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A daily look inside Canadian politics and power. | | | | |  | | By Zi-Ann Lum | Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Zi-Ann l Follow Politico Canada WELCOME TO OTTAWA PLAYBOOK. I’m your host, ZI-ANN LUM with ANDY BLATCHFORD. It’s caucus day on the Hill but it's the goings-on among Conservatives that has the Hill buzzing about a potential shakeup on the federal political scene.
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | 
Erin O'Toole, leader of the Conservative Party in Canada, campaigns last week. He embraced climate policies in the runup to national elections Monday. | Cole Burston/Getty Images | CAUCUS RAUCOUS — Conservative Leader ERIN O’TOOLE faces the music today — and we don’t mean the crescendo of convoy horns and honks every time a gaggle of people flow in and out of West Block. A leadership vote will be held this morning during the Conservatives’ caucus meeting. It comes after the Globe and Mail broke the news Monday evening that 35 MPs signed a letter requesting a leadership review and sent it off to caucus chair SCOTT REID. If the dissident MPs stick to their resolve, under the Reform Act, the chair must make the letter public and order a secret ballot. While Conservative MP after Conservative MP ducked CTV News’ MACKENZIE GRAY’s “Do you support Erin O’Toole?” question in and around West Block Tuesday, others shared their positions on social media. MICHELLE REMPEL GARNER said party members should lead the process, not caucus, while MATT JENEROUX said it’s time for change. BOB BENZEN, we know, isn’t a fan. — Outcome No. 1: If a majority of the Conservatives’ 119-member caucus vote to replace O’Toole today, he’s out. Senators won’t get a say. Under the Act, caucus is defined as “a group composed solely of members of the House of Commons who are members of the same recognized party.” The second order of business for Reid would be to call a second secret ballot vote to appoint an interim leader. Deputy Leader CANDICE BERGEN told CBC News she’s not interested. ANDREW SCHEER laughed when the Star’s STEPHANIE LEVITZ asked the former Tory leader about his rumored interest in the role. GARNETT GENUIS said he isn’t interested, either. — Outcome No. 2: The attempted ouster collapses. O’Toole continues on as leader. It’s awkward for a while. If it’s too awkward, he could preempt a caucus or party convention ouster by resigning on his own accord, which would launch the party’s leadership selection process under its constitution. — CATCH-22: Former Conservative deputy leader LISA RAITT told CPAC the party is in a tricky situation: “What we have here now is the Reform Act, giving the powers to the members of Parliament to remove the leader and appoint an interim leader, but that isn’t recognized by the Conservative constitution which says the only way to start a leadership is by having the membership vote that they want it to happen.” — The early contenders : If past is prologue, the federal Conservative leadership contest could be a crowded race. But if the leadership election organizing committee drafts rules to narrow its pool of candidates as it did last time, deep-pocketed fundraisers get an edge. For Pros, POLITICO’s ANDY BLATCHFORD has a quick sketch of potential contenders including PIERRE POILIEVRE, LESLYN LEWIS, RONA AMBROSE, JASON KENNEY and PATRICK BROWN. — Midnight takes: Mainstreet Public Research’s QUITO MAGGI writes on how the Conservatives need to look left on their path to victory … Columnist MICHAEL TAUBE is on Team Poilievre, writing in the National Post that O’Toole is “firm, determined and on point” in his last stand; “It’s just a shame that it comes so late in the game when the possibility of turning the tide seems dicey at best.” A LAST-MINUTE BEACON — Amid the internal caucus hurly-burly, support for O’Toole came from the outside in the form of a grassroots group called “Majority Committee.” Though it’s unlikely to sway caucus votes, its launch shows a concerted effort to organize small-C conservatives into a well-financed group within the party. Lawyer and long-time party activist FRASER MACDONALD founded “Majority Committee.”’ He told Playbook his site was registered in December and he’s been fundraising behind the scenes to rally support for O’Toole. “And then events took place,” the Stosic & Associates vice president said, prompting him to launch earlier than anticipated. Now isn’t the time to dump O’Toole, Macdonald told Playbook. “We've got to stay focused on not putting our party into a civil war,” he said. “I just think that would be bonkers to do that right now.” Macdonald said his group got a burst of attention after he asked his friend, Conservative party strategist JEFF BALLINGALL, for a retweet. There’s no formal connection between O’Toole’s office and “Majority Committee,” he insisted. ROME RAINCHECK — After Omicron disrupted plans for an Indigenous delegation to meet with POPE FRANCIS at the Vatican, plans are in the works for a meeting in late March/early April. A joint release from the Assembly of First Nations, Métis National Council, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Canadian Catholic Bishops confirmed the Pope will meet delegations the week of March 28 with a final audience with all participants on April 1. | | AROUND THE HILL | | | 
