of trust amongst employees at all levels."

Birthdays: HBD to ROBERT GHIZ, president and CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association. Former Sen. NICOLE EATON also celebrates today.

Saturday: Conservative Leader ERIN O'TOOLE will be 49, Liberal MP KEVIN LAMOUREUX and former NDP MP ANDREW CASH both turn 60! On Sunday: Former Ontario premier MIKE HARRIS will be 77, Conservative MP GARNETT GENUIS turns 35 and the CBC's SHELAGH ROGERS will be 66. WYATT SHARPE will be 13.

TRIVIA

Thursday's answer: “New U.S. Ambassador to Canada Already Complaining About Snow,” Huffington Post reported after the newly arrived BRUCE HEYMAN complained about the spring weather. He reshared the story earlier this week.

Props to LAURA DAWSON, ERIC NEUDORF, STEPHEN KAROL, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, GEORRGE YOUNG, ALAN KAN, JOHN GUOBA, BOB GORDON, CULLY ROBINSON and LEIGH LAMPERT.

Friday’s question: What Canadian made history on Jan. 22, 1992?

Send your answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com

Playbook wouldn’t happen without Luiza Ch. Savage, editor Sue Allan and Zi-Ann Lum.

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