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A daily look inside Canadian politics and power. | | | | |  | | By Nick Taylor-Vaisey, Andy Blatchford and Maura Forrest | Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Nick l Email Andy Welcome to the Ottawa Playbook. I'm your host, Nick Taylor-Vaisey, with Andy Blatchford and Maura Forrest. Today, Ontario votes. Plus, is MICHELLE REMPEL GARNER gunning for a job in a different Canadian capital? And we have the World Milk Day exchange you can't miss. Did someone forward Ottawa Playbook your way? Click here to sign up for your own edition. It’s free!
|  | Talk of the town | | Last call for in-person trivia. If you have a team and burning desire for bragging rights, we're hosting our first night at the Metropolitain on June 9. We have a couple of tables left. #TEAMVANTAGE will defend their virtual title. STEPHEN AZZI's pair of Riddell School squads will challenge for the throne (and we're left wondering if his soon-to-be successor as Riddell director, JENNIFER ROBSON, will carry the torch). TEAM LPC OF THE '80s is on the hunt for bragging rights. And rumor has it Cabmin chiefs of staff are set to compete. RSVP here.
| | Driving the Day | | MORNEAU, ON THE RECORD — POLITICO's ANDY BLATCHFORD paid close attention to a rare speech former finance minister BILL MORNEAU dropped on #cdnpoli Wednesday evening. Morneau, who has kept a low profile since leaving politics amid controversy nearly two years ago, told a Toronto business audience that during his time in office too much energy was spent on finding ways to redistribute Canada’s wealth. — The big quote: “There was little attention given to the importance of increasing our collective prosperity — let alone developing a disciplined way of thinking and acting on the problem,” he said in prepared remarks of his address to the C.D. Howe Institute think tank. “There is no real sense of urgency in Ottawa about our lack of competitiveness … It’s not that this is one of the big problems facing Canada’s economy, it’s that this is our fundamental problem. Nothing else is solvable if we don’t put this issue first.” Morneau’s blunt, public critique of the Trudeau government marks a stunning shift for someone who served for nearly five years as one of the most-powerful figures close to the prime minister. — Another biq quote: His address offered an extraordinary glimpse of the tensions in Canada’s halls of power. “Sometimes it’s other MPs who think they can do a better job than you,” said Morneau. “Sometimes it’s staff in other offices or the PMO who also think they can do a better job than you.” Read Andy's full report on the speech heard 'round the bubble. FORD MORE YEARS? — Ontarians are heading to the polls today. DOUG FORD is probably gonna win big, but a minority government isn't statistically impossible. PHILIPPE FOURNIER, the prognosticating astrophysicist at 338Canada and POLITICO contributor, says 13 percent of his simulations produce that result. Abacus Data's final pre-election poll showed Ford was the most popular party leader in the province, and gave him a five-point lead in the traditional Liberal-NDP battleground otherwise known as the 416. Ford is so alluring that 19 percent of Liberals told Abacus they'd vote for him. In fairness, another 19 percent would go with the NDP. That leaves just 59 percent of Grits voting for Grits. In a separate Leger poll, a mere 39 percent of Liberals said STEVEN DEL DUCA was the best pick for premier. Ouch. — End of an era? The NDP's ANDREA HORWATH expertly dodged a reporter's question about her political future. She's run four campaigns. Will she run a fifth? Horwath deferred to the electorate. “Once they make their decision, then that will determine what goes forward in terms of me personally,” she said in Ottawa. Seems likely she'll step down (see: above). — People over politics: Toronto city councilor BRAD BRADFORD, son of Liberal MP VALERIE BRADFORD, proudly tweeted support for candidates of all stripes. Spotted in the photo collage: PC candidate MICHAEL FORD, nephew of Doug; and Liberal candidate KARIM BARDEESY, a former deputy principal secretary to Ford foe KATHLEEN WYNNE.