Hill veteran Joan Bryden has officially retired after 34 years on Parliament Hill. | Alex Panetta | ON THE RECORD — Journalist JOAN BRYDEN announced that as of Tuesday, she is officially a retired person. “This will take some adjustment after 40 years in daily journalism, 34 of them covering Parliament Hill/federal politics,” she tweeted. Former deskmates at the Canadian Press shared tales of memorable Bryden scoops with Playbook, a night owl with a penchant for 2:30 a.m. emails who gets action. Being a scrupulous reader of party resolutions made Bryden one of the first journalists to understand that the Liberal party under then-new leader JUSTIN TRUDEAU was completely serious about wanting to legalize marijuana, according to former CP Ottawa bureau chief HEATHER SCOFFIELD. That tenacity earned Bryden and colleague BRUCE CHEADLE a nomination for a Michener Award for their work on the Fair Elections Act — and also came in handy when thousands of government documents were released related to the WE Charity scandal. We asked some former colleagues and Hill reporters to share one thing they learned from Joan Bryden: JENNIFER DITCHBURN, president and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy, former CP reporter: Joan has always seen the long game of covering politics, and in Ottawa, that long game is all about relationships. Getting people to trust you takes time, and a lot of integrity. Joan is patient, trustworthy, and never torques a story. When political news was breaking, she knew who to call, and could get them to talk. SUSAN HARADA, journalism professor and former CBC parliamentary reporter: Watching Joan at work on the Hill was like watching a master class in producing journalism anchored in a deep understanding of the files. Her thorough approach was a constant lesson in how to ensure political theater did not supersede the issues at stake. JOANNA SMITH, Canadian Press Ottawa bureau chief: Joan perfected chasing a story like a snowball as it rolls down a hill. Life at the wire service can often mean moving quickly from one topic to another, but Joan always returned to that one unanswered question and turned it into an entirely new story. She was also at her best when she was clearly passionate about a topic, such as the 2014 Fair Elections Act or the medical assistance in dying law. Her determined reporting and clear-eyed analysis contributed greatly to those important debates. NORMA GREENAWAY, a former colleague on the Hill: Joan taught me the value of being well-read and up to date on as many issues of the day as possible. Though Joan specialized in political reporting and, for many years, covering the Liberal Party in particular, she didn’t miss a beat when thrown into covering stories on her colleagues’ beats. Her well-written stories oozed authority and fairness. ALEX PANETTA, Washington-based correspondent for CBC News and CP alum : What’s one thing I learned from Joan? Watching her go straight to top-level sources and getting them to talk. Not by schmoozing or flattery. But by knowing the issues, asking good questions and working harder than the competition. HEATHER SCOFFIELD, Toronto Star’s Ottawa bureau chief and former CP bureau chief: The one thing I learned? Read the fine print. Go through every detail of documentation and digest every wrinkle, and soon enough, you will see the contradictions and shortcomings of every political move. SHAWN MCCARTHY, former parliamentary bureau chief at the Globe: I learned you can survive on cigarettes and Diet Coke when traveling with the prime minister. SHEILA GERVAIS: Joan and I met in the late 80s, just as one Liberal Leader was leaving and another on the horizon. And all of a sudden I was National Director with a lot to learn about the media. I was trained to be very wary. But Joan needed to learn the intricacies and machinations of the Party and I needed to learn about the media. So, we learned all these things together. From Joan, I learned honesty goes with trust and the media, and to only be wary of some. The others will treat you just fine if you do the same — and they may even help you with “your” quotes. I also learned the word chuffed. DEAN BEEBY, former CP veteran and enduring access-to-information legend: It's tough to think of just one thing. She rekindled my love of JANE AUSTEN, brightened my office with rescue plants, made me laugh over dog stories, often through a haze of tobacco smoke. But the one thing was her writing. Joan was a true master — concise, sharp, deft, a pleasure to edit. I envied her natural skill and tried to emulate it. Her intelligent journalism will be missed every bit as much as her bright personality.
| | HALLWAY CONVERSATION | | What’s something you haven’t stopped thinking about since the convoy rally's arrival in Ottawa? AMARNATH AMARASINGAM, assistant professor at Queen's University’s School of Religion: I haven't stopped thinking about whether we need to be fair to the protesters. What I mean is, this is obviously not a "Nazi rally" or a "far-right rally." However, there are some far-right groups and far-right sentiment present at the rally, including amongst the organizers themselves. I can't get over the fact that the vast majority of the other protesters, and politicians who have expressed support, don't consider this to be a deal breaker. I wonder what this means for our politics going forward.
| | ASK US ANYTHING | | What are you hearing that you need Playbook to know? Any questions about Parliament? Send it all our way.
| | TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS | | Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU will virtually attend the Liberal national caucus meeting at 10 a.m. EST and question period at 2 p.m. Trudeau is then set to deliver remarks at the Canadian Black Scientists Network’s virtual Black Excellence in STEMM (BE‑STEMM 2022) Conference. Deputy Prime Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND has caucus and QP on her official itinerary. Bank of Canada Governor TIFF MACKLEM and Deputy Governor CAROLYN ROGERS will appear before the Senate’s banking, trade and commerce committee at 3 p.m. EST.
| | HOUSE BUSINESS | | 1 p.m. The Liaison Committee meets to elect a chair. 1 p.m. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault will hold a virtual press conference to make an announcement for the Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Park. 3:30 p.m. The House committee on official languages meets on business. 3:30 p.m. The House health committee meets in camera. 3:30 p.m. Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson will appear at the natural resources committee along with department officials.
| | MEDIA ROOM | | — Trade Minister MARY NG is on the latest episode of the Hot Room. — MP GARNETT GENUIS is back with a fresh edition of his pod — a conversation with BILL BROWDER on Ukraine and Russia. Off the top, Browder calls Genuis “one of the true heroes of human rights in Canada.” — Convoyage, Mr. O'Toole. Here’s the latest Curse of Politics — this week with an extra helping of squabble. — APTN’s BRETT FORESTER talks to critics of the Ottawa police response to the blockade. — JOHN MICHAEL MCGRATH writes for TVO: “ The loudmouths are losing. When this is all over, remember the helpers.”
| | PROZONE | | If you’re a POLITICO Pro , don’t miss the latest edition of our afternoon policy newsletter: Honk if you love intrigue. In other headlines for Pros:
— Biden team defends Trump's China tariffs in court.
— OECD chief bullish on global tax deal.
— Tesla may be on the hearing hot seat Wednesday, in absentia.
— Cryptomining’s energy consumption is increasing. Here’s why.
— A pledge inked in Glasgow is already in doubt.
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Mayor Naheed Nenshi reopens Calgary's 109-year-old Historic City Hall after it underwent an extensive heritage rehabilitation, in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh | Jeff McIntosh/THE CANADIAN PRESS | Birthdays: Calgary’s NAHEED NENSHI is 50. … Journalist CAROLE MACNEIL also celebrates today. Spotted: Conservative PETER MACKAY dropping his son at the rink. “Hopefully we will see a full return to the freedom of movement, interaction & healthy human activity. We are all missing something &/or someone,” he tweeted… U.S. Ambo to Canada DAVID COHEN at YYZ .. Trudeau sharing some face time with Coalition for a Better Future co-chairs ANNE MCLELLAN and LISA RAITT. INDIGENOUS SERVICE CANADA, the 2021 recipient of the Code of Silence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Government Secrecy in the federal category. Communications Security Establishment Assistant Deputy Minister ARTUR WILCZYNSKI, writing about a frightening encounter at the convoy rally . Liberal MP SALMA ZAHIB marking World Hijab Day. “I did not grow up wearing the hijab; I began wearing it after a battle with cancer,” she told the House on Tuesday. “The hijab does not change who I am or how I represent my constituents. A hijab does not change the way a doctor cares for her patients or a teacher cares for her students. It was my choice. I stand in solidarity with all who choose to wear it or choose not to.” The Ottawa Citizen’s BLAIR CRAWFORD, ticketed. Movers and shakers: Former Conservative cabinet minister CHRIS ALEXANDER, former Liberal MP BYRON WILFERT have joined the Macdonald-Laurier Institute as fellows … Simon Fraser University poli sci professor ALEXANDER MOENS also joins the think tank as a member of its research advisory board. CHARLIE BRENCHLEY has moved on from his role as a ministerial adviser to B.C. Municipal Affairs Minister JOSIE OSBORNE to “ an Issues Manager supporting a handful of ministries on a variety key issues.” Farewells: GEORGE MCLEISH, mayor of Senneville from 1995 to 2013, was remembered in the House by MP FRANCIS SCARPALEGGIA as “a dynamic political presence” whose leadership was defined by energy and love. | | TRIVIA | | Tuesday’s answer: The Queen Elizabeth II Equestrian Monument can be found in front of Rideau Hall’s main gate on Sussex Drive. Props to SARAH ANSON-CARTWRIGHT, HARRY MCKONE, JOHN ECKER, KEVIN BOSCH, KEVIN COLBORNE, CHRIS LALANDE, DAN MCCARTHY, SHEILA GERVAIS, ELIZABETH BURN, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, ERIC NEUDORF, JOHN GUOBA and KEVIN COLBORNE. Wednesday’s question: What three-word phrase that’s helped define the Covid-era Commons has appeared up in Hansard more than 90 times? Send your answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Alejandra Waase to find out how: awaase@politico.com. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
