|
Presented by MDA: A daily look inside Canadian politics and power. | | | | |  | | By Zi-Ann Lum, Maura Forrest and Nick Taylor-Vaisey | | | Send tips | Subscribe here | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I’m your host, Zi-Ann Lum, with Maura Forrest and Nick Taylor-Vaisey. It’s International Women’s Day. We know that because URSULA VON DER LEYEN reminded us during her address to Parliament. In other news, there’s opposition to Bill C-27 after all. Plus, JAGMEET SINGH really wants Canadians to watch him ask GALEN WESTON questions. |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | 
Ursula von der Leyen and Justin Trudeau at the Canadian War Museum. | Spencer Colby, The Canadian Press | CHARM OFFENSIVE — The flattery was set to “stun” Tuesday evening during European Commission President URSULA VON DER LEYEN’s address to Parliament. “I'm so grateful to Justin, for your constant close cooperation during this year,” von der Leyen said about working with the prime minister. “Everything we did for Ukraine. We did it together.” The European leader delivered a speech from the floor of the House of Commons in English and French. — TV magic: Liberal staffers filled the empty seats in government benches giving the president a backdrop without a yard of green upholstery behind her. Conservatives left most of their backbench empty during von der Leyen’s address. Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE was missing in action — perhaps a missed opportunity had he been yearning to repair any damage from appearing soft on Tory MPs who met with CHRISTINE ANDERSON, a controversial German politician from a party known for its anti-immigrant platform and flirtation with Holocaust denialism. “I am a European of German nationality. It was German Nazism and fascism that brought death and destruction upon Europe and the world, but Allied Forces brought liberty back to all of us,” von der Leyen said. “We owe our democracy also to you, the people of Canada.” — Just what was said: The president’s prepared remarks. On Putin’s war: “We will never accept that a military power with fantasies of empire rolls its tanks across an international border. We will never accept that Putin denies the very existence of Ukraine, as a state and as a nation. We will never accept this threat to European security and to the very foundation of our international community. And I know that Canada's commitment is just as adamant as ours.” On Canada’s response: “I cannot overstate this: Canada has saved Ukraine. And I want to thank everyone involved in Operation UNIFIER for your amazing service. Canada's response to the war in Ukraine has gone above and beyond the call of duty. And I am so grateful, dear Justin, for our constant close cooperation during this year. Everything we did for Ukraine, we did together.” On the role of women: “Let me quote Lieutenant-Colonel MELANIE LAKE of the Canadian armed forces, who led Operation UNIFIER. She said: ‘Ukrainian women did not wait for doors to be open for them to serve in all capacities. They broke the doors down.' These women also smashed a glass ceiling, right over the head of the Russian invaders.” — Spotted in the gallery above: JANICE STEIN, Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association President FLAVIO VOLPE, Canadian Chamber of Commerce President and CEO PERRIN BEATTY, Business Council of Canada President and CEO GOLDY HYDER, Clerk of the Privy Council JANICE CHARETTE, former GG ADRIENNE CLARKSON. Plus, NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH’s daughter, ANHAD KAUR, walking on the Commons floor, sporting an airy black organza skirt after sitting on her dad’s desk during the speech. — Related reading: Von der Leyen, Trudeau tout ‘green alliance’ before Biden visits. — Committed to the theme: The European leader’s Tuesday began at a Canadian Forces Base in Kingston, Ontario and ended with a dinner at the Canadian War Museum in a room flanked with tanks. Venison and tuna were on the menu. She’s due at Rideau Hall this morning to meet with Governor General MARY SIMON before jetting off to Washington, D.C. for the next leg of her North American tour. Do you enjoy Ottawa Playbook? Maybe you know others who would like it, too. Point them to this link where they can sign up for free . | | | | A message from MDA: We’ll take you there
Serving the world from our Canadian home, MDA is a trusted international space mission partner and a pioneer in space robotics, in-orbit operations, satellite systems and Earth observation. With a 50+ year story of firsts on and above the Earth, today our 2,700 highly-skilled employees are leading the charge towards viable Moon colonies, enhanced Earth insight, and communication in a hyper-connected world. | | | | | For your radar | |
NO FRILLS — The CEOs of Canada’s three largest grocery chains — Loblaw, Metro and Empire — will appear before the House of Commons agriculture committee today to answer questions about surging grocery store prices.
