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A daily look inside Canadian politics and power. | | | | |  | | By Nick Taylor-Vaisey, Zi-Ann Lum and Kyle Duggan | Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Ottawa Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. Let's get into it. In today's edition: → Next stop for an Emergencies Act legal challenge: Another court. → The federal Cabinet gets its game face on for a wild election year. → TUCKER CARLSON calls Playbook to talk about his Alberta trip. |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | | 
The 2022 "Freedom Convoy" is back in the news thanks to a judicial review on the decision to use the Emergencies Act to end the protest. | Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images | UNJUSTIFIED — So much for message discipline and carefully crafted policy announcements. Oh, how quickly a federal court ruling derailed JUSTIN TRUDEAU's Montreal Cabinet retreat, empowered outspoken civil rights groups, supercharged a Conservative opposition that lay in wait, and reminded the country that Covid-era rights fights are not yesterday's conversation. They are today's problem, thanks to a judicial review that landed midday on a Tuesday. — What the government wanted to talk about: As Tuesday's Cabinet retreat was getting underway, the PM's office issued a pre-emptive release touting its accomplishments. The release reiterated the retreat's priorities: accelerated homebuilding, a national summit on auto theft, new rules to curb an influx of international students, and a renewed focus on Canada-U.S. relations at the start of a turbulent year. Tuesday was supposed to spotlight Trade Minister MARY NG and Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE, newly tapped as co-leads on the America file. (They did eventually speak to reporters. More on that later in Playbook.) — Wait, there’s more: The release also touted national progress toward cheaper child care, that "Grocery Rebate" meant to help cash-strapped Canadians, and a dedicated savings account for first-time home buyers. It was a greatest hits of post-Covid affordability measures. Armed with those talking points, Cabinet will meet caucus for a separate retreat in Ottawa this week — and then take on the opposition when the House resumes on Monday. — What the government was forced to talk about: Damage control. Justice RICHARD MOSLEY released four decisions on the government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act to quell a weeks-long trucker occupation of downtown Ottawa in the winter of 2022. Mosley ruled parts of the government's invocation infringed Charter rights of free expression and security against unreasonable search or seizure. — The legalese: “The decision to issue the Proclamation [of the act] does not bear the hallmarks of reasonableness — justification, transparency and intelligibility — and was not justified." — Credit where it's due: Mosley tipped his cap to a pair of parties to the case. He said his preliminary view was that the government's actions were justified. Along came the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Constitution Foundation. "This case may not have turned out the way it has without their involvement," he wrote. — When Ottawa found out: Every party to the case received notice on Monday that a ruling was imminent. A CCLA spokesperson told Playbook the court clerk only offered a broad window for Tuesday's publication. The decision dropped near midday. Just after 1 p.m., three ministers faced reporters: Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND, Justice Minister ARIF VIRANI and Public Safety Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC. The government plans to appeal the decision, Freeland said. “Bring it on,” the CCF's CHRISTINE VAN GEYN said in response. → Freeland on invoking the Act: "We took these decisions with a heavy heart. This was not a situation we wanted to find ourselves in and these were not actions we took with any satisfaction or relish." → LeBlanc on making calls: "I spoke to premiers from British Columbia to Nova Scotia about risks to their community safety. We saw border crossings and the damage to the Canadian economy, thousands of jobs put at risk. We spoke with the premier of Ontario and the government of Ontario that supported the invocation of the Emergencies Act two years ago. I think that's an important moment " → Virani on the basis for appeal: "A member of the court of appeal, Justice ROULEAU, conducted a very public comprehensive and transparent investigation into the reasonableness of the government's decision. That decision stands at odds with the decision that was rendered today." — Oh, the timing: The ruling dropped almost precisely two years after the first trucker convoys departed for Ottawa. As fate would have it, the first recorded convoy gathered on Jan. 22, 2022 in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. — What a coinkydink: … which happened to be precisely where Tory Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE rallied supporters yesterday and introduced a star candidate: ELLIS ROSS, a provincial politician who hopes to reclaim the teetering NDP stronghold of Skeena-Bulkley Valley for the Conservatives. Cue Poilievre's indignation and fundraising. | | Where the leaders are | |
— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in the National Capital Region with no public events on his schedule.
— Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND is in Ottawa for "private meetings." — NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH is in Edmonton for his party's caucus retreat. He'll host an afternoon roundtable with "housing stakeholders." | | | Talk of the town | | |
CANADA’S LIBERATOR — American right-wing media darling TUCKER CARLSON brings his MAGA message to Calgary and Edmonton today — and will make some bank doing it.
— Behind the scenes: Calgary-based events company tinePublic organized Carlson’s two-stop Alberta tour making good on an opportunity to spin the former Fox News host’s online popularity into an offline live events franchise. — Star power: Trump has floated Carlson’s name as a potential running mate, their hot-and-cold relationship aside. The former host of Fox News visited Argentina’s JAVIER MILEI and Hungarian Prime Minister VIKTOR ORBÁN, fueling speculation he’s auditioning for secretary of state. The former Fox News host tells Playbook he doesn’t want to talk about it. “There was a time when journalists knew that talking about the future was a fruitless endeavor. In fact, it wasn't journalism. So I'm not going to respond to that,” Carlson said before ending the call. “I have to go because my plane is taking off,” he said. “I'm gonna go liberate Canada.” — The POLITICO feature: Carlson brings MAGA tour to Calgary. — All in a day: Carlson’s arrival in Alberta comes nearly a year after he called on Americans to “liberate” Canada from Trudeau, someone he’s taken to calling “so uninteresting.” Trudeau is back in Ottawa after wrapping his Montreal Cabinet retreat where ministers have been gaming out political and trade challenges that could follow DONALD TRUMP’s possible White House return. — Meanwhile in Alberta: One of Carlson’s on-stage guests in Calgary is United Conservative Party Premier DANIELLE SMITH. Expect the PM to be an inevitable political punchline. Team Trudeau has spent months trying to knock Conservatives’ surging popularity by accusing the party of importing far-right “American-style” politics in Canada. — By the numbers: Despite the Liberals’ efforts to warn against the MAGA movement’s northern overtures, roughly 12,000 people total are expected to turn out today in two separate events headlined by Carlson in Calgary and Edmonton — and some are paying a premium. Tickets for the Calgary event cost C$200 and hundreds more for a seat with catered lunch. For Carlson’s evening event at Edmonton’s Rogers Place, organizers said the 8,000 tickets released are nearly all gone. More than 17,000 signatures have been collected on a petition calling Rogers Place to cancel the show. | | 2024 WATCH | |
FACING THE UNPREDICTABLE — Outside the Cabinet retreat Tuesday, Trudeau vowed Canada will be “ready to deal with whatever gets tossed at us” from the next U.S. president, whomever that may be.
— Top of POLITICO this hour: The bright red warning signs in DONALD TRUMP's win in New Hampshire. In other news from last night: JOE BIDEN wins the write-in campaign. — On Tuesday: Trudeau tapped Trade Minister MARY NG and Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE to lead a “Team Canada approach," along with Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., KIRSTEN HILLMAN, to defend and promote Canada’s interests south of the border. The aim is to bring together key players — experts, industry stakeholders, premiers and so on — to bolster Canada’s relationship with its largest trading partner. — What’s the diff?: Hillman was asked by reporters outside the Cabinet retreat in Montreal how this approach will be any different from Canada’s daily diplomatic and trade efforts. “This is a really important year,” she said, adding the team will need to be “very deliberate” about how it’s “mapping” conversations with key figures across the U.S., and be ready to “deploy Canadians to the U.S. to talk with their counterparts about the importance of the strength of our relationship.” Both Ng and Champagne described it as a “doubling-down.” One name in particular casts a long shadow over the news, which Trudeau responded to directly when asked. “Obviously, Mr. Trump represents a certain amount of unpredictability," Trudeau said, "but we will make sure we're pulling together and preparing for whatever eventualities.” — Claim to fame: Canada took a similar approach the last time it dealt with a Trump White House, which put Canada through the ringer on trade. At the time, then-foreign affairs minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND ran point for Canada, and her former chief of staff, BRIAN CLOW, now deputy chief of staff to Trudeau, had headed up a Canada-U.S. war room in the prime minister’s office. — Will the band get back together?: SIMON BEAUCHEMIN and DIAMOND ISINGER were on that crack PMO team and since moved onto other endeavours. ELISE WAGNER, who joined that team in 2018, moved to Ng’s office in late 2022. — The key question: How much outreach has the Trudeau government done with the Trump team behind the scenes? — Someone’s ears are burning: Talking to reporters on primary day in New Hampshire, which shares a border with Canada, Trump was asked about the northern border and replied, “You have to watch both borders.” “The southern border is like nobody’s ever seen, but the northern border is bad, too.” Immigration is a main concern for GOP voters, and candidates have raised the northern border as an issue on the campaign trail, discussing border walls or stepping up patrols. | | HALLWAY CONVERSATION | | | | 
Flavio Volpe (at right). | Photo courtesy of Flavio Volpe | BORDER BRIEFING — FLAVIO VOLPE was uncharacteristically cautious on the phone with Playbook following a session with Cabinet on Canada-U.S. relations. The head of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association doesn't often bite his tongue. But the lineup of expert briefers who took questions from ministers in Montreal were different versions of reticent. Volpe told Playbook the request to speak to Cabinet came about a week ago. He described the discussion as "refreshingly candid" — a conversation, not a lecture, with "real listening" and "real interest in getting to the subject matter." — Key point: "I wanted to give them an in-person affirmation that 'Team Canada'-type efforts work. That's across the political spectrum, but also across civil society and business. Sometimes they need to hear that from outside of Ottawa." — Bigger than Trump: Playbook asked Volpe how much of his day is consumed by cross-border issues. The answer: A lot. "We're on this now full time," Volpe said. "We're always talking about it, always trying to measure where the Americans are going. We thoughtfully express our willingness to do things together — and where we can forecast their interest might conflict with ours, try to get ahead of it. The prospect of DONALD TRUMP getting elected again is just part of that effort. But that effort didn't exist before he came on the scene." — Daily task: "Every single day, read the tearsheets in Washington or Sacramento or any other capitals of importance, to see if today's dynamic causes you to pack a bag and get on a plane." — Lots of packed bags: Volpe expects to travel stateside on average twice a month, ramping up as a chaotic year grows older. | | | MEDIA ROOM | | |
— POLITICO’s JAMES ANGELOS reports on a decision from Germany’s top court that is amplifying debate about whether legal steps are needed to rein in the far-right Alternative for Germany — a.k.a. The party that made successful outreach to 3 Tory MPs last year.
— On CBC News, Ukrainian first lady OLENA ZELENSKA tells ADRIENNE ARSENAULT that Ukraine and Canada have put the Yaroslav Hunka affair behind them. — Meanwhile, over on CTV, ANTHONY ROTA says "it has been hell" since he resigned as Speaker of the House. — MARK STEVENSON has a new dispatch at the Public Policy Forum this morning. Key excerpt: "Few things are as foundational to the free movement of goods through an economy as a smoothly functioning trucking industry. Yet few industries in Atlantic Canada face as many regulations that seem almost designed to gum up the works." — Calgary Herald business columnist CHRIS VARCOE reports the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project is now “weeks” away from completion. — “A little on the charismatic side”: Outgoing Alberta NDP Leader RACHEL NOTLEY breaks down the Alberta “that people don’t see” to The Current’s MATT GALLOWAY. — CBC News’ DAVID THURTON has the low down on the NDP’s caucus meeting in Edmonton. — The Economist has a sobering read on some American business titans being alarmed about a Trump comeback while others “quietly welcome the chaos trade.” — Finally, from ELIZABETH THOMPSON this morning: Cost to taxpayers of protecting members of Parliament hits a record high.
| | PROZONE | |
Our latest policy newsletter for Pro s from KYLE DUGGAN and SUE ALLAN: Court deems Trudeau’s use of Emergencies Act ‘unreasonable’.
