Public Inquiry Week is finally here

From: POLITICO Ottawa Playbook - Tuesday Oct 11,2022 10:01 am

Oct 11, 2022

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Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I'm your host, Nick Taylor-Vaisey. The House is empty this week as MPs fan out into their ridings. Today, we have three things to watch: the first hearings of the public inquiry investigating the use of the Emergencies Act, a spicy municipal campaign in suburban Toronto, and a new era in Alberta-Ottawa relations.

DRIVING THE DAY

PUBLIC INQUIRY WEEK — That's not how the Prime Minister's office wants to frame the first constituency week of the fall, but the highly anticipated and briefly delayed Public Order Emergency Commission holds its first hearings Thursday.

— Please note: The inquiry headed by Justice PAUL ROULEAU is independent of the joint parliamentary committee investigating the government's invocation of the Emergencies Act in February. Both are mandated by the same law. And they're both distinct from the citizen-led Ottawa People's Commission on the Convoy Occupation and an ongoing legal challenge.

— The players: Rouleau granted 39 requests for standing in the commission, which could allow those bestowed the honor certain privileges — including both suggesting and cross-examining witnesses.

Here's who cleared the bar:

→ The governments: Rouleau granted standing to the feds, as well as Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. He also gave the green light to the cities of Ottawa and Windsor.

→ The cops: The list also includes Ottawa and Windsor police services, as well as Ontario's provincial police, the National Association of the Chiefs of Police and the National Police Federation. Former Ottawa police chief PETER SLOLY gained standing as an individual.

→ The convoyers: A nonprofit known as Freedom 2022 Human Rights and Freedoms was granted standing. Organizers attached to the org include TAMARA LICH, CHRIS BARBER, DANIEL BULFORD, TOM MARAZZO, SEAN TIESSEN, CHRIS GARRAH, MIRANDA GASINOR, JOSEPH JANZEN, DALE ENNS and RYAN MIHILEWICZ.

→ The industry: Rouleau granted standing to the Insurance Bureau of Canada and the National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association.

→ The advocates: A raft of civil society groups will participate. They include the Canadian Constitution Foundation & Professor RYAN ALFORD, the Democracy Fund, Citizens for Freedom, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Criminal Lawyers’ Association, the Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers, and a group of Ottawa community associations.

— Who will testify: CTV News was first to report Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU was expected in front of the commission. The network said a draft witness list included eight Cabmins. The Canadian Press reported that outgoing Ottawa mayor JIM WATSON was on the draft list , along with CSIS director DAVID VIGNEAULT.

Ottawa mayoral contender CATHERINE MCKENNEY dropped out of a board of trade candidates' debate this week, citing testimony at the commission on Thursday.

The official list remains under wraps.

— The location: Hearings will go down at the staid headquarters of Library and Archives Canada on Wellington Street. They'll be held in the Bambrick Room, which seats 260 in theater-style — though this gang will surely require a custom configuration.

The room was named after musician WINIFRED BAMBRICK. One of her claims to fame was winning a Governor General's Award for her first and only novel, "Continental Revue."

Bambrick wrote the book based on her own experience in Europe playing with an orchestra as part of a — checks notes — traveling circus. How's that for irony?

— What's in a name? There's no way that "Public Order Emergency Commission" can stand as shorthand for such a headline-making bonanza. The Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities became the Gomery Commission or Gomery Inquiry, depending on the source. Quebec's equally verbose Commission of Inquiry on the Awarding and Management of Public Contracts in the Construction Industry became the Charbonneau Commission.

So it's either Rouleau Commission, already in use by some, or Rouleau Inquiry, also floating around. The hivemind must make its choice.

ALL POLITICS IS FEDERAL — Ontario's municipal campaigns are two weeks less a day away from the finish line on Oct. 24, a 13-day eternity that paradoxically passes in a flash. Frontrunners fret about a homestretch mistake that erases even the safest lead. Underdogs sensing momentum pine for just one more week, if only the universe would allow it.

