The little app that couldn't

From: POLITICO Ottawa Playbook - Monday Feb 12,2024 11:01 am

Feb 12, 2024

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By Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Zi-Ann Lum

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Welcome to Ottawa Playbook. Let's get into it.

In today’s edition:

→ If you're tired of the ArriveCAN discourse, take the day if you can.

→ Time is ticking quickly on the government's March MAID deadline.

→ A closer look at the federal government's advertising budget.

THREE THINGS WE'RE WATCHING

ARRIVECAN DAY — The arc of an auditor general's report is painfully predictable.

AG KAREN HOGAN exposes shoddy management of federal spending. The Liberals pledge to more effectively steward the public purse. The opposition makes hay. The government hopes for a one-day story. The critics draw it out. 'Twas ever thus.

Today, Hogan reports on the inner workings of the beleaguered ArriveCAN app.

— Not a blip: Conservatives have spent years barking about ArriveCAN, a pandemic tool meant to facilitate border crossing for international travel. At first, they worried about privacy protections and complained about malfunctions.

Then the Globe dropped a bombshell, reporting in October 2022 that the app's development cost at least C$54 million — millions more than official estimates.

A month later, the House called on Hogan to probe "all aspects" of the app, "including payments, contracts, and subcontracts." Which brings us to today.

— Fuel to the fire: The House also asked the federal procurement ombuds, ALEXANDER JEGLIC, to sort through dozens of ArriveCAN contracts for fishy practices. Jeglic's report packed a wallop when he published it in January.

The ombuds voiced serious concerns about subcontractors who never performed work and millions paid to a two-person company, GCStrategies, whose paperwork raised red flags.

— A yet-more-tangled web: The RCMP is investigating contracting misconduct allegations at the Canada Border Services Agency, which also paid for ArriveCAN. The Mounties aren't specifically probing the app, but certain contracting under their microscope was also associated with ArriveCAN.

Last Wednesday, MPs suspended hearings into the app after reading a secret preliminary CBSA report into contracting. Liberal, NDP and Bloc Québécois MPs claimed public discussion of the report could threaten ongoing investigations. Tories claimed coverup.

— Pre-positioning: Conservatives are certain that "corruption and incompetence" is behind this mess. Liberals insist it's much ado about nothing. JENNIFER O'CONNELL, the parlsec for procurement, uttered words she may soon regret: "We look forward to the OAG report on ArriveCAN," she said last week.

— Inauspicious anniversary: This past weekend marked the 20th spin around the sun since SHEILA FRASER's legendary audit of the federal sponsorship program, which supercharged a scandal that punished then-PM PAUL MARTIN's government.

IN THE HOUSE — Five more days until MPs leave Ottawa for a week.

Government House Leader STEVEN MACKINNON confirmed last week that Liberals will prioritize Bill C-62, Health Minister MARK HOLLAND’s legislation to delay the expansion of medical assistance in dying by three years.

Holland is staring down a critical deadline.

On March 17, people suffering solely from mental illness could qualify for medical assistance in dying. The government wants to delay the expansion to 2027, arguing provincial and territorial health authorities need time to ready their systems.

The March deadline is actually 10 sitting days away, thanks to a House calendar packed with constituency weeks. The government hopes to reach third reading this week, which would leave the Senate a single pre-deadline week to consider C-62.

— Also on the agenda: Two government bills that have been sent back from the Senate with amendments: Bill C-29 (the establishment of a national council for reconciliation) and Bill C-35 (legislation to enshrine a Canada-wide early learning and child care into law).

SUMMIT WATCH — Energy Minister JONATHAN WILKINSON is Paris-bound for two days of ministerial meetings at an International Energy Agency 50th anniversary gathering.

Tomorrow is Day 1. Canada is set to lead an afternoon high-level dialog with a very Liberal-friendly title: "Building a prosperous & inclusive economy for the future."

— On the agenda: "Major issues include the risks to energy security linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and beyond — and international efforts to deliver on the outcomes of the COP28 climate change conference," says the IEA.

A message from Insurance Bureau of Canada:

Canada needs to fund the National Flood Insurance Program now because flooding is Canada’s greatest climate threat. By launching the National Flood Insurance Program, the federal government can help protect the 1.5 million high-risk households that cannot obtain affordable flood insurance. And this can be done on a cost-neutral basis. Read more here.

2024 WATCH

ARTICLE FIVE, SCHMARTICLE SCHMIVE — Former president DONALD TRUMP says he would encourage Vladimir Putin to invade NATO allies that don't spend 2 percent of GDP on defense.

Here's what Trump told a South Carolina rally over the weekend, recounting an apparent exchange with another world leader: "One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, ‘Well, sir, if we don’t pay, and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?’" he recalled. "‘You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent? ... No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.'”

Article 5 of the NATO treaty compels the alliance to consider an attack on one member as an attack on all. Trump's claim turned that commitment to collective defense on its head — and was roundly condemned by stunned politicians on both sides of the aisle.

