Slouching toward ‘freedom’

From: POLITICO Ottawa Playbook - Wednesday Oct 12,2022 10:01 am

Oct 12, 2022

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Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I’m your host Zi-Ann Lum with Nick Taylor-Vaisey. There’s turbulence ahead for federal-provincial relations. Alberta’s new Premier DANIELLE SMITH has pledged to govern with core values guided by “freedom, family, faith, community and free enterprise” — and sticking it to Ottawa.

DRIVING THE DAY

Danielle Smith celebrates after being chosen as the new leader of the United Conservative Party.

Danielle Smith celebrates after being chosen as the new leader of the United Conservative Party and next Alberta premier in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh | Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press

THE RESISTANCE REDUX — Fall is going to be feisty.

Saskatchewan Premier SCOTT MOE says expect his government to table fall legislation to push back against what he calls “federal intrusion.”

Translation: Moe wants Saskatchewan to have what Quebec’s having.

— Past is prologue: One of Moe’s goals is to consolidate the province’s autonomy over the development of its natural resources. And he plans to do so by introducing legislation to “really reaffirm” provincial jurisdiction under the Constitution.

The precedent has already been set to expect deference from Ottawa, he explained during an event in North Battleford, Sask. on Tuesday.

“The first piece with acting more like Quebec is to take the initiative to step out and just start doing things like up to, and including, unilaterally changing the Constitution, which they just did here this past year, which the prime minister and the federal government has said, ‘Oh it’s OK,” he said.

Moe used the same occasion to publicize a 24-page white paper that rips into federal climate change policies for being the equivalent of a wheel clamp dragging the province’s economy.

— Political Prairie fire warning : “By being the agents that act as opposed to asking permission, the province could reasonably wield more control instead of exclusively being reactionary to federal movements,” reads Moe’s manifesto.

— Missing from Moe’s white paper: The words “Indigenous,” “land claims agreements” and “reconciliation.”

Constitutional conflict was a common thread in DANIELLE SMITH ’s marathon press conference, her first as Alberta’s new premier.

Smith was squirrely after multiple reporters tried to get clarity on whether her proposed controversial sovereignty act would be used by her government as a tool to ignore court rulings.

Her answer was strategically vague.

“We've already asserted we are not going to enforce their gun confiscation scheme,” Smith said, referencing the Liberals’ federal ban of more than 1,500 “assault-style” firearm models and variants. Smith’s predecessor, JASON KENNEY, argued a federal handgun ban infringes on gun owners’ property rights.

She promised the matter would be fought out in court. “We'll see how they end up reacting to that and we’ll see how it ends up playing out.”

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For your radar

CARROT COUNTRY — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU promises “further steps” to make Canada competitive in industries currently being wooed to the U.S. by Inflation Reduction Act funding.

Trudeau made the comment after donning a hard hat during a stop at Rio Tinto in Sorel-Tracy, Que. on Tuesday. He, alongside Innovation Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE, announced Ottawa will invest up to C$222 million to help the multinational company boost its production of lithium, titanium, and scandium.

But the critical minerals investment is stoking criticism of Canada relying on bad habits to supercharge its low-carbon economy — by depending too heavily on corporate welfare.

— Question for tomorrow via Conservative strategist JAMIE ELLERTON: “Why are Canadian taxpayers giving the world’s second largest mining company $222 million to sell the most in-demand minerals on the market? The company had $63 billion in revenue last year.”

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU will be in the Durham region for a supermarket photo-op at 11:20 a.m. A media availability follows at 11:45 a.m. with Government House Leader MARK HOLLAND and Liberal MP JENNIFER O’CONNELL.

Trudeau will head to a community center to meet seniors at 2 p.m. before making his way to Toronto to meet with the Ontario Women's Hockey Association at 4 p.m. He wraps his day delivering remarks at a private Liberal Party fundraiser in downtown Toronto where entry is C$800-C$1000.

— Governor General MARY SIMON is traveling to Reykjavík, Iceland where she will deliver a keynote speech at the Arctic Circle Assembly on Thursday.

9:30 a.m. Transport Minister OMAR ALGHABRA is marking “Supply Chain Week” with a funding announcement at the Port of Montreal.

11 a.m. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association will hold a press conference on the Hill in the Sir John A. Macdonald Building to talk about the Public Emergency Order Commission. The group sued the federal government in February over Ottawa’s use of the Emergencies Act.

12 p.m. (10 a.m. MT) Liberal MP GEORGE CHAHAL is reminding Calgarians that their next climate action incentive payment — read: carbon tax rebate — arrives this month.

2:30 p.m. (12:30 p.m. MT) Independent Senators Group Sen. KAREN SORENSEN is in Banff, her old mayoral stomping grounds, to make remarks at a government announcement.

7:30 p.m. The prime minister will make remarks at a Liberal Party fundraising event in Toronto.

PAPER TRAIL

PARDON THE PACE — It’s been one week since President JOE BIDEN announced mass pardons for people convicted of simple marijauana possession under federal law — a move a senior White House official estimates could impact 6,500 U.S. citizens.

In Canada, where recreational marijuana has been legal for nearly four years, a program for free, expedited pot pardons has resulted in 628 orders to wipe records of simple possession convictions.