— Takedown, part deux: Enter the candidacy of NIKKI KAUR, the lawyer-entrepreneur and former CPC candidate in Hamilton who hopes to defeat PATRICK BROWN for the mayor's chair in Brampton, Ontario.

When the federal Conservatives booted Brown from this year's leadership race amid allegations of financial irregularities, the former MP-turned-MPP-turned-mayor licked his wounds for about a minute before announcing a re-election run in Brampton.

Brown was immediately the heavy favorite. Betting odds made his win a near guarantee in a province where incumbency delivers the kind of name recognition that often proves insurmountable for lesser-known challengers.

— Bombshell backstory: Kaur was a Brampton city employee earlier this year who was fired after going public with a long list of corruption allegations aimed at city hall . She was later reinstated.

— Enemy list: Brown's fatal flaw, if he has one, may be the long line of political foes who want to eliminate him from politics. Particularly fellow conservative travelers who've crossed him — or lost faith in him — somewhere along the way.

Kaur's campaign managers are former cops and current lawyers RONALD and SUMA GEORGE. HARJI and HARBY BAJWA are Kaur's fundraising chairs. They served the same dual role on Brown's 2018 leadership campaign for Ontario's PC leadership.

— The campaign's loudest voice on Twitter: That'd be pitbull pollster and Ford family loyalist NICK KOUVALIS. He also helped guide JOHN TORY to two terms as Toronto mayor. Brown's memoir, which settles scores with every enemy he made in Ontario politics, has nothing but unkind words for Kouvalis. (Brown refers to him as one of the "Toxic Three," alongside former aide ALYKHAN VELSHI and PC MPP VIC FEDELI.)

— More players: Aurora Strategy president and chief advocate MARCEL WIEDER is a senior adviser. A longtime political operative who once headed the pro-Liberal third-party group known as Working Families, Wieder lost to Brown in 2018 as part of then-incumbent LINDA JEFFREY's team. (Once upon a time, Wieder earned a Globe and Mail designation as a "dirty-tricks man.")

Wieder's colleague at Aurora, principal NOAH ZATZMAN, is also a senior adviser. Zatzman was most recently at the forefront of the Green Party toxicity that culminated in his then-boss ANNAMIE PAUL's resignation as party leader. Zatzman's resume includes nearly three years working for then-premier KATHLEEN WYNNE's tour operation.

Kaur's debate prep team features JAMIE ELLERTON, a veteran of Tory politics who managed SCOTT AITCHISON's leadership campaign. Kaur's special assistant is ANTON LORI, a field organizer on PIERRE POILIEVRE's successful bid to lead the Tories.

— What are the odds? Kouvalis owns and operates Campaign Research, a polling firm rated B+ overall by 338Canada — and which received an A rating for the last two federal votes. But the Kaur campaign is keeping its own polling close to its vest. Zatzman would only claim a "significant shift in support away from Patrick and to Nikki."

A Mainstreet poll in July gave Brown a big lead. But Kaur wasn't yet an option.

Further reading: The Canadian Jewish News goes deep on all the feuds at play.

CLOSER TO THE HILL — Ottawa mayoral contender MARK SUTCLIFFE scored a key endorsement from downtown pol YASIR NAQVI, the Liberal MP whose riding overlaps with the ward held by Sutcliffe rival CATHERINE MCKENNEY.

Why the nod? "Because he is a longtime friend," tweeted Naqvi, to the dismay of the head-shaking Twitterati who said friendship isn't a qualification for mayor. (Added Naqvi: "I’ve seen firsthand his capacity to listen and capability to bring people together.")

— Another Liberal critic: Former PMO research and advertising manager ALEX KOHUT chirped the Sutcliffe campaign for promising to propose a strategy to recruit family doctors: "Campaign pro-tip: you usually want to have a strategy before you run for office, not promise you'll come up with one if you get elected."

FARTHER WEST — Five more provinces, along with Northwest Territories, are holding municipal elections this fall. In B.C., Vancouver mayoral candidate MARK MARISSEN secured the endorsement of former PM PAUL MARTIN. (It was pretty much a lock; Marissen ran Martin's Liberal leadership campaign and was a party organizer in B.C.)