— A bunch of talk: Sen. MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.) told CNN's "State of the Union" that Trump's statements shouldn't be interpreted literally. “He doesn’t talk like a traditional politician,” Rubio insisted. Trump, he said, wouldn't actually invite Russian invasions.

— Now for something completely different: Trump urged TAYLOR SWIFT not to endorse JOE BIDEN's reelection campaign, claiming credit for her financial success. The Republican hopeful did have nice things to say about Swift's boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs superstar and three-time Super Bowl champ TRAVIS KELCE, "even though he may be a Liberal, and probably can’t stand me!"

Where the leaders are

— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU will attend a Lunar New Year reception at 6:15 p.m. alongside Trade Minister MARY NG.

— Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND plans to attend question period.

— NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH also plans to attend QP.

For your radar

OUT WITH THE OLD — The federal government spent most of last year's advertising budget on digital plays. Traditional media, which includes TV, radio, print and billboards, collected its lowest share of ad buys in the internet era.

The 2022-23 annual report on government advertising, which dropped late last month, reveals a quasi-detailed breakdown of taxpayer dollars forked over for federal ads. We scrolled through the tables and charts.

— The big number: A total spend of C$86.1 million. That's down considerably from C$140.8 million in 2021–22 when pandemic PSAs were still the rage, but higher than the C$50.1 million total for the halcyon pre-Covid days of 2019-20.

— The top five spenders: Public Health Agency of Canada (C$16.8 million), National Defence (C$8.4 million), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (C$7.5 million), Canada Revenue Agency (C$7.1 million), Employment and Social Development (C$7.1 million).

— Digital first: Ottawa allotted 71 percent of its budget to digital platforms. Print publications scored a tiny fraction of the total, scooping up a mere C$944,602.

Meta's platforms, which appeared on track to match the previous year's C$11.4 million haul, scored only C$6.9 million after the feds turned off the taps in July.

TikTok spending fell a tick to C$1.1 million. A federal decision to ban the app from government devices did not influence the government’s decision to continue to buy ad space on the platform.

LinkedIn keeners might've noticed more Ottawa on their feed. The feds spent C$2.5 million there, a high water mark for the aggressive networking set's fave online space.

Was there interest in Pinterest? Well, Ottawa spent C$599,327 there, too.

Ottawa even shelled out C$18,200 on Reddit, a popular spot last year for public servants who vented mercilessly about their forced return to offices.

MEDIA ROOM

— Is Canada’s consensus on immigration fracturing? The immigration minister joined the Star’s ALTHIA RAJ to discuss the cracks on the latest episode of It’s Political.

— “Somebody has finally told Trudeau, in his ninth year as prime minister, that when he speaks in the soothing tones of a statesman people start to nod off,” PAUL WELLS notes of the PM’s pre-weekend presser, which included the words “furious,” “garbage decision” and “pissed off.”

— 338Canada's PHILIPPE J. FOURNIER notes persistent Liberal slippage in the polls, including lost ground to Conservatives in Quebec.

— DOMINIC BARTON's latest dove-ish thinking on China, reported by the Globe, had hawkish Conservative eyes rolling over the weekend.

— What do “clean” and “green” actually mean? The Narwhal’s CARL MEYER and FATIMA SYED take a deep dive into corporate greenwashing in Canada.

— The CBC News West of Centre pod considers the race to replace RACHEL NOTLEY.

— “The truth is, neither Justin Trudeau nor Pierre Poilievre have made any real effort to sell Canada’s (relatively meager) support for Ukraine to their partisan supporters, nor to Canadians as a whole,” ANDREW POTTER writes on The Line. “Instead, Ukraine has become yet another Canadian partisan football, to be punted across the Commons as needed.”

A message from Insurance Bureau of Canada:

PROZONE

For POLITICO Pro s, our latest policy newsletter by ZI-ANN LUM: Trudeau tempers troubled NDP deal.

In other news for Pro readers:

— Russia threatens to quit Arctic Council.

— Finally ratify Canada deal, EU urges countries.

— Arctic shipwrecks face a new threat: Melting ice.

— JOE BIDEN is pushing two big climate rules as his first term ends.

— Five big takeaways from the POLITICO tech policy briefing.

PLAYBOOKERS

Birthdays: HBD to GEORGE SMITHERMAN, former president and CEO of the Cannabis Council of Canada.

Conservative Sen. PIERRE-HUGUES BOISVENU marks his 75th birthday today — hitting automatic retirement age from the Senate. Boisvenu told The Hill Times in an exit interview that he’s thinking about running for a seat in The Other Place with Cabinet ambitions.

Eleven senators rose to pay tribute to Boisvenu last Thursday as his family watched from the gallery above (alongside JAMES CARPENTER, "a friend from Alberta," newly arrived in town to run the provincial government's relaunched office).

During his farewell address, Boisvenu expressed both admiration for colleagues and concern for a Senate packed with senators whose independence he questioned.

The longstanding champion of victims' rights didn't shy away from the occasional barb. For example: "Victims deserve better than to be exploited when a political show is needed to win votes or improve the image of the current prime minister."

Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way.