| | | | DON'T MISS THE 2022 GREAT LAKES ECONOMIC FORUM: POLITICO is excited to be the exclusive media partner again at the Council of the Great Lakes Region's bi-national Great Lakes Economic Forum with co-hosts Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot. This premier, intimate networking event, taking place June 26-28 in Chicago, brings together international, national and regional leaders from business, government, academia and the nonprofit sector each year. "Powering Forward" is this year's theme, setting the stage to connect key decision-makers with thought leaders and agents of change to identify and advance solutions that will strengthen the region's competitiveness and sustainability in today's competitive climate of trade, innovation, investment, labor mobility and environmental performance. Register today. | | | | | | | CONSERVATIVE CORNER | | WILDROSE AMBITION — Back when Calgary MP MICHELLE REMPEL GARNER threw her weight behind PATRICK BROWN's campaign for the Tory leadership, Playbook heard whispers that a quid pro quo was in the offing. At the time, JASON KENNEY's grip on the premier's office was loosening. In exchange for her help out west, Brown would lend his considerable organizational muscle in key communities if and when MRG wanted to pursue a run for the premier's office. Now, Kenney's on his way out and his United Conservatives need a new leader. On Wednesday, Western Standard's RACHEL EMMANUEL scooped the news that Rempel Garner's name was included in a survey on potential UCP leadership candidates sent to party members by DesLauriers Public Affairs — a firm run by FRED DELOREY, the executive chair of Brown's campaign. Emmanuel also cited unnamed sources who said they'd been called by MRG and a longtime aide, SEAN SCHNELL, about lending a hand to a potential run for the premiership. ENDORSEMENT CHECK — Chalk up another four provincial Tories who want JEAN CHAREST to run the show federally. Three New Brunswick Cabmins threw their weight behind Charest: DOMINIC CARDY, BILL HOGAN and MARGARET JOHNSON. Another MLA, RICHARD AMES , also signed on. When ERIN O'TOOLE beat out PETER MACKAY, LESLYN LEWIS and DEREK SLOAN for the Tory leadership in 2020, regional son MacKay ran away with all but one of New Brunswick's 10 ridings on the first ballot. Lewis, not former Nova Scotia resident O'Toole, won one and finished second in six ridings. With MacKay out of the picture, Lewis has spent serious time in Atlantic Canada. She was in Newfoundland last night, and is settling in for two days of campaigning in Prince Edward Island. PIERRE POILIEVRE was in New Brunswick last week. And Brown missed an unofficial leaders debate in Ottawa because he was out east. — This stands out: Everybody's favorite let's-play-nice leadership contender, SCOTT AITCHISON, tweeted three words that'll likely solidify some votes and undoubtedly lose him others: "Happy Pride Month!"
| | For your radar | | — Save the date: Forty-one years in the journalism game was enough for CHRIS HALL , whose run as host of CBC's The House ends later this month. Official Ottawa will fete Hall at the Met (where else?) on June 20 at 6 p.m. Count on a handful of ministers who shamelessly avoided answering Hall's pointed questions over the years to show up for the party and pretend they never cursed his name as soon as they were off the air. INDEPENDENCE DAY — Mark your calendars: U.S. Ambassador to Canada DAVID COHEN is preparing to host this year’s 4th of July celebration at his official residence, Lornado … on June 24. A little unorthodox, maybe, but at least there are no other major national holidays being celebrated in Canada that day. The calendar was wide open! A spokesperson for the embassy tells Playbook the event is being hosted ahead of time to allow embassy employees to celebrate Canada Day and the 4th of July with their families. “While doing this is new in Canada, it is a common practice at many U.S. embassies around the world,” she said in an email. The spokesperson didn’t say whether the embassy was aware that June 24 is Quebec’s Fête nationale.
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| | AROUND THE HILL | | NOT MILK? — Wednesday was World Milk Day, and in honor of the occasion, we bring you this phenomenal exchange from the West Block of Parliament Hill. Conservative MP BRAD VIS hails from B.C.’s Fraser Valley, where his grandparents made a living as dairy farmers after immigrating to Canada following World War II. After the Conservative caucus meeting, he apparently tried to share some milk with a few hard-bitten members of the press gallery. — VIS: So it's just a great day to remember all of our farmers and producers in Canada who do a great job keeping us healthy. We have the best food grown anywhere in the world and it just so happens that my neck of the woods in Canada’s number one riding also just makes the most money off of that. So you guys have a great day and drink your milk. — REPORTER: Thanks, Brad. — VIS: Here, you all take some. — VIS (again): No one wants some milk? — REPORTER: No. — VIS: Oh, come on. You guys are no fun. — REPORTER: Your caucus colleagues probably do.
| | TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS | | — PM JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in Alberta, where he'll participate in a signing ceremony with Siksika Nation Nioksskaistamik (Chief) OURAY CROWFOOT at 11 a.m. local time. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister MARC MILLER will join them. They'll hold a presser at 3:30 Ottawa time. — Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND will meet U.S. Treasury Secretary JANET YELLEN in Washington at 3:30 p.m. She'll also meet U.S. National Economic Council Director BRIAN DEESE. Freeland plans to attend the 68th Bilderberg Meeting, too. (Remember when that was the shady international org du jour among the conspiracy set?) — Foreign Minister MÉLANIE JOLY is in Quebec City to meet with Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs EVA-MARIA LIIMETS; Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs GABRIELIUS LANDSBERGIS; and Latvian parlsec of foreign affairs ZANDA KALNINA-LUKAŠEVICA. 9 a.m. The PBO will release a new report: "Cost Estimate for Bill C-13: An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages.” Find it here. 9:30 a.m. Five senators — SALMA ATAULLAHJAN, MOBINA JAFFER, MARTY DEACON, MARILOU MCPHEDRAN, and RATNA OMIDVAR will hold a press conference about "grave concerns" with the processing of Afghan refugee applications. 9:30 a.m. (Atlantic) Rural Economic Development Minister GUDIE HUTCHINGS is announcing federal money for high-speed internet in P.E.I. 11 a.m. Bloc Québécois MP RHÉAL FORTIN will hold a presser in West Block.
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | MEDIA ROOM | | — ERICA IFILL writes on the complicated calculus of calling the cops. — CBC reporter ELIZABETH THOMPSON, the Hill's best at digging through the orders-in-council database, uncovers dozens of secret OICs — a rare practice in the STEPHEN HARPER era that increased under Trudeau, and accelerated during the pandemic. — From CP's MARIE WOOLF: Google contacts each MP over fast-tracking of online news bill through Commons. — PAUL WELLS unleashes a monster essay (for s): "Let’s discuss why our government doesn’t work so well, why it’s not likely to work better soon, and why our politics is so radically ill-suited to the task of fixing our government." — POLITICO's EMILY BIRNBAUM and MYAH WARD write: How Sheryl Sandberg lost D.C. — Ottawa Citizen crime-watcher GARY DIMMOCK broke the news that STEVEN POTTER, a local man who developed a bizarre conspiracy theory about Liberals and then confined MP ANITA VANDENBELD in a condo parking lot, was convicted Wednesday. — Green MP ELIZABETH MAY joined GARNETT GENUIS on the latest edition of his pod. Their conversation begins with contemplation of their friendship. — Speaking of unexpected guest stars, RANDY BACHMAN showed up on the latest episode of Senator PAMELA WALLIN’s pod for a chat. Catch No Nonsense here. — Here’s fresh analysis from the CBC’s JASON MARKUSOFF: “The next Alberta premier's big decision: What to do with a tsunami of cash.”
| | PROZONE | | For s, here’s our Pro Canada PM memo by MAURA FORREST: Double double trouble. In other headlines for Pro readers: — Ottawa to pursue energy transition province by province.
— 'Now or never': Countries under pressure to finalize WTO agreement on overfishing.
— 338Canada: Ford on track for majority win in Ontario.
— Sheryl Sandberg steps down as Meta COO.
— Bank of Canada delivers another big rate hike.
| | PLAYBOOKERS | | Birthdays: HBD to journalist and author KEVIN NEWMAN. New Blue Party candidate and incumbent MPP BELINDA KARAHALIOS turns 40 today. Movers and shakers: KIM COVERT, senior communications adviser at Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, celebrated the launch of The Petting Zoos. “I've been waiting a long time to be able to say I'm published author,” she shared. “Today's the day.” DUANE BRATT, RICHARD SUTHERLAND and DAVID TARAS are at work on Blue Storm: The Rise and Fall of Jason Kenney. “Coming soon in January 2023,” Bratt tweeted. “Just in time for the May 2023 election.” Former CHRYSTIA FREELAND Ontario desker STEPHEN BATEMAN went public with his new gig as a crisis comms consultant at Portland. His new digs: London (not Ontario). Spotted: MP FRANCIS SCARPALEGGIA, celebrating news that the City of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue in his riding of Lac-Saint-Louis has been awarded Nature Canada's bird-friendly city designation. “Only the 13th city in Canada to qualify.” Ottawa Mayor JIM WATSON, rejecting the Russian embassy's request to fly their flag at city hall: "I indicated that until the Russian army leaves Ukraine we will not have anything to do with the Russian government and their illegal invasion." Economist STEPHEN GORDON, imbibing at a certain Sparks Street watering hole … Tory MP MICHAEL KRAM, marooned in a parliamentary elevator. — MPs celebrating: TALEEB NOORMOHAMED, world milk day. … RECHIE VALDEZ, Filipino Heritage Month. … ARIF VIRANI, Indigenous History Month. … FRANCESCO SORBARA, Italian Heritage Month … LAUREL COLLINS, International Sex Workers' Day (June 2). From the ethics files: The ethics commissioner slapped the president of the Canadian Human Rights Museum, ISHA KHAN, with a C$100 fine for failing to update her disclosures. Media mentions: The Citizen’s JAMES BAGNALL announced in a tweet that he’s retiring from journalism after 46 years in the business. “It’s time for a break,” he shared. “A different world beckons.” Today, though: He’ll be covering the Ontario election.