But it’s likely to be Loblaw CEO GALEN WESTON, who has become the face of food price inflation in Canada, fielding many of the questions. So this morning, Playbook offers up this imagined version of Weston’s opening remarks, based on a close study of his many (many) TV ads. “Hi. I’m GALEN WESTON. They told me I had to wear a tie today, but I would have preferred a sweater. I’m sure you can all relate. I am nothing if not relatable. “I’d first like to highlight some of the important steps we took to help Canadians through the pandemic. Back in March 2020, we increased wages for our front-line colleagues by C$2 an hour, which I gather was a lot for those people. And yes, it’s true we scrapped that three months later, but we really thought the pandemic would be over by then. It’s just that it was kind of a lot of money, you know? “Now, I know you may have some questions about my personal compensation. But first, I just want to show you these cherry tomatoes. They told me I couldn’t bring props, but I said to hell with that, because I just had to show you these tomatoes. These come straight from some greenhouse in Ontario somewhere, so they have that great local flavor. And believe it or not, they cost less than 10 dollars. Canadians are struggling right now, and we’re listening. “Just like when we froze the prices on our No Name products last fall. We were only trying to help. Was that just a PR stunt to promote something we were going to do anyway? I mean, maybe, but the important thing is that we did it. And a lot of people weren’t very nice to us when we lifted that freeze, but you know, inflation affects us all. I have bills to pay, too. “Anyway, all this to say I’m not the bad guy here. I’m just a guy who likes babies and sweaters and the occasional game of polo. And before I take your questions, I just want to show you these chicken breasts. You know how much they cost? Twelve dollars. You’re welcome.” For real: You can catch the committee here at 4:30 p.m. ET. In what is definitely not a PR stunt, NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH will be there himself to “take on” Weston and Co. | | ALSO FOR YOUR RADAR | |
FOREGONE CONCLUSION — The government's legislative attempt to update digital privacy laws in an era when it cannot possibly keep up with the pace of the internet appears likely to pass second reading. NDP MP ALEXANDRE BOULERICE pledged his party's support during debate on Tuesday morning.
Next stop would be the House ethics committee for review — though it's unclear how long it'll take to clear a parliamentary vote. — NDP concerns: Boulerice offered constructive proposals to fix "all kinds of gaps and shortcomings" in C-27. He pushed for a strengthened consumer protection role for the federal privacy commissioner, compensation for victims of privacy breaches and stiffer penalties for rulebreakers. — Pesky timelines: KEVIN LAMOUREUX initially told the House the best-case scenario would see the bill sent to the Senate before summer. "That was a little optimistic," he clarified Tuesday. "Hopefully we can do it before the end of the year." — Whoopsie: Lamoureux mistakenly assumed C-27 enjoyed all-party support before Conservative MP RICK PERKINS disabused him of the notion. The Tories are opposed. — The CPC position: Lamoureux invited constructive amendments from the opposition, and chided the Tories for refusing to offer specific alternatives. Sherwood Park–Fort Saskatchewan MP GARNETT GENUIS replied that C-27 puts business interests ahead of personal privacy rights — and doesn't support a "genuinely competitive free market." — Foregone conclusion: Conservative MP BRAD REDEKOPP all but acknowledged C-27 will pass second reading. Asked by NDP MP LAUREL COLLINS if political parties exempt from privacy laws should be folded into the bill, Redekopp said it was a question worth exploring at committee. | | | | A message from MDA:   | | |
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT — Canada’s Supreme Court issued a release Tuesday to explain the absence of Justice RUSSELL BROWN, who has been on leave since Feb. 1. The Canadian Judicial Council has revealed Brown is the subject of a complaint.
