COURAGE AND CAUCUS — Both Covid-19 and the convoy have been force multipliers in Ottawa. Conservative caucus meets today, a week after MPs showed some political aikido, using momentum from the Freedom Convoy to push out ERIN O’TOOLE . The palpable frustration inside and outside Parliament Hill for nearly two weeks has not only transformed the Tories, it has also catalyzed internal Liberal discord out for display. Just look at Liberal JOËL LIGHTBOUND’s career progression into a maverick MP. Lightbound stunned Ottawa with his decision to publicly break rank with his government’s Covid-19 positioning. Quite a birthday to remember for the Quebec MP. — The cause: “Both the tone and the policies of my government changed drastically on the eve and during the last election campaign,” Lightbound told reporters Tuesday. "A decision was made to wedge, to divide and to stigmatize. I fear that this politicization of the pandemic risks undermining the public's trust in our public health institutions.” He said he made his views known in caucus many times — and isn’t the only one who feels a similar way. “There are multiple colleagues that are uncomfortable with the type of politics that we have on this pandemic,” he said, without offering names. — The consequence: Lightbound resigned as chair of the Quebec Liberal caucus. But despite his decision to go rogue, the Louis-Hébert MP hasn’t been thrown out of his party. Liberal whip STEVEN MACKINNON said in a statement : “He has expressed clear confidence in the government, and remains a member of Liberal caucus.” It’s a precedent set under unprecedented circumstances. Whether more Liberals follow Lightbound’s lead remains to be seen. — The effect: Lightbound’s confession found him praise on the other side of the aisle. Conservative MP GARNETT GENUIS applauded his colleague’s courage, which he called contagious. “ It's time for more MPs to speak out for unity, common sense, and hope,” Genius said. Former N.B. Liberal Party leader KEVIN VICKERS saluted Lightbound for doing a fine job. JANE PHILPOTT added her two cents, pulling notes from the day she and JODY WILSON-RAYBOULD were turfed from Liberal caucus. She tweeted : “Thoughts from a speech I wrote for caucus but was not able to deliver, April 2, 2019: It is healthy for democracy if MPs respectfully express different opinions. A party should be a safe place for MPs with dissenting views. MPs needn't agree with every decision of the government.” Liberal MP NATE-ERSKINE SMITH disagreed with presumptions that Lightbound’s career has flatlined. “ I don’t think his political career is over ,” he tweeted. “We don’t need to agree on all issues, and some of what he’s articulated (the need to re-evaluate measures as we go on) has been reiterated by Dr. Tam.” Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister MARC MILLER told reporters he has some problems with Lightbound’s decision to make his grievances public, suggesting political debate is muddying the primary objective, which is saving lives. “It’s something we’ve been relentless in doing over the last two years and if Canadians think that’s politicizing the debate, I think they need to screw their heads on better," Miller said. POLITICO’s ANDY BLATCHFORD has more on Lightbound’s break from the centre — and a report on the latest from Ottawa police. Hear Andy talk about the occupation on POLITICO’s Dispatch. DISPATCH FROM THE GROUND — Ottawa’s deputy police chief STEVE BELL told reporters Tuesday that officers have arrested 22 people, handed out more than 1,300 tickets and have 79 active criminal investigations. Police have also discovered that children live in approximately 100 of the 419 trucks “encamped” in the city. Authorities worry the kids could be at risk in any police operation. Bell said the force is working with the Children’s Aid Society to ensure they’re safe. “It's something that greatly concerns us,” said Bell, who listed risks such as noise levels from the protest, carbon monoxide from the truck fumes, the cold temperatures and access to sanitation, like a shower. Bell also said his officers worked with U.S. law enforcement to make an arrest in Ohio after an individual in the state allegedly called in fake threats designed to deceive and distract emergency resources in Ottawa. Morale, he said, has taken a hit as the police force awaits possible reinforcements from the provincial and federal governments. “Our members are tired,” he said. “They go out every single day down to our downtown core to try and take back a portion of our city that's been lost to this occupation. They work extremely hard in cold weather and extremely difficult conditions.” CONVOY CONVERT — POLITICO’s KELLY HOOPER bumped into Sen. TED CRUZ (R-Texas) on Capitol Hill and asked him for his thoughts on Canada’s so-called Freedom Convoy.The Texas Republican said Tuesday he would welcome an expansion of the protests into the U.S. “The Canadian trucker protest is a remarkable uprising and it's a manifestation of the deep outrage across Canada and across the United States, directed at petty authoritarian government leaders who are trying to force vaccines onto unwilling people,” he said. In related news Tuesday, POLITICO’s ALEX DAUGHERTY reports on the shut down at the the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing. GLOBAL CLIMATE POLITICS — A new POLITICO Morning Consult Global Sustainability Poll reveals frustration from citizens that they are being left to take on climate action on their own, when they believe governments and the companies with the most resources (which also tend to bear the most responsibility for carbon emissions) should shoulder the burden. POLITICO’s RYAN HEALTH reports: “The United States is home to the largest ideological divide on climate action. Among Americans, 97 percent of left-leaning voters expressed concern about climate change, compared to 51 percent of right-leaning voters.” In Canada, results suggest a majority of left-leaning Green, NDP and Liberal Party supporters consider climate change an issue of top concern — while one in five federal Conservative supporters and nearly half of People's Party supporters say they aren’t concerned at all. | 
