| | | | |  | | By Maura Forrest | | | Send tips | Subscribe here | Follow Politico Canada Welcome to Ottawa Playbook. I'm your host, Maura Forrest. Today, we look at the unusual number of government bills in the Senate. The Conservative leadership race enters its next phase. And does voter turnout matter? Did someone forward you this Playbook? Click here to sign up for your own subscription to this free newsletter .
| | | | A message from CPAC: Unfiltered access to the people and events that shape our democracy. | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | SILLY SEASON — There are a maximum of three weeks left before the House of Commons rises for summer. Cue the end-of-session legislative rush. But silly season may look a little different this year. That's because the Liberals have taken the unusual step of introducing several meaty government bills in the Senate this session. Depending on whom you ask, this is either a common-sense decision to maximize efficiency, or a diabolical scheme to circumvent opposition in the House. Governments can introduce bills in the House or the Senate, but this government has largely avoided tabling legislation in the Red Chamber. During the Liberal majority from 2015 to 2019, they introduced only five bills in the Senate. Since November, however, the Liberals have tabled eight bills in the Senate, including some that were previously House of Commons bills that failed to pass before the election. — Legislative logjam: The "unusual number" of S-bills "appears to result from the slow pace of legislative work over in the House of Commons," Independent Sen. TONY DEAN told Playbook. "To the extent that this evens out the legislative workload … it helps to avoid a logjam in the Senate at the end of each session." The Liberals have long complained that the Conservative opposition in the House of Commons is using procedural tactics to delay the passage of bills. Senators, too, have complained about the House passing legislation in a rush at the end of session, leaving them little time for debate. — Liberal ploy? Not everyone sees this as a benign tactic to ensure senators are keeping busy, however. "This is a government that cannot and have not been getting their agenda accomplished in their House, and so they throw a whole truckload of stuff over to us and tell us to deal with it," Conservative Senate Leader DON PLETT told Playbook. "Once we pass [a bill] and it gets sent over to the House, they will clearly use that to say, 'Well, the Chamber of sober second thought has passed this bill. Why would the opposition parties now try to give us a hard time with the legislation?'" — Good or bad? BRYAN DETCHOU , a former Senate staffer turned consultant, said the move could be a positive step to improve efficiency. But it would be a problem, he said, if the government then tries to "fast-track [legislation] through the House of Commons by saying that it has already been debated." "Whether or not this is something that is here to stay is the big question," he said. "Interesting times ahead." — What are some of the major S-bills?
- Bill S-4 would modernize the criminal justice system in the wake of Covid-19, in part by allowing for remote court appearances. A similar bill was previously introduced in the House.
- Bill S-5 would overhaul the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. A similar bill was previously introduced in the House.
- Bill S-7 proposes a new legal threshold for when border guards can search cellphones. Civil liberties groups are raising concerns about it.
- Bill S-8 would ban Russian nationals sanctioned over the invasion of Ukraine from entering Canada.
A TALE OF TWO NUMBERS — A dismal 43 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the Ontario provincial election, the lowest turnout on record. "The last two years have been incredibly exhausting to most people," DAVID COLETTO, CEO of Abacus Data, told CBC News. "And so there wasn't in their mind a really compelling reason to get engaged in this campaign." Meanwhile, a staggering 600,000 people may be eligible to vote in the upcoming Conservative leadership race, shattering the previous record. "I think that people are really motivated right now in this post-pandemic timeframe," Conservative campaigner MELANIE PARADIS told CBC, for a separate story. "They're interested in getting engaged in politics and in changing things in Canada." — So which is it? Is it possible the record-low voter turnout in the Ontario election is a reflection of that specific campaign and not a dire warning about the slow, steady erosion of democracy? Maybe, just maybe, the hand-wringing might be a little — dare we say it — overblown? We'll give former Harper adviser SEAN SPEER the last word here, from the Hub Roundtable: "A large swath of the Ontario public in effect rejected all of the parties and what was on offer. … I guess I hold out hope that that share of the population who rejected this election are in search of something else."
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Register today. | | | | | | | CONSERVATIVE CORNER | | NUMBERS GAME — PATRICK BROWN was first out of the gate on Friday, claiming he'd signed up more than 150,000 new members to the Conservative Party. In the moment, it seemed like a big deal — "game changing," even. Then, perhaps unsurprisingly, PIERRE POILIEVRE stole the show on Saturday. Or, rather, his adviser JENNI BYRNE did when she tweeted that he'd signed up 311,958 new members, more than the total of 270,000 people eligible to vote in the 2020 leadership race. Sometime in between, JEAN CHAREST tweeted that he'd recruited "tens of thousands" of new members and that his campaign has "the points needed to win" the leadership, messaging that likely reassured exactly none of his supporters. The others — LESLYN LEWIS, SCOTT AITCHISON and ROMAN BABER — have stayed relatively quiet since Friday. You can draw your own conclusions. — What does it mean? Those numbers may have been padded, sure, but no matter how you slice it, those huge rallies of Poilievre's clearly paid off. "So much for the, 'Sure, these assholes can draw massive crowds of hundreds and thousands but do they have the brains to sign ppl up' storyline," Liberal strategist SCOTT REID said on Twitter. "Get ready - Poilievre is going to crush. It will change our politics." — Ballot banter: The Poilievre and Charest campaigns have both already nodded to what will doubtless be one of the central questions around this leadership race over the coming months. A Poilievre source told CBC News they believe they can win on the first ballot. Meanwhile, Charest's campaign co-chair is saying the membership numbers have "confirmed" there will be no first-ballot winner — a scenario that could open a path to victory for the former Quebec premier. — GOTV: Now that the June 3 membership deadline has passed, the campaigns will turn to the summer barbecue circuit and the business of persuasion. But Conservative campaigner MELANIE PARADIS pointed out Sunday that it will still be weeks before the candidates receive the final list of members, which the party must send out by July 29. "I reckon there will only be ~6 weeks of real persuasion time where campaigns have full access to the whole list before ballots start getting mailed back in," she tweeted. — Another story we'll be tracking: The huge number of new memberships also raises questions about how the party will get all those ballots out the door and counted in time for the leader to be announced Sept. 10. FOR MORE ON THE TORY LEADERSHIP — In the Toronto Star, here's JUSTIN LING with a deep dive into how the World Economic Forum has come to play such an important role in the race for the party's future. And on The Bridge pod, there is some debate about who the inspiration is for Poilievre's playbook — DONALD TRUMP or MAXIME BERNIER. | | | | A message from CPAC:   | | | | | TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS | | The 9th Summit of the Americas starts in Los Angeles. A parliamentary delegation of the Canadian section of ParlAmericas will attend June 6-8. 10 a.m. Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU will hold a bilateral meeting with Chilean President GABRIEL BORIC. They will hold a press conference at 11:30 a.m. 10:15 a.m. Diversity and Inclusion Minister AHMED HUSSEN will provide an update on the