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A daily look inside Canadian politics and power. | | | | |  | | By Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Zi-Ann Lum | Welcome to Ottawa Playbook. Let's get into it. In today's edition: → The Conservative convention's defining feature: all the ads that will come out of it. → Indian PM NARENDRA MODI met JUSTIN TRUDEAU. Their "readouts" from the rendezvous differed. → Trudeau's new airplane for long-haul flights can't come soon enough.
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | 
Pierre Poilievre speaks to delegates at the Conservative Party Convention on Friday in Quebec City. | Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press |
POILIEVRE'S MOMENT — The end-of-summer federal polls are looking so good for the Tories that some MPs joke the party is peaking too soon. PIERRE POILIEVRE's caucus is united in a way that only STEPHEN HARPER has ever managed. Meanwhile, grumpy Liberals are grumbling to reporters on the eve of a pre-fall caucus retreat in London, Ont.
A brief aside: Remember that energetic Liberal convention in May, when Trudeau cemented himself as the guy to lead his troops into a fourth-straight campaign? What a summer. Poilievre couldn't have asked for rosier circumstances for a convention last week headlined by a rally-style speech in front of a few thousand energized delegates. — Echoes of a Brampton barnburner: Eight years ago, JUSTIN TRUDEAU fired up thousands of Liberal supporters at an arena in Brampton, Ont. — an October rally that coincided with the party's first sustained polling lead of the campaign. Trudeau's speech that evening produced the defining ad of that election — a man leading not just a political party, but a movement for change. Poilievre's speech has already produced a vignette for social media — "Hope & Home" — that attempts a similar vibe. More than one delegate noted the comparison. The audience on Friday was mostly in the room. But oh, there will be more clips and million-dollar advertising campaigns. In the end, most Canadians will have seen at least some of the highlight reel. — Can I borrow a feeling? Poilievre speeches largely appeal to emotion, a talent his team says differentiates the Tory leader from a Liberal front bench — including the prime minister — that can seem incapable of empathy as Canadians slog through high inflation and rising interest rates. Poilievre's oratory can drift into schmaltz. He closed on a pleasant scene in a fictional neighborhood in which a content couple contemplated their summertime contentment on a front porch. "Holding a cold drink in one hand and a paycheck in the other," he said, describing a worker who sadly doesn't benefit from direct deposit, "they look into each other's eyes in a way that can only say the hard work paid off, the sacrifices were worth it because finally, we're home." Call it corny, but that rhetoric is a feature, not a bug. — Poilievre needs an editor: Why? Everybody needs an editor. Every writer who ever lived has watched their favorite lines, the brilliant prose that dawned on them in the shower or woke them up in the middle of the night, sliced and diced by people paid to axe bad writing. Poilievre, the primary pen on his 65-minute speech, attempted to be everything to everybody: soaring rhetoric, heartfelt anecdotes, extensive policy proposals, and mockery of Trudeau. But one delegate in the cheap seats watched elderly delegates make haste for the washrooms outside the hall — their bladders no longer suited to marathon soliloquy. Cut it in half, some said. And don't look down at the teleprompter. That'll look bad in the ads.