In other news for Pro readers: — Trudeau assembles "Team Canada" to ready for US election. — US Senate Agriculture panel inches toward new leadership. — Shipbuilders ask for EU help on Chinese subsidies. — Expectations lowered for transatlantic trade and tech summit. — UN expert ‘alarmed’ by UK politicians’ attacks on green protesters. | | Playbookers | |
Birthdays: Retired senators MURRAY SINCLAIR, JOE DAY and CONSIGLIO DI NINO celebrate another candle on their cakes today. Same with former NDP MP ALEX ATAMANENKO.
HBD + 1 to the Curse pod's JORDAN LEICHNITZ. Birthdays, gatherings, social notices for this community: Send them our way. Spotted: The witness list for the foreign interference public inquiry's first five days of hearings, which get underway Jan. 29: Université de Montréal's PIERRE TRUDEL, University of Calgary's MICHAEL NESBITT, Carleton University's LEAH WEST, former CSIS Director RICHARD FADDEN, former CSIS assistant director ALAN JONES, CSIS director DAVID VIGNEAULT, Communications Security Establishment deputy chief of signals intelligence ALIA TAYYEB, deputy national security and intelligence adviser DAN ROGERS, and Public Safety Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC. Elections Canada records, which reveal Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE drew a grand total of 11 Liberal donors to a Jan. 16 Regina party fundraiser. Another set of Elections Canada records, which detail the 70 Conservative donors who attended a PIERRE POILIEVRE fundraiser in Westmount, Que. In the room: former foreign minister LAWRENCE CANNON, real estate developer VINCENT CHIARA, lawyer and author ADAM DAIFALLAH, Scotiabank vice-chair MARK MULRONEY, former National Bank CEO LOUIS VACHON, Conservative operative CARL VALLÉE, former Hill staffer LUC OUELLET and Métro CEO ERIC LAFLÈCHE. A third set of records, which list 79 donors who trudged up to the Bennett Jones office in Toronto's First Canadian Place. In that room: Mulroney, Daifallah, Bennett Jones senior adviser JOHN BAIRD, businessman LEONARD ASPER, former PC staffer and broadcaster BONNIE BROWNLEE, former Toronto city councilor KAREN STINTZ, former Rogers CEO JOE NATALE, Navigator executive chair JAIME WATT, corporate affairs executive REGAN WATTS, and Prospectus co-founder BILL PRISTANSKI. Movers and shakers: U.S. Ambassador DAVID COHEN hosting Ontario’s new envoy in Washington, DAVID PATERSON, at Lornado … Calgary Mayor JYOTI GONDEK taking a meeting with Liberal MP MANINDER SIDHU and Calgary Economic Development CEO BRAD PERRY to talk about Indo-Pacific trade. BC NDP outreach strategist DAVID GULLIVER is joining Earnscliffe Strategies; Earnscliffe announced this week the acquisition of PR firm Kaiser & Partners. Send Playbookers tips to ottawaplaybook@politico.com . | | ON THE HILL | |
The House of Commons is back Jan. 29; the Senate returns Feb. 6.
→ Find House committees here. → Keep track of Senate committees here. 9:45 a.m. The Bank of Canada will announce its decision on the target for the overnight rate. We're tracking every major political event of 2024 on a mega-calendar. Send us events and download the calendar yourself for Google and other clients . | | TRIVIA | | | | 
The scene on the Rideau Canal in 2012 during NHL All-Star festivities. | Bruce Bennett/Getty Images | Tuesday’s answer: According to the National Capital Commission in a recent release: More than 140 National Hockey League rinks, or more than 122 Olympic-sized hockey rinks, could fit on the total ice surface of the Rideau Canal Skateway (223,400 square metres). Props to DARRYL DAMUDE and ROBERT MCDOUGALL. A few readers pointed us to this article from CBC News in which a refrigeration expert suggested the answer was 60. A couple of smart alecks told us “all” the NHL rinks could fit on the canal. “Probably not the answer you are looking for, but technically, I am correct,” quipped one. Wednesday’s question: QUENTIN VERCETTY created a bust that was recently unveiled at Queen’s Park. “He was one of the greatest Canadians,” he said of his subject. Who did he sculpt? 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? Run a Playbook ad campaign. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. Playbook wouldn’t happen without: POLITICO Canada editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and Luiza Ch. Savage. | | | | 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 | | | | |  |