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For your radar

ALBERTA-OTTAWA RELATIONS — Things are moving quickly in Wild Rose Country.

Premier-designate DANIELLE SMITH will be sworn in today. She already has a seat in the legislature in her sights: MICHAELA FREY stepped down in the safe rural seat of Brooks–Medicine Hat. (Smith opted out of running in Calgary–Elbow, a vacant seat once held by former premiers RALPH KLEIN and ALISON REDFORD.)

Smith's transition team is set. Neophytes they are not. Many of them know how Ottawa works — and maintain connections to this day. Here's a fact or two about all of them.

ROB ANDERSON is chair of the transition team and executive director of the Premier's Office. Anderson was an MLA for eight years, and more recently co-authored the Free Alberta Strategy that first pitched an Alberta sovereignty act.

MARSHALL SMITH is the premier's chief of staff. He once served as chief of staff to Alberta's minister for mental health and addiction. Years earlier, he fought personal battles with addiction and homelessness. Earlier this year, The Tyee labeled Smith as "The Man Behind Alberta’s Pull Away from Harm Reduction."

ERIKA BAROOTES is Smith's principal secretary. Barootes was the first president of the United Conservative Party. She was a senior government aide in the Redford era.

Chief BILLY MORIN of Enoch First Nation, the Grand Chief of Treaty 6 who has argued Indigenous people are crucial partners in economic prosperity, is Smith's special adviser on Indigenous relations.

JAMIE MOZESON is executive director of government strategy. Mozeson has a long history in Tory politics, dating to a Parliament Hill internship in the early Harper years — and then a gig as JENNI BYRNE's assistant starting in 2008. Mozeson was chief of staff to Alberta minister of service NATE GLUBISH before joining Byrne's firm in 2021.

JONAH MOZESON, Jamie's husband, is executive director of communications. He was most recently chief of staff to Jobs Minister TANYA FIR. Mozeson worked several jobs for RONA AMBROSE both in Ottawa and Edmonton.

MATT SOLBERG is executive director of caucus. Solberg is the son of former federal Cabmin MONTE SOLBERG. His time in provincial politics stretches back a decade. He helped birth the UCP by authoring the agreement that united the PC and Wildrose parties.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

— Parliament does not sit this week. MPs will debate the dental care and rental housing relief measures in Bill C-31 when they return Oct. 17.

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group hold their 2022 Fall Meeting through Saturday.

— PM JUSTIN TRUDEAU starts the week in the National Capital Region with a G-7 Leaders’ meeting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Trudeau spoke with Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY on Monday.)

Trudeau heads to Quebec this afternoon, where he'll visit a Rio Tinto Fer et Titane facility in Sorel-Tracy at 2:50 p.m. He'll speak to reporters at 3:15. The PM's final stop is Montreal, where he's scheduled to "meet with a local seniors’ organization at a community center."

Later this week: After a Thanksgiving weekend in Ontario's cottage country, Trudeau heads back to southern Ontario on Tuesday. He has a pair of scheduled evening fundraisers this week: Tuesday in Toronto at an event hosted by MP ARIF VIRANI, and Wednesday in Brampton, a night postponed last month after the queen's death.

— Defense Minister ANITA ANAND is in Warsaw to meet with Polish Deputy PM and Defense Minister MARIUSZ BLASZCZAK.

— Per CP reporter MICKEY DJURIC via colleague STEPHANIE TAYLOR, Saskatchewan Premier SCOTT MOE is set to "release a manifesto tomorrow in North Battleford that will tackle federalism."

10 a.m. (11 a.m. AT) Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Minister GINETTE PETITPAS TAYLOR will bring cash to Riverview, N.B. Two other Liberal MPs in the province will make similar announcements.

11:30 a.m. Families Minister KARINA GOULD will make another funding announcement in Sudbury, Ont., related to early learning and child care programs across Canada.

3:30 p.m. Seniors Minister KAMAL KHERA is scheduled to make — you guessed it — a funding announcement for the New Horizons seniors program. Liberal MP JENNIFER O’CONNELL will join Khera at the Pickering Caribbean Canadian Cultural Association.