The Globe’s SEAN FINE has more on the few details that were shared. DONOR CIRCUIT — Tory leader PIERRE POILIEVRE has booked a couple of rooms in British Columbia for next week's March Break reprieve from Ottawa. He's headlining a March 14 fundraiser at the Terminal City Club in Vancouver. He'll head to Vancouver Island the next day for an event in Nanoose Bay. | | TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS | | — It’s caucus day on the Hill. — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in Ottawa. He’s due at national caucus at 10 a.m. and will attend the women’s caucus at noon. He has a date with question period at 2 p.m. — Deputy Prime Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND is in Mississauga to continue a tour of pre-budget consultations with two separate groups of unionized and electrical workers. She will hold a media availability at 12:30 p.m. 8:30 a.m. International Trade Minister MARY NG will announce recipients of funding through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy. 9:30 a.m. European Commission President URSULA VON DER LEYEN will meet Governor General MARY SIMON at Rideau Hall before departing Ottawa for Washington. 10 a.m. The Bank of Canada announces its latest interest rate decision. The Royal Bank expects governor TIFF MACKLEM to leave the 4.5 percent rate unchanged. 4 p.m. Former foreign affairs minister LLOYD AXWORTHY is a video witness at the Senate foreign affairs committee to take questions on Canada’s foreign service and the Global Affairs Canada apparatus. 4:30 p.m. Treasury Board President MONA FORTIER will be in front of the House committee on government operations. 4:30 p.m. Loblaw Companies President GALEN WESTON gets his time in the spotlight at the House agriculture committee to take questions about food price inflation. | | MEDIA ROOM | |
— Here’s NORA LORETO on the unbearable tired/heavy ness of International Women’s Day.
— In the National Post, Alberta lawyer and conservative commentator KARAMVEER LALH makes the case against defunding the CBC. His alternative: Reform. — Historian TIM SAYLE scored rare access to documents that offer a modest amount of insight into Canada's highly secretive JTF 2 special forces. The details are scant, but even the equipment trainees were required to bring to a training course is something. — From the Star’s Alex Boyd in Edmonton: How 15-minute city fears came to Canada. — “We're daydreaming our way into absolute catastrophe,” DAVID SUZUKI says on the latest Hot Politics pod with DAVID MCKIE. — “There’s only one person who could truly enliven the Ontario Liberals’ upcoming contest: BONNIE CROMBIE,” writes STEVE PAIKIN at TVO.org. — Noted in Alberta via CP’s BILL GRAVELAND: Bill 8 — a firearms act to counter federal legislation.
| | PROZONE | |
Read Privacy bill gets House debate, our latest policy newsletter for POLITICO Pro s.
In other news for POLITICO Pro s:
| 
New York City Mayor Eric Adams. | Hans Pennink/AP Photo |
— Eric Adams plans to resettle asylum-seekers across U.S.
— Ottawa invests C$14M in rare earths firms. — Senate, White House push new bipartisan bill that could ban TikTok. — CERAWeek: Podesta permitting push, climate, Kerry LNG spat. — How the Fed's Powell answered three big questions about jobs. — McHenry, Torres to introduce crypto tax bill. | | PLAYBOOKERS | |
Birthdays: HBD to Edmonton Mayor AMARJEET SOHI, former NDP organizer GERRY CAPLAN and labor leader BUZZ HARGROVE.
Spotted: A going away party for Brixton's Pub bartending legend JULIE MCCARTHY, hosted by her new coworkers at nearby Mulligans. Attendees included a strong contingent of NDP staffers, punctuated by NDP MPs ALEXANDRE BOULERICE and GORD JOHNS. Also in the crowd: DON MARTIN, GREG WESTON, LAURA PAYTON, SHIRLEE ENGEL, JORDAN PRESS, ANNE MCGRATH, ALYSON FAIR, LIAM DALY and GREG MACEACHERN. Transport Minister OMAR ALGHABRA, delivering remarks to the Canadian Airports Council reception on the Hill. Also in the room: Alghabra parliamentary secretary ANNIE KOUTRAKIS, AHMED HUSSEN, Tory MPs MARK STRAHL and MICHAEL KRAM, former senator DENNIS DAWSON, Liberal MP KODY BLOIS, Canadian Chamber of Commerce CEO PERRIN BEATTY, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association CEO ROBERT GHIZ. Airports in the room: Toronto Pearson, Toronto Billy Bishop, Vancouver, Edmonton, Moncton, Fredericton, Halifax, St. John's, Winnipeg, Montreal Related: Billy Bishop Airport exec DEBORAH WILSON, Ottawa International Airport Authority KRISTA KEALEY, Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport’s COURTNEY BURNS and Greater Toronto Airports Authority’s LORRIE MCKEE in Ottawa bending the ears of Liberal MP JOHN MCKAY and NDP MP LINDSAY MATHYSSEN. The PINK PALACE getting a C$1 billion makeover. U.S. Ambo DAVID COHEN meeting Canadian Climate Change Ambo CATHERINE STEWART at the American embassy in Ottawa … Immigration Minister SEAN FRASER talking borders with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS … Newfoundland and Labrador Premier ANDREW FUREY in London with RALPH GOODALE … "Yukon balloon," spoken into committee Hansard by Maj.