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A daily look inside Canadian politics and power. | | | | |  | | By Zi-Ann Lum and Kelly Hooper | Send tips | Subscribe here | Follow Politico Canada WELCOME TO OTTAWA PLAYBOOK. I’m your host, ZI-ANN LUM with KELLY HOOPER in Washington. As the occupation of Ottawa enters its third weekend, Canada is under pressure from the Biden White House. We have updates from both sides of the border. We also drop in on the House debate on Covid-19 mandates. As NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY always says: TGIF.
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | THE SURREAL WORLD — The convoy protests have reached the level of a national crisis. Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU convened a meeting of the secretive Incident Response Group last night with “ministers and senior officials who are actively engaged and working closely with provincial and municipal governments, and who are assessing the requirements and deploying all federal resources necessary to help them get the situation under control.” — Refresher: The Incident Response Group’s purpose is to serve “as a dedicated emergency committee in the event of a national crisis or during incidents elsewhere that have major implications for Canada.” — More meetings: Then he had a meeting with Windsor Mayor DREW DILKENS. Then an evening meeting with opposition leaders (rare!) CANDICE BERGEN, JAGMEET SINGH, YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET and ELIZABETH MAY. Dilkens told reporters the complicating wrinkle is the fact the Windsor movement is leaderless, which makes negotiations, well, tricky. Another tricky matter is the White House’s desire to see Ottawa exercise its federal powers to unclog the border blockades quickly. As POLITICO’s ANDY BLATCHFORD reports, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS and Transportation Secretary PETE BUTTIGIEG have each pressed their Canadian counterparts to pull on federal levers to end the border shutdown. But given the PM's "long conversation" with Ontario Premier DOUG FORD this week, it'll be the provincial levers Playbook has an eye on Friday. — Related reading from Global News: Convoy ‘intel reports’ accuse police, politicians of creating ‘space’ for violence. And from MATT GURNEY: We’re in the midst of multiple crises. Where have all our leaders gone?
| | HALLWAY CONVERSATION | | THE WORD IN WASHINGTON — The anti-vaccine protest blocking a critical trade route between the U.S. and Canada threatens to exacerbate two persistent economic challenges: congested supply chains and rising consumer prices, POLITICO’s STEVEN OVERLY and MEREDITH LEE report. The halt at the Ambassador Bridge has created a fresh headache for critical American industries that depend on it to transport truckloads of products and parts every day. Pressure is rising on the Canadian and U.S. governments to get traffic flowing again. On their way in and out of the U.S. Senate chamber Thursday, POLITICO’s KELLY HOOPER asked Republican and Democratic lawmakers if they had concerns about trade and the supply chains: — Sen. JON TESTER (D-Mont.): "Blocking the roads is not smart. It's just not smart. And I believe they have every right to make their opinions heard. And we probably agree on the opinion. But blocking roads, stopping commerce, stopping traffic, is not smart." — Sen. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-Alaska): "We already have a disrupted supply chain in Alaska because of border restrictions and vaccine requirements." — Sen. SUSAN COLLINS (R-Maine): "I'm worried about it interfering with the shipment of goods." — Sen. RAND PAUL (R-Ky.): "I absolutely support what they're doing. Civil disobedience is a long and trusted way to try to defend your freedoms when nobody's listening to you. I'm all for the protests and I hope more truckers will go to Ottawa. I hope American truckers will do the same." — For a timeline cleanse: We recommend this thread from Canadian Sen. PAULA SIMONS. “If you're having a hard time this week, you are not alone,” she concludes. “You have friends. All around you. | | AROUND THE HILL | | LIGHTBOUND EFFECT — Liberal MP ANTHONY HOUSEFATHER agrees that federal and provincial governments need to come out with clear plans for when and under what circumstances some restrictions — but not all — will be lifted. “The very first restrictions that need to be revisited are the ones that impact vaccinated Canadians,” the Mount Royal MP said