| | | | GO INSIDE THE WORLD’S BIGGEST DIPLOMATIC PLATFORM WITH UNGA PLAYBOOK: The 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly will jam some of the world's most influential leaders into four city blocks in Manhattan. POLITICO's special edition UNGA Playbook will take you inside this important gathering starting Sept. 17 — revealing newsy nuggets throughout the week and insights into the most pressing issues facing global decision-makers today. Sign up for UNGA Playbook. | | | | | CONVENTION NOTEBOOK — The dissonance was palpable. The controversial new policy that came out of the Quebec City convention center never struggled for support in the room. Few delegates were openly perturbed by any of it. Meanwhile, progressives on the outside looking in were aghast at what had transpired. — The words not said: Sixty-nine percent of Conservatives in the room voted in favor of policy that would prohibit "life altering medicinal or surgical interventions on minors under 18 to treat gender confusion or dysphoria." Eighty-seven percent approved another that would guarantee single-sex spaces and awards to women, which they also defined as a "female person." Both motions alarmed transgender people, whose identities were targeted by the motions even if they weren't explicitly referenced in the wording. LISA BONANG, a family physician from Nova Scotia, implored delegates not to approve the surgical interventions motion. “This policy stands against the values of our party to embrace freedom and bodily autonomy," she said. "A vote for this is voting against what you say you’re all for, and is pure hypocrisy." Bonang, though, didn't specifically mention trans people — nor did anybody else who opposed either motion at a microphone. Monday morning brought this headline: Transgender Tory candidate HANNAH HODSON says vote against gender-affirming care could cost lives — The predictable snafu: There wasn't enough coffee for thousands of delegates who needed caffeine to revive themselves after long nights of boozing and/or sharpen their minds as they walked into policy or constitutional debates that some delegates really, really, really felt strongly about, thank you very much. But the lack of java wasn't the snafu. Organizers committed a cardinal sin of screwing up the lanyards. They misspelled "Congrès" en français. Lanyards are collectibles. People keep them in drawers back home for years. Don't mess with them. — Tease of the day: PETER MACKAY, a former Progressive Conservative leader and who helped forge the modern party and is now a walking, talking symbol of unity, stepped away from elected Conservative politics in 2015. He mounted a failed bid to lead the Tories in 2020, then decided against running in the 2021 election. Now a convention keynote, MacKay appeared to have a big reveal planned for delegates. "I've been thinking a lot about my future, and discussing this with my wife Nazanin and family and friends back in Central Nova," he said. "And so I figured there's no better place than here with all of you to let you in on a little secret." Oh? "I believe Pierre Poilievre will be the next prime minister of Canada." Oh. Still, don't be surprised if MacKay, said to be mulling another run, winds up on a ballot. He'd likely square off against Housing Minister SEAN FRASER in what would be one of the highest-profile showdowns in the country. Know someone who would like Ottawa Playbook? Please direct them to this link . Five days a week, zero dollars.
| | For your radar | | | | 
Justin Trudeau at the end of the G-20 summit in New Delhi, India, on Sunday, Sept.10, 2023. | Manish Swarup | AP |
PLANE TROUBLE — The Canadian delegation at the G-20 Summit in New Delhi didn't take off for Canada as scheduled on Sunday. The CC-130 Polaris designed to fly through the air was, thanks to "technical problems," grounded at the airport.
Plane spotters at the Ottawa airport noted the arrival of a new airplane: an Airbus A330 previously used by Kuwait Airlines but converted for Air Force use. Would it, they wondered, ferry the PM and company to the ASEAN and G-20 gatherings? No. The decades-old clunker — which only four years ago sustained heavy damage in a CFB Trenton towing accident, sidelining it for more than a year — got the assignment. Canadian Press reporter MICKEY DJURIC, who traveled with the PM, reported Monday that Trudeau "wants to be at the Liberal caucus retreat that starts Wednesday in London, Ont. And that the Canadian Armed Forces is doing their best to get the delegation back to Canada." Until he can get a plane that can fly, Trudeau will work at his New Delhi hotel. — New ride soon: The Department of National Defence tells Playbook the new-used plane, the first of five procured and prepared for service as tanker transports by International AirFinance Corporation, will likely