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A daily look inside Canadian politics and power. | | | | |  | | By Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Maura Forrest | Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Nick | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I'm your host Nick Taylor-Vaisey, with Maura Forrest. Today, the Three Amigos meet in Mexico City. Could a NEXUS breakthrough be in the offing? Tonight, the Leader of the Official Opposition hits the top-dollar donor circuit. Plus, the transport committee plans to grill Canada's Most Despised Travel Execs. Also, are you going to Davos? We want to know!
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | MAN OF THE PEOPLE —A few weeks after a Tory fundraiser in Toronto's upper crust Forest Hill neighborhood, top-dollar donors are gathering at the exclusive Toronto Club. PIERRE POILIEVRE will headline the fundraiser this evening at Canada's oldest private club, based in a downtown heritage building that mixes the Richardsonian Romanesque and Renaissance Revival architectural styles. Poilievre's leadership campaign was defined in part by rallies of disheartened, alienated, cash-strapped, grassroots Conservatives desperate for a politician who would listen to them. These donors are not those donors. This is establishment Bay Street, not working-class Main Street. — Price of admission: C$1,700, the maximum allowable donation to the party. — The vibe: "An oasis of understated elegance, refinement, good manners, civility and decorum," reads a description for visitors at the club website. — The draw: "The Club is known for its excellent food and wine, and its highly professional service provided by its stable, well-trained and dedicated long-term employees. The Club provides very limited reciprocal privileges with an exclusive collection of distinguished Clubs in the United States." — The membership: Exclusive. Invite-only. Powerful business leaders. You get the picture. "We are a very private club," an employee told the Star in 2009. "You won't find much about us at all." Membership fees are said to be C$25,000 upfront and C$2,500 annually. — Dress code for gentlemen: "A suit or a tailored blazer or tailored jacket and dress trousers with a collared dress shirt, socks and dress shoes." Ties are optional. — Dress code for ladies: "A tailored dress or suit, or a tailored skirt or pants with a dress blouse or sweater, and dress shoes." — No phones allowed: Not in the club's main dining room, anyway. — The organizer: MARK MULRONEY, son of BRIAN and Scotiabank's vice-chair of corporate and investment banking. PRAIRIE ENCORE — Poilievre will head to Winnipeg for a Thursday evening fundraiser in the city's wealthiest neighborhood. Food and wine magnate TOM DE NARDI and the CPC's Manitoba caucus are hosting the Tory leader at the De Nardis' mansion. How upper is this crust? Nearby neighbors include the likes of the ASPER FAMILY.
| | For your radar | | THIS'LL BE CATHARTIC — The House transport committee launched a study Monday into the holiday travel chaos that stranded Sunwing passengers in Mexico, Via Rail customers between Toronto and Montreal, and countless others on airport floors across Canada. The afternoon meeting featured all the violent agreement MPs could muster after a few weeks away from each other. They agreed to haul various witnesses in front of the committee starting Thursday, and agreed to hold more than one meeting. — Here's who's on the list: Sunwing, Air Canada, WestJet, Via, CN Rail, Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Aéroports de Montréal, Vancouver Airport Authority, Canadian Transportation Agency, Transport Canada, passenger rights' groups, affected travelers — The headliner: Transport Minister OMAR ALGHABRA. Opposition MPs are reserving their most pointed questions for Alghabra, who has said he's happy to appear. Conservative transport critic MARK STRAHL blamed the minister in part for both the holiday disruptions and summer travel mayhem last year. Strahl wants the committee to connect the dots. "We should make sure we don't simply scratch the surface," he said. — Unanimous: That was the tally when the committee voted on the motion. But don't think it's lovey-dovey in there. Acrimony will surely follow Alghabra into the committee room. — In related listening: STEPHANIE TAYLOR, a Hill reporter with The Canadian Press, was on The Big Story pod to review Canada’s travel woes. DAVOS TIME — Everybody’s favorite conspiracy theory is about to get a fresh burst of oxygen when the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting takes place in Davos next week. Playbook has started putting out feelers to see who’s going and who’s not, and we’ll keep you updated as we get answers from more folks through the week. But for now, let’s just say the list of who’s not going is shaping up to be the longer of the two. | 
A police security guard patrols the roof of a hotel at the 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. | Markus Schreiber/AP Photo | Who’s in: Quebec Economy Minister PIERRE FITZGIBBON Who’s out: Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU and Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE — Quebec Premier FRANÇOIS LEGAULT — Probably every Conservative, but, in particular, foreign affairs critic MICHAEL CHONG and Calgary MP MICHELLE REMPEL GARNER, who wrote last year about having attended the WEF meeting in 2018 and having “been harassed ever since.” PROGRAMMING NOTE — Via Playbook PM: Our colleagues ALEX WARD, ERIN BANCO and RYAN HEATH are on the ground in Switzerland this week to bring you all the coverage in Davos Playbook. The U.S. delegation there has scarcely an elected Republican but a large delegation of Biden Cabinet members and other top officials, including JOHN KERRY, USTR KATHERINE TAI, USAID Administrator SAMANTHA POWER, Director of National Intelligence AVRIL HAINES, FBI Director CHRISTOPHER WRAY and Labor Secretary MARTY WALSH. The congressional representation includes Sens. CHRIS COONS (D-Del.), JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) and KYRSTEN SINEMA (I-Ariz.), as well as Reps. DON BEYER (D-Va.), JOAQUIN CASTRO (D-Texas), SETH MOULTON (D-Mass.) and MIKIE SHERRILL (D-N.J.). Sign up for Davos Playbook.
| | TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS | | |  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau are welcomed to Mexico on Monday by Mexican President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador and his wife, Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller. Eduardo Verdugo | AP | — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in Mexico City to join President JOE BIDEN at the North American Leaders’ Summit hosted by Mexican President ANDRÉS MANUEL LÓPEZ OBRADOR. — Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND is taking meetings in Washington. — International Development Minister HARJIT SAJJAN leaves for a six-day sojourn to Barbados and Jamaica. 5:10 a.m. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem takes part in a panel discussion at Sveriges Riksbank’s International Symposium on Central Bank Independence in Stockholm, Sweden. 10 a.m. Transport Minister OMAR ALGHABRA is in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. He'll join Labor parlsec TERRY SHEEHAN, Ontario chief government whip ROSS ROMANO and Genesee & Wyoming Canada president RICK MCLELLAN for a funding announcement at Huron Central Railway. 10:30 a.m. Trudeau will meet with Biden. 11:45 a.m. Trudeau and SOPHIE GRÉGOIRE TRUDEAU will attend the official welcoming ceremony for the North American Leaders’ Summit and participate in a family photo. 12 p.m. Trudeau will attend a luncheon given by López Obrador. 1 p.m. Bloc Québécois leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET will hold a presser on millions in contracts awarded to McKinsey & Co. He'll be joined by a sizeable chunk of his caucus: ALAIN THERRIEN, CHRISTINE NORMANDIN, JEAN-DENIS GARON, JULIE VIGNOLA, ALEXIS BRUNELLE-DUCEPPE and RENÉ VILLEMURE. 1:30 p.m. Trudeau will attend a trilateral meeting with López Obrador and Biden. 1:30 p.m. Freeland will hold a bilateral meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary JANET YELLEN. 3 p.m. Freeland will meet with BRIAN DEESE, the director of the U.S. National Economic Council. (Recall when Deese freaked out Freeland by taking an interest in the border blockades of 2022.) 3:30 p.m. Trudeau, Biden and López Obrador will hold a joint media availability. 5:45 p.m. Trudeau will meet with JODY KUZENKO, the president and CEO of Torex Gold Resources. 6:30 p.m. Trudeau will meet with ARMANDO GARZA SADA, chair of the board of Alfa Group and chair of the board of Alpek; and JOSÉ DE JESÚS VALDEZ SIMANCAS, CEO of Alpek. 7 p.m. Freeland will attend a working dinner hosted by Yellen.
| | PAPER TRAIL | | DON’T TELL US WHAT TO DO — When Health Canada was getting ready to launch ads promoting Covid shots as part of the government’s mass vaccination campaign, it paid Quorus Consulting Group C$233,291.96 to hold focus groups to test how different advertising concepts would land. The government recently published the results of those focus groups, and one message came through loud and clear: Don’t tell Canadians to get vaccinated. Over and over, ahead of advertising campaigns launched between the spring of 2021 and the fall of 2022, participants reacted badly to any ad they perceived to be telling them what to do. — Here’s how focus groups responded to one possible ad back in March 2021: “The main weakness was the tagline, which told the audience to ‘get vaccinated’ which participants considered an order rather than a suggestion.” — That summer, ahead of another ad campaign encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated: “A few also felt the tagline was a bit ‘bossy’ and should suggest parents get their children vaccinated rather than telling them to do so.” — And then this past summer, ahead of a fall campaign promoting booster shots: “Participants saw the main strength of the concept was that it placed importance on making informed choices rather than telling the audience what to do, leaving them feeling in control of their decision and less pressured. — Did Health Canada listen? It seems so, to a point. One of the early proposed taglines, back in March 2021, was “Trust the experts. Get vaccinated today.” Here’s the tagline from a government ad released that May: “We can all help get there by getting vaccinated.” TEMPORARY DIGS — Playbook reported last week on nine contracts handed to seven companies across Canada who could provide accommodations for Ukrainian nationals. The federal tender document tucked most of the contract details into "Annex A" — which was hidden behind a login page at SAP Ariba, a separate procurement website where users bid on government contracts. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada responded to Playbook's request Monday. The department offers up to two weeks of emergency accommodations to Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel holders "in dire need of housing and have no immediate alternatives." The lodging is available in nine cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Halifax, and St. John’s. "This 14-night period provides additional time for Ukrainians to access settlement services, including temporary financial assistance, and to find longer-term housing," read a statement. — The kicker: IRCC's response is premised on a problem that will sound familiar to thousands of wait-listed Canadians. The department is spending millions on the temporary accommodations "in recognition of the shortage of affordable housing."
| | ASK US ANYTHING | | TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW — We welcome your tips and intel. What are you hearing that you need Playbook readers to know? Send details.