-Gen. DARCY MOLSTAD — the latest military official to get specific about the mysterious floating object shot down by NORAD last month. Sen. ROSA GALVEZ’s orchids: thriving. NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH’s data grab asking people to “RSVP” to watch him face off against GALEN WESTON at a publicly televised committee. Movers and shakers: PIERRE POILIEVRE's director of outreach and stakeholder relations, HOLLY DUGGAN, is off on parental leave as of last Friday. STEPHANIE DUNLOP takes over Duggan's gig. KATE HARPER will step in as acting manager of the leader's tour … Elsewhere in the OLO, PATRICE CHARETTE is no longer listed as a translator. HAMED ESMAEILION resigned as president and spokesperson of the Association of Families of Flight PS752. He'll pursue a "formal role in Iran's revolution." Media mentions: D.C. correspondents RICHARD MADAN and KATIE SIMPSON breaking out the sunnies while getting tape of SEAN FRASER in Washington (h/t ROMAIN SCHUÉ). In memoriam: MP SONIA SIDHU shared news in the House on Tuesday of the passing of LORNA MILNE, who was named to the Senate in 1995. “Lorna was a trailblazer, a leader and a champion for Brampton,” she told MPs. Milne retired from the Senate in 2009. Read the parting tributes from her retirement here. Send Playbookers tips to ottawaplaybook@politico.com. | | | | A message from MDA: We’ll take you there
Serving the world from our Canadian home, MDA is a trusted international space mission partner and a pioneer in space robotics, in-orbit operations, satellite systems and Earth observation. With a 50+ year story of firsts on and above the Earth, today our 2,700 highly-skilled employees are leading the charge towards viable Moon colonies, enhanced Earth insight, and communication in a hyper-connected world. Together with our many intrepid partners, we’re working to change our world for the better, on the ground and in the stars. | | | | | On the Hill | |
→ Find upcoming House committees here
→ Keep track of Senate committees here 12 p.m. The Senate’s subcommittee on veterans affairs will hear from Canadian Psychological Association’s ANDREA LEE about emerging treatments for veterans suffering from work-related stress injuries. 4 p.m. Conservative MP KYLE SEEBACK will be at the Senate social affairs committee to take questions about his private member’s bill, Bill C-242, which is nearing the legislative finish line. 4 p.m. The Senate banking committee meets to discuss tech, innovation and health care. 4:30 p.m. The House justice committee meets to continue its study of Canada’s bail system. 4:30 p.m. Assembly of First Nations Director RENEE ST. GERMAIN is a witness at the House Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee study of improving graduation rates and successful outcomes for students. 4:30 p.m. The House industry committee hears from experts on Bill C-294, an act to amend the Copyright Act. 4:30 p.m. In addition to the Treasury Board president, the House operations committee will hear from other secretariat officials. 6:45 p.m. The Senate transport committee meets to study Bill S-242. National Coalition of Chiefs President DALE SWAMPY and Nisga'a Lisims Government President EVA CLAYTON are on the witness list. — Behind closed doors: The House liaison committee meets; the House citizenship and immigration committee has its sixth closed-door meeting to discuss its report on conditions faced by asylum-seekers on its schedule; Senate Ethics Officer PIERRE LEGAULT meets with the Senate ethics committee. | | TRIVIA | |
Tuesday’s answer: DOUGLAS CARDINAL is the name of the eminent Canadian architect born March 7, 1934 in Calgary.
Props to JOHN ECKER, CHRISTOPHER LALANDE, JOHN DILLON, DOUG RICE, NATHAN GORDON, DOUG SWEET, GERMAINE MALABRE, KEVIN BOSCH, AMY CASTLE, RICHARD REMILLARD, STACI AHONEN, LAURA PAYTON, GORDON RANDALL, LAURA JARVIS, NANCI WAUGH, ANDRÉ BRISBOIS, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, ANDREW SZENDE, JENN KEAY, SARAH ANSON-CARTWRIGHT, SUSAN KEYS and PATRICK DION. Wednesday’s question: “There are hemp farmers and producers who owe their very livelihoods to her,” JOAN FRASER once said of a Senate colleague. Who was she talking about? Think you have a harder trivia question? Send us your best. Playbook wouldn’t happen: Without Luiza Ch. Savage and Sue Allan. | | | | 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 | | | | |  |