When the pot pardons program was launched in 2019, Ottawa had estimated 10,000 Canadians would be eligible for pardons for simple possession.

Data provided to Playbook by the Parole Board of Canada show 972 applications for cannabis record suspensions were received between August 2019 and Oct. 3, 2022.

— Here’s the but: Hundreds have had their applications turned down.

Of the 631 accepted applications, 628 pardons were ordered and three had their files discontinued. Of the remaining applications, 335 were deemed ineligible or incomplete. Six applications have been submitted but have yet to be given approval for processing.

PROZONE

For POLITICO Pro s, our latest policy newsletter by MAURA FORREST: Where in the world are Canada’s ministers?

In news for POLITICO Pro s:

— New LNG lobbying group aims to boost U.S. exports.

— IMF: Global growth is faltering and it could get worse.

— Florida’s billion-dollar fishing industry struggles after Hurricane Ian.

— OECD presents anti-tax evasion measures for crypto market.

— France’s Le Maire warns against American gas ‘domination’.

MEDIA ROOM

— From WaPo’s DAVID MONTGOMERY: “What will happen to America if Trump wins again?

— A new Mainstreet poll reveals a tightening mayor's race in Ottawa. CATHERINE MCKENNEY is backed by 34 percent of voters. MARK SUTCLIFFE has spiked to 32 percent since the last poll in September. One in five voters is undecided.

— Nunatsiaq News reports on Bloc Québécois MP SYLVIE BÉRUBÉ's trip to Nunavik today — the second-term MP's first visit to the region in three years as the area's rep in Ottawa.

— Unifor president LANA PAYNE sits down with Maclean's to talk about the future of Canada's labor movement, and her own role within it: "For too long, the typical image of a union officer has been a loud man on one side of the bargaining table."

— A pair of tech companies critical of ArriveCAN's price tag boasted to the Globe that they recreated the app in a weekend. An important caveat via prof VASS BEDNAR: The slapdash clones didn't include translation functions, accessibility features, complete testing or the piddly matter of integration with federal backend systems.

Playbookers

Birthdays: HBD to former senator JOAN FRASER … Greetings also go to former Liberal MP GURBAX MALHI, former Alberta NDP leader BRIAN MASON and Ontario NDP MPP TARAS NATYSHAK.

Send birthdays to ottawaplaybook@politico.com.

Spotted: BIG BEN, (almost) back. The clock has not been fully working since restoration work started in 2017. It is back now in test runs (h/t London Playbook) … High Commissioner to the U.K. RALPH GOODALE with human rights lawyer PAYAM AKHAVAN and former UWO president AMIT CHAKMA.

Business Council of Canada President/CEO GOLDY HYDER and Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association President FLAVIO VOLPE on Capitol Hill shadowing Freeland’s visit.

A date for the coronation of KING CHARLES III: May 6, 2023.

Movers and shakers: BILL BLAIR has an updated title: President of the King’s Privy Council and Minister of Emergency Preparedness.

DANIELLE SMITH has a new press secretary, reports DAVE COURNOYER. It's BECCA POLAK , former leadership campaign manager for REBECCA SCHULZ.

JULIE SAVARD-SHAW is on the way out as Public Safety Minister MARCO MENDICINO 's deputy chief of staff: "It took me a while to accept that I can’t do it all," she wrote on LinkedIn. "I can’t be a good mom, a good spouse, a good friend/sister/daughter and a dedicated political staffer if my mental health was always being put on the back burner."

Hill + Knowlton's AMÉLIE GADIENT is repping the Mining Association of Canada on the Hill. The lobby group lists 31 priorities aimed at 35 federal bodies. Top of mind for CEO PIERRE GRATTON in conversation with Business in Vancouver mag: "A stable battery ecosystem is powered by critical minerals and customers are lining up to buy from Canada,” he said. "We need to deliver."

Media mentions: HANNAH THIBEDEAU is the new host of CBC Newsroom , which will air weekday afternoons … More CBC musical chairs: DWIGHT DRUMMAND will temporarily host Canada Tonight when GINELLA MASSA steps away on mat leave … ASHLEY FRASER is CBC News’ new TikTok producer.

Send Playbookers tips to ottawaplaybook@politico.com.

TRIVIA

Tuesday’s answer: Hansard Rose is the Alberta legislature’s new kitten. Find her on Twitter at @theablegcat.

Props to JOHN ECKER, GOZDE KAZAZOGLU , ROBERT MCDOUGALL, KATELIN CUMMINGS, GABRIEL CASSIE and LAURA JARVIS.

Belated props on Friday's answer to BRAM ABRAMSON, GORDON RANDALL, ANNE-MARIE STACEY, CHRIS MCCLUSKEY, MURRAY WILSON, RENATO ROMANIN, ETHAN SPENCER, BOB ERNEST and PATRICK DION.

Wednesday’s question: On this day in 1970, a Canadian prime minister ordered the deployment of troops to protect people and places in Ottawa. What legendary phrase did he utter the next day?

Send your answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com

Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness in 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.

CORRECTION: Tuesday's Playbook misstated the primary occupation of Nikki Kaur's campaign managers. The newsletter also misstated the campaign on which Harji and Harby Bajwa were Brown's fundraising chairs.

Playbook wouldn’t happen: Without Luiza Ch. Savage, Sue Allan and Mike Zapler.

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