| | MEDIA ROOM | | — Question from EMMA ARKELL in Chatelaine: Could a staffing crisis jeopardize $10-a-day child care? — From STUART THOMSON at The Hub: Pierre Poilievre wants to defund the CBC. Here’s what that may look like. — "MELANIE JOLY, is in my view, the leading contender to replace Trudeau, if he were to step down," Curse of Politics host DAVID HERLE offers at the tail end of this week's pod. — Here's JOHN IVISON: Morneau finds true flaws in his former boss Trudeau but appears blind to his own. — Finally, new British Prime Minister RISHI SUNAK’s arrival in No. 10 Downing Street late last year heralded the age of the “Xennials.” Our colleagues in London explain.
| | PROZONE | | For POLITICO Pro s, our latest policy newsletter: Canada takes the back seat. In news for POLITICO Pro s:
— Top takeaways from POLITICO Pro’s briefing on the new Congress.
— Russia’s Wagner group ramping up operations outside of Ukraine, U.S. warns.
— New worldwide threats prompt Pentagon to overhaul chem-bio defenses.
— Russia-EU energy war means a ‘tough year’ for the Kremlin’s budget.
— Human-driven climate change contributed to Western drought: Study.
| | PLAYBOOKERS | | Birthdays: HBD to Sen. LEO HOUSAKOS and former NDP MP NELSON RIIS. Spotted: RANJ PILLAI, acclaimed as the next Yukon Liberal leader — and the next premier (which means getting perfunctory congrats from PM Trudeau). BEN HARPER, son of STEPHEN, with his latest crypto advice column for Luxor — on hedging strategies for Bitcoin miners. FLAVIO VOLPE, chumming it up with Export Development Canada head MAIREAD LAVERY in Mexico City. Movers and shakers: Volkswagen has a K Street lobbyist in Canada's federal registry. JLL vice-chair GREGORY LUBAR specializes in "strategic planning, project management, site selection, financial analysis, transaction structuring and incentive negotiations." Volkswagen is considering Canada for an EV battery manufacturing facility — and recently outlined the case for Ontario in provincial lobbying records. The automaker has its eye on the Strategic Innovation Fund, as well as "other potential financial incentives." Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE is convinced he's won the business. — TEJAH-MAE DAVIS joined Blackbird Strategies as a consultant. — The Canadian Nuclear Association signed up Temple Scott Associates senior consultant KRISTINA PROULX, who'll help the group prep for its annual lobby day. The CNA hosts its annual conference Feb. 22–24 at the Westin. Natural Resources Minister JONATHAN WILKINSON is on the Day 2 morning program, marked "invited." — Bradford-West Gwillimbury city councilor JONATHAN SCOTT, who won 79 percent of the vote in his reelection bid last October, is adding a full-time job as vice-president of advocacy at the advertising and design shop Key Gordon. Medi mentions: Gonez Media plans to relaunch NOW Toronto. The company's CEO, BRANDON GONEZ, once interviewed Trudeau. In memoriam: ALAN FLEMING’s sudden death was announced over the weekend. Fleming was most recently director of parliamentary affairs for Sen. DAN CHRISTMAS. Remembrances poured in over Twitter: Sen. STAN KUTCHER: "So sorry to hear Al was such a knowledgeable, kind and helpful person. Condolences to his family and friends. A tragic and untimely loss for all." DELIAH BERNARD, outreach adviser to PM Trudeau: "Al was a wonderful friend and colleague across Chambers. As he worked for a Mi’kmaw Senator he would always end our conversations with “nmultis” - which means see you later, not goodbye. Rest easy, Al." JOEL OOSTERMAN: "Al was a wonderful guy to work with and his dedication and teamwork were integral when we launched the All-Party Parliamentary Group to @EndSlaveryCA with Senator Christmas as co-chair." JACQUI DELANEY, parliamentary affairs director for Sen. LEO HOUSAKOS: "I met Al when I first started at the Senate in ‘14. He was working then for Senator Nicky Eaton. It was a tough time dealing with the AG review, a new city, all new coworkers. Al welcomed me as if we were old friends. He was one of the loveliest people I know."
| | On the Hill | | → Find upcoming House committees here → Keep track of Senate committees here The House of Commons is back Jan. 30; the Senate returns Jan. 31.
| | TRIVIA | | Monday’s answer: In 1976, the chef of the Parliamentary Restaurant celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Library of Parliament by creating a replica of the building out of sugar. “This one-of-a-kind scale model remained on display until the Library’s rehabilitation work started in 2002,” the LOP reports. “The fragility of the medium used, however, meant that the scale model could not be preserved.” Props to KEVIN BOSCH, NANCI WAUGH, ROBERT MCDOUGALL and GEORGE SCHOENHOFER, who sent us a link to a photo of the creation. Today’s question: What is the official bird of British Columbia? Send your answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com. Want to grab the attention of movers and shakers on Parliament Hill? Want your brand in front of a key audience of Ottawa influencers? Playbook can help. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. Playbook wouldn’t happen without: Luiza Ch. Savage, Sue Allan and David Cohen. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