Thursday in the House. “The travel advisory recommending against international travel, when will it be lifted? Do we really need testing at airports for vaccinated travelers who already had a Covid test before departure?” Housefather doesn’t agree with throwing out all mandates and restrictions. “Vaccinations are key to getting us out of this pandemic,” he said. Conservative MP GARY VIDAL asked in response if another Liberal might back an opposition motion to force a vote that would have the feds table a plan to lift all federal Covid-19 mandates and restrictions by month’s end. “My question to my colleague from Mount Royal is quite simple,” Vidal said. “Does he agree with his Quebec colleagues that the legacy of this government will be one of division and fracture?” “No,” Housefather said. “I was trying to make a point in my speech that we should be not partisan but substantive on this issue and that was unfortunately a very partisan question.” The opposition motion will go to a vote Monday — Valentine’s Day. — Shade and support: Liberal MP NATE ERSKINE-SMITH shared his own thoughts on pandemic partisan rhetoric and his colleague JOËL LIGHTBOUND with a thread beginning with the words: “Given my occasional independent streak …” HARK! LEVITY — One Cabinet minister was left in hysterics Thursday over Conservative MP JACQUES GOURDE’s dramatic delivery of his question in question period. For ParlVu-ers, the magic is at 15:07:20 in Thursday's House feed. The Lotbinière–Chutes-de-la-Chaudière MP raised his hands in the air and belted, “Is there a vaccine against Liberal incompetence?” — sending Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Minister CARLA QUALTROUGH and MPs on all sides laughing for a full 20 seconds. TRY, TRY AGAIN — The NDP want to hear from U.S. Ambassador DAVID COHEN on U.S. funding behind the Ottawa convoy occupation. NDP MP HEATHER MCPHERSON tried to pass a motion before the House foreign affairs committee Thursday to begin debate on whether to invite Cohen “to address concerns of foreign interference.” She needs unanimous consent to issue what would be a rare committee invite to a sitting U.S. ambassador. The Edmonton Strathcona MP said she’ll keep trying: “I will bring that forward to the next committee and we can debate it then.”
| | TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS | | Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in private meetings. He’s expected to receive a Covid-19 update from Chief Public Health Officer THERESA TAM. Trudeau will also join a meeting hosted by President JOE BIDEN to discuss Ukraine alongside leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO. 1 p.m. Indigenous Services Minister PATTY HAJDU and Northern Affairs Minister DAN VANDAL will appear before the House Indigneous and northern affairs committee about its study of barriers to Indigenous economic development.
| | ASK US ANYTHING | | What are you hearing that you need Playbook to know? Send it all our way.
| | HOUSE BUSINESS | | 1 p.m. The House industry and technology committee continues its critical minerals study with witnesses from Electric Mobility Canada, Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and Accelerate: Canada's ZEV Supply Chain Alliance. 1 p.m. Canada Post Corporation will brief the House government operations and estimates committee. 1 p.m. Minister of Indigenous Services PATTY HAJDU and Minister of Northern Affairs DAN VANDAL appear at the House committee on Indigenous and northern affairs. 1 p.m. The House committee on the status of women hears from experts on intimate partner and domestic violence in Canada.
| | PAPER TRAIL | | From the tenders: Statistics Canada is searching for a “more modern” electronic transfer solution that’s web-based — and compatible with Blackberry devices … The Privy Council Office is looking for a company “to provide online psychometric assessment services ” for senior leadership positions appointed by the Governor in Council … Deloitte has nabbed a C$2.2 million contract related to Vancouver’s Sinclair Centre rehabilitation project … Montréal’s Cossette Media won a new Elections Canada contract valued at C$67,579,034.63 for “strategic planning and media buying.”
| | PROZONE | | For POLITICO Pro s: U.S. to Canada: ‘Reopen the bridge’ In other headlines for Pros:
— U.S. trucking lobby condemns Canada blockade.
— U.S.-Canada bridge jam brings more pain for auto sector.— Europe’s deep-sea mining gamble.
— Taiwan, Canada, Japan ask to join EU’s WTO case against China.