Spotted: The city of Ottawa is officially serious about its quest to hire a “night mayor.” JOSH PRINGLE of CTV News explains.

Jewish employees of the Public Service Alliance of Canada filed 14 individual complaints at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Friday, claiming the union has been advocating an anti-Israel agenda.

Movers and shakers: SAEED SELVAM leaves New West Public Affairs for a new gig as vice president of public affairs at NATIONAL.

Media mentions: MIA RABSON of The Canadian Press will be the president of the 2024-25 Press Gallery, with BORIS PROULX of Le Devoir serving as veep. LIZ THOMPSON returns as treasurer, and JOHN PAUL TASKER as secretary. Directors include: VALÉRIE GAMACHE, RACHEL HANES, STEPHANIE LEVITZ, DAVID RICHARD, NOAH RICHARDSON and GUILLAUME ST-PIERRE.

On the Hill

→ Find House committees here.

→ Keep track of Senate committees here.

9 a.m. The Parliamentary Budget Officer will publish a new report: “Refocusing Government Spending in 2023-24.”

11 a.m. The House industry committee will talk over Bill C-27, and hear from the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, Association nationale des éditeurs de livres, Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, Directors Guild of Canada and Music Canada. (Check out Playbook's conversation with Music Canada's PATRICK ROGERS.)

11 a.m. The House defense committee will grill Defense Minister BILL BLAIR about "Transparency within the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces." MPs will also hear from senior departmental officials.

11 a.m. The House veterans affairs committee will hear from departmental officials on the "return to civilian life."

11 a.m. The joint committee for the scrutiny of regulations will meet.

11 a.m. The House justice committee will meet to continue its study of the 2023 Corrective Act.

11 a.m. Auditor General KAREN HOGAN will deliver her ArriveCAN performance audit report.

11:15 a.m. Hogan will head to the House public accounts committee to discuss her audit.

12 p.m. The House citizenship and immigration committee will pop out of its in-camera session to talk about “committee business” publicly.

3:30 p.m. Privacy Commissioner PHILIPPE DUFRESNE will be at the House public safety committee’s study of Bill C-26.

3:30 p.m. The House foreign affairs committee probes Canada's diplomatic capacity. Witnesses include Sen. PETER BOEHM, chair of the Senate committee that recently produced a report on the issue; GAR PARDY, a former ambassador; and ALEX NEVE, senior fellow at the University of Ottawa's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

3:30 p.m. The House health committee hears from experts on women's health.

3:30 p.m. The House human resources committee hears from stakeholders with views on Bill C-319, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (amount of full pension).

3:30 p.m. The House natural resources committee hears from stakeholders on Bill C-49, which amends offshore renewable energy rules with Atlantic provinces.

3:30 p.m. The House official languages committee will meet for the seventh time as it studies the economic development of official language minority communities.

4 p.m. The Senate human rights committee will study the government response to a report it released in June 2021 titled, “Human Rights of Federally-Sentenced Persons.”

5 p.m. The Senate official languages committee will continue its study of minority-language health services. Nunavut Health Minister JOHN MAIN will join at 7 p.m. for the third panel.

6:30 p.m. Japanese Ambassador KANJI YAMANOUCHI will be a witness at the House special Canada-China relations committee.

Behind closed doors: The House Indigenous and northern affairs committee will review a draft report; the House government ops committee will discuss committee business; the House citizenship and immigration committee is drafting a letter to the minister following the government's response to the final report of the special committee on Afghanistan; the Senate national security committee will discuss “future business.”

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 .

A message from Insurance Bureau of Canada:

DON’T BE FLOODED WITH REGRET – Roughly 10% of Canadian households are at high risk for flooding but lack access to flood insurance. Over the past few years, devastating floods in BC, Newfoundland and Labrador and, most recently, in Nova Scotia have massive financial and emotional consequences for residents in those regions. The federal government, to its credit, recognizes that a public-private solution is needed and, in 2023, Finance Canada committed seed funding to set up Canada’s first National Flood Insurance Program. But that is not enough. The program requires more than a pledge. It needs operational funding as part of the 2024 federal budget in order to be up and running before the next federal election. The good news? It can be run on a cost-neutral basis. Canadians have waited long enough. It is time to fund the National Flood Insurance Program. Read more here.

TRIVIA

Friday’s answer: President BILL CLINTON called OSCAR PETERSON “the greatest jazz pianist of our time” during his 1995 address to Parliament.

Props to SARA MAY, NARESH RAGHUBEER, BOB GORDON, MARCEL MARCOTTE, MATTHEW CONWAY, BOB RICHARDSON, JOHN DILLON, LAURA JARVIS, PATRICK DION, CAMERON RYAN, JIM CAMPBELL, JACQUES STURGEON, AMY SCANLON BOUGHNER and ROBERT MCDOUGALL.

Today’s question: Who was the first woman named to the Yukon Order of Pioneers?

Send your answer to ottawaplaybook@politico.com

Playbook wouldn’t happen without: POLITICO Canada editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and Luiza Ch. Savage.

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.

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