enter service "sometime this fall" as a CC-330 Husky, and serve government VIPs on an interim basis. The feds are eventually buying four other brand-new A330s from Airbus. DUELING READOUTS — Indian PM NARENDRA MODI played host to G-20 leaders and pushed out cheery recaps of their conversations. And then there was his chat with Trudeau. Here's what Modi had to say about his 15-minute chat with the Canadian on the summit's margins: "He conveyed our strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada. They are promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship. The nexus of such forces with organized crime, drug syndicates and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well. It is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats." This differed somewhat from Trudeau's preferred version of events, though he acknowledged to reporters that the two leaders did discuss a movement in Canada that hopes for a separate Sikh country in what is now the Indian state of Punjab. They also spoke about foreign interference in Canada. Trudeau's national security adviser, JODY THOMAS, had name-checked India alongside Russia and China as nations of concern at a parliamentary committee meeting in June. Here's how Trudeau framed the conversation: "Diaspora Canadians make up a huge proportion of our country, and they should be able to express themselves and make their choices without interference from any of the many countries that we know are involved in interference challenges." — Irritant watch: The Canadian PM had earlier skipped out on a president's reception hosted by Modi. Canada also asked for a pause on bilateral free-trade talks over the summer. Asked about that reprieve, Trudeau told reporters: "We know the negotiations around free trade are long and complex and I won't say any more." ‘NEW AGE POST-TRUTH MATH’ — The idea to ditch 24 Sussex in favor of building the prime minister’s residence in a new location was called dumb in 50 different ways Friday. Rats in a building is a pest control problem rather than a measure of the condition of the building, said KEN GRAFTON, director of Historic Ottawa Development, in a West Block news conference. “I think most Canadians would call an exterminator rather than a demolition contractor.” Grafton represents a low-profile heritage group that wants to save the empty official residence. They’ve made noise before, questioning the veracity of using a C$37 million figure, lifted from a third-party report, as the indisputable estimate of the cost of a full reno. — Trial balloon review: He pooh-poohed how the figure has creeped into The National Dialogue again after unnamed officials leaked to Radio-Canada’s DANIEL LEBLANC that the government is mulling new locations for the prime minister’s residence, citing safety concerns. — Grafton’s public purse argument: “I have a question this afternoon for my fellow taxpayers in Canada. That is: in what alternate universe is it going to be cheaper for us to, one, build a new residence to then maintain two public buildings instead of one public building — and then renovate 24 Sussex anyway for the new tenant rather than just doing the last thing: Renovating 24 Sussex. This is New Age, post-truth math and it's complete nonsense. Logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead at the gates of 24 Sussex.”
| | TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS | | — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU was reportedly grounded in India at Playbook's deadline. The government airplane meant to fly him home experienced "technical problems." He was previously slated to return to Canada today. — Tourism Minister SORAYA MARTINEZ FERRADA is in Chile. She will attend the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of a coup d’état in the country. 11 a.m. Public Services and Procurement Minister JEAN-YVES DUCLOS is in Quebec City to dedicate CCGS Vincent Massey, a new medium class icebreaker — and the third to be converted for the Coast Guard by the Davie shipyard since 2019.
| | | MEDIA ROOM | | | — The Canadian Press’ MICKEY DJURIC flagged how the Prime Minister’s Office chose to give its last G-20 media pass to Trudeau’s official videographer, someone on their own payroll, instead of an independent pool reporter. — As Liberals head to London, Ontario for a three-day national caucus retreat, a topical read from the Toronto Star’s ALTHIA RAJ about internal frustrations brewing around leadership because the party feels it’s being clobbered by PIERRE POILIEVRE. — La Presse Editor-in-Chief STÉPHANIE GRAMMOND wears her chief editorialist hat in a new column, recalling the merits of blowing up our individualistic, self-absorbed bubbles. — Associated Press weekend report: U.S., Canada sail warships through the Taiwan Strait in a challenge to China.
| | | | Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of the first episodes in September – click here. | | | | | | | PROZONE | | For POLITICO Pro s, our latest policy newsletter from ZI-ANN LUM: What we don’t know about the housing crisis — U.S. Treasury lays out next phase of clean energy tax credit implementation — The world isn’t on track to meet Paris Agreement goals, says UN climate review — U.S., India resolve 11-year-old poultry dispute during Biden visit — ‘We have no idea’: Regulators in the dark about rising U.S. power grid attacks — EPA sets next steps for first addition to air toxics list
| | PLAYBOOKERS | | Birthdays: HBD to former MP RAJ GREWAL. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way. Spotted: Shopify CEO TOBIAS LÜTKE, new Toronto resident after founding the e-commerce giant in Ottawa (he should update his LinkedIn). Fellow Shopify exec HARLEY FINKELSTEIN recently decamped for Montreal. U.S. Ambassador DAVID COHEN hosting Families Minister JENNA SUDDS at Lornado on Friday for a morning coffee … “Bring it Home” merch: Coming soon … Conservative MP BOB ZIMMER, modeling a new party-sanctioned “Protect Hunters” tee … And Poilievre’s “Axe The Tax” version. A reminder from JEAN-PHILIPPE LINTEAU, Canada’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, that the best parts of visiting Global Affairs HQ are the viewports outside the building … Canada’s Ambassador to France, STÉPHANE DION, meeting with Foreign Affairs ParlSec ROB OLIPHANT in Paris … “Arrêt obligé!”: Bloc Québécois press secretary JULIEN COULOMBE-BONNAFOUS sharing a pic posing with a statue of RENÉ LÉVESQUE. Japanese Ambassador KANJI YAMANOUCHI and South Korean Ambassador LIM WOONGSOON, picking up Korean BBQ at Daldongnae in Ottawa for a meeting to swap thoughts on Japan-Korea relations and Japan-Korea-U.S. relations ... The two ambos spotted and posed with food influencer LOGANSFEWD. LAUREEN HARPER, ascending picturesque false summits in Glasgow. Liberal Halton region MPs ANITA ANAND, KARINA GOULD, PAM DAMOFF and ADAM VAN KOEVERDEN choosing tacos for a working lunch at Por Vida Mezcal & Mexican in Oakville … In other pre-caucus summits, Quebec Liberal MPs gathered to share notes including RACHEL BENDAYAN, PABLO RODRIGUEZ, MARC MILLER, ANTHONY HOUSEFATHER, PASCALE ST-ONGE, GREG FERGUS, FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE, FRANCIS SCARPALEGGIA, DIANE LEBOUTHILLIER and MARIE-CLAUDE BIBEAU. Movers and shakers: JWANE IZZETPANAH is GEDS official as acting manager of stakeholder relations in PIERRE POILIEVRE's office. The federal e-directory also now lists FANNY BOULANGER as a parliamentary affairs assistant in the same office. Former Liberal Cabinet minister IRWIN COTLER, a longtime human rights advocate, was awarded Israel’s Presidential Medal of Honor in a ceremony at Israeli President ISAAC HERZOG’s residence last week. Crestview consultant ALEXA SIPEKI is repping McDonald's on the Hill (P.S. The fast food chain's ever-popular annual Hill reception is Sept. 26. Brace for endless McNuggets.) ROB BATHERSON announced his seven-year tenure on the Conservative national council has come to an end. Media mentions: Health reporter WENCY LEUNG has left The Globe and Mail. Farewells: Former Liberal Cabinet minister MONIQUE BÉGIN died Friday at the age of 87. Bégin, a feminist icon, was the secretary general of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women. She was one of the first women elected as an MP in Quebec. Later, as health and welfare minister, she shepherded the Canada Health Act into law. Maclean's profiled Bégin in 2017 when the magazine awarded her a lifetime achievement award.
| | TRIVIA | | Friday’s answer: It was ADRIENNE CLARKSON who said: “I’m very proud that the little town, which was covered in snow, white snow, full of white people in 1942, and to which our little family came, is now the kind of place in which I can take my role. You couldn’t have 79 different kinds of people on the street if it weren’t Canada.” She was named governor general on Sept. 8, 1999. Props to GANGA WIGNARAJAH, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, PAUL QUINTILIAN, QASIR DAR, BOOTS VAISEY and GEORGE SCHOENHOFER. Monday’s question: Two Canadian PMs have delivered addresses to joint sessions of Congress. Who were they? For a bonus point, name the other Canadian to do the same. Send your answer to ottawaplaybook@politico.com Playbook wouldn’t happen without: Luiza Ch. Savage, Sue Allan and Emma Anderson. Correction: Thursday’s Ottawa Playbook misspelled the name of Greg Loerts, who recently joined Bluesky Strategy Group as a consultant. 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. | | | | 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 | | | | |  |