→ Find upcoming House committees here.

→ Keep track of Senate committees here.

ASK US ANYTHING

TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW — We welcome tips and scoops. What are you hearing that you need Playbook to know? What are you watching this week? Send details.

MEDIA ROOM

— The Times of London reports a trip to Canada could be in the offing for KING CHARLES III: "One source said Canada was at the 'top of the list' for potential visits. The government is keen to foster closer ties with Ottawa after Brexit."

Royal visit expert RICHARD BERTHELSEN debunked the Times story, pointing out Charles would "only visit on the advice and at the expense of the Canadian government."

— American gay rights activist and journalist MARK SEGAL writes in Lavender magazine about a summer trip to Ottawa at the behest of ambassador DAVID COHEN, a fellow Pennsylvanian.

— Law prof and privacy expert TERESA SCASSA opens her consideration of Bill C-27 with a reference to “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

— Political science professor LYNETTE ONG talked with PIYA CHATTOPADHYAY about what Canada's delegation to Taiwan means for East Asian relations.

— Here’s HEATHER SCOFFIELD on preparing for a recession. “Cut us some slack, Mr. Macklem. We could use it,” she writes.

— Finally, Canada Gazette nerds — we know we’re not alone — should check out the latest episode of the Hill Times Hotroom.

PROZONE

For POLITICO Pro s, our latest policy newsletter by ZI-ANN LUM: Job news and all the fixings.

In news for POLITICO Pro s:
— OPEC payback: Six actions Biden could take.
— Canada to ban top leaders of Iranian regime.
— Buckle up, Congress: A ‘very lame’ lame duck is coming after the election.
— New rules will cut off microchip supply to China.
— EPA says lead aircraft emissions pose a threat, signaling first step toward regulation.

PLAYBOOKERS

Birthdays: Happy Birthday to Manitoba MP and cancer survivor JIM CARR. “There’s a humility in recovering from cancer,” he once told TONDA MACCHARLES. “You have a far broader scope of view on morality, on longevity, on time spent.”

Former St. Catharines MP WALT LASTEWKA also celebrates today.

Movers and shakers: After seven years in government, ANDRÉE-LYNE HALLÉ left the Prime Minister's office … Longtime Liberal Hill staffer JOHANNE SENÉCAL joined the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers as VP of sustainability, external and Indigenous affairs … Former U.S. Fed chair BEN BERNANKE won the Nobel Prize in economic sciences with two other U.S.-based economists for research into the fallout from bank failures.

Spotted: NAHEED NENSHI, throwing shade at a former classmate … MARC GARNEAU, protecting the turkey … ALISTAIR MACGREGOR thanking pundit DAVID MOSCROP for a borrowed phrase … GOLDY HYDER, lamenting Canada's lack of LNG for Germany.

Government comms manager CRISTINA BIANCHI admitting a form of "complicity" in the reportedly abusive conduct of Global Affairs executive LATIFA BELMAHDI.

Farewells: We’re late to note that SUHANA MEHARCHAND has retired from CBC News after 36 years.

TRIVIA

Friday’s answer: Prime Minister LESTER B. PEARSON played semi-professional baseball.

Props to JOSH DADJO, GABRIEL CASSIE, BRANDON RABIDEAU, RALPH LEVENSTEIN, JOHN ECKER, ROBERT WOLFE, ANDREW SZENDE, TIM MCCALLUM and MAUREEN MACGILLIVRAY.

Reader ROBERT MCDOUGALL writes: “One writer suggested the B stood for ‘baseball.’”

And from BOB PLAMONDON: “He was a great athlete, organized baseball games on the Hill (it's where Jean Chrétien caught his attention because no one wanted to win the game more than him, a good attribute for a politician).”

— Related reading: Lester B. Pearson: Canada’s Ballplayer Prime Minister

Tuesday’s question: The Alberta legislature is now home to a rescue kitten. Tell us its name. For bonus marks, tell us where you can follow the black-and-white mouser on Twitter.

Send your answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com.

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