| | On the Hill | | Keep up on House committee schedules here. Find Senate meeting schedules here. 9 a.m. The Senate agriculture committee will meet to examine issues related to agriculture and forestry. Witnesses include FRANCIS ZWIERS, director of the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium at the University of Victoria, and Sto:lo Tribal Council Chief TYRONE MCNEIL. 9 a.m. The Senate energy and environment committee meets for clause-by-clause consideration of Bill S-5, which would overhaul the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. 11 a.m. Bank of Canada deputy governor PAUL BEAUDRY will deliver a virtual speech to the Gatineau Chamber of Commerce, followed by a media availability. 11 a.m. Ex-Ottawa police chief PETER SLOLY and Sen. VERNON WHITE will bring their police perspectives to the House procedural and house affairs committee as MPs study potentially expanding the federal jurisdiction for the parliamentary precinct. 11 a.m. The House fisheries and oceans committee continues its study of science at the department of fisheries and oceans with the second half of the meeting devoted to in-camera “committee business.” 11 a.m. Public Safety Minister BILL BLAIR will drop by the House public safety and national security committee to answer questions about Canada’s security posture in relation to Russia. MPs will meet behind closed doors in the second half to review its draft report on the rIse of ideologically motivated violent extremism in Canada. 11 a.m. Auditor General KAREN HOGAN is on the witness list at the House public accounts committee to answer questions about the reports her office released Monday. 11:30 a.m. The Senate foreign affairs committee will hear from a trio of Ukrainian officials, including YULIA KOVALIV, Ukraine’s ambassador-designate to Canada, and ANDRII BUKVYCH, Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in Canada. The second half of the meeting is in camera, as senators consider a draft report on the budget implementation bill. 11:30 a.m. The Senate finance committee will have two dozen government officials on hand as it considers Bill C-19, the Budget Implementation Act. 3 p.m. The Senate social affairs committee will hear from government officials, labor leaders and non-profits as it studies the budget implementation bill. 3:30 p.m. Airline executives representing Air Canada, Air Transat and WestJet are on the witness list at the House transport committee’s meeting on reducing red tape and costs. Town of Smithers Mayor GLADYS ATRILL is also on deck to speak. 3:30 p.m. Federal privacy watchdog DANIEL THERRIEN is marking his second-last day on the job by fielding MPs’ questions at the House access to information, privacy and ethics committee. 3:30 p.m. Heritage Minister PABLO RODRIGUEZ is up at bat at the House Canadian heritage committee to talk about Bill C-11. 3:30 p.m. Housing and Diversity and Inclusion Minister AHMED HUSSEN is a witness at the House human resources committee, along with three senior officials from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. 6:30 p.m. The House environment committee meets in camera to discuss its report on nuclear waste governance in Canada. 6:30 p.m. JOHN GORMAN of the Canadian Nuclear Association is first up at the House science and research committee, which is studying sSmall modular nuclear reactors. The witness list also includes officials from Bruce Power and New Brunswick Power Corporation.
| | TRIVIA | | Wednesday’s answer: (You oughta know) it was ALANIS MORISSETTE who said, “Thank God for growing up.” Props to ROBERT MCDOUGALL, BRAM ABRAMSON, MICHAEL MACDONALD, DOUG RICE, PETER MCKINNEY, BEN ROTH and BOB GORDON. Thursday’s question: Who said, “My mother once said that this country felt like a home away from home … Prime minister, I am pleased to report that it still does.” 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. Playbook wouldn’t happen without Luiza Ch. Savage and editor Sue Allan.
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