— Gina McCarthy pledges to run 'faster and faster' to address climate change.
| | MEDIA ROOM | | — Russian naval buildup near Ukraine hits Cold War levels, POLITICO’s PAUL MCLEARY reports. — APTN has the details on prison ombudsman IVAN ZINGLER’s report: Black, Indigenous inmates more likely to experience ‘use of force’ behind bars. — The Globe’s ADAM RADWANSKI writes on the launch of Conservatives for Clean Growth. — Le Devoir columnist EMILIE NICOLAS examines the Covid catchphrase “living with the virus” doesn’t mean getting back to normal. — Canadian Journalism Foundation Executive Director NATALIE TURVEY and Canadian Association of Journalists President BRENT JOLLY make a case in the Star for laws to be updated to protect journalists. — From Maclean’s: “At the top of our annual Power List are the unknown victims of residential schools — hundreds of children who lost their lives before they were finally heard.”
| | THE BUZZ | | Birthdays: HBD to Ontario MPP MICHAEL TIBOLLO. GEORGE SMITHERMAN and PIERRE-HUGUES BOISVENU celebrate Saturday. Author and journalist ROBERT FULFORD will be 90 on Sunday. Spotted: THE SENATE, adjourned until Feb. 22 … Environment Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT at home with Covid-19 … Mount Pearl, N.L.’s H.M. Wireless Station gets a rebuild in Minecraft … “A cat. Sleeping on a blanket full of cats” c/o JENNIFER HOWARD, chief of staff to the NDP Leader … The federal Conservative’s Québec caucus’ new sizzle reel … A “How many Canadian towns can you name?” game (h/t JENI ARMSTRONG). Movers and shakers: Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada President REBECCA KUDLOO, winner of Canadian government’s Women, Peace and Security Civil Society Leadership Award … KEN BOESSENKOOL, LISA RAITT and JIM DINNING introduce a new coalition: Conservatives for Clean Growth … JENNI BYRNE + associates has a new partner: MICHELE CADARIO WILLIAM STAIRS is interim Conservative Leader CANDICE BERGEN’s new chief of staff … SAM ANDREY was named Ryerson Leadership Lab’s acting executive director, replacing KARIM BARDEESY going on political leave, ANDRÉ CÔTÉ steps in as new acting director of policy and research. Media mentions: Toronto Life features editor EMILY LANDAU is Maclean’s new executive editor starting Monday … ERICA LENTI starts a new job at Chatelaine next week as the magazine’s new deputy features editor … Say hello to TAMARA KHANDAKER’s new pod “ Nothing is Foreign” which launches today. Farewells: North Saskatchewan’s HAROLD R. JOHNSON, a celebrated lawyer has died. He was 68.
| | TRIVIA | | Thursday's answer: Hockey legend JEAN BELIVEAU declined Prime Minister JEAN CHRETIEN’s invitation to become Canada's Governor General. Thanks for reading Playbook — and for the very nice notes you send with your trivia replies. Props to LAURA JARVIS, JOANNE NEATE, CULLY ROBINSON, STEVEN VOORHEES, GEORGE YOUNG, HEATHER CHIASSON, PIERRE JURY, ALINE LAMERE, ANNE MCALLISTEROOH, WALTER ROBINSON, PIERRE JURY, JEFF WATSON, CHRIS MCCLUSKEY, FRED SAGEL, B PAINE, ELIZABETH BURN, BOB PLAMONDON, DAN MCCARTHY, CHRIS HYDE, GUY SKIPWORTH, JOHN GUOBA, WILLIAM PRISTANSKI, LEIGH LAMPERT, MICHAEL FOULKES, DOROTHY MCCABE, ANNE-MARIE STACEY, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, NICK MASCIANTONIO, SAM MACPHAIL, TRACY SALMON, J. DAVID MCLENNAN, SEAN WEBSTER, GARY COLLINS, TIM MCCALLUM, PATRICK DION, JOHN ECKER, MICHAEL MACDONALD, BARBARA GRANTHAM, BARRE CAMPBELL and BOB GORDON. Friday’s question: What is the publication date of the oldest book in the Library of Parliament? Send your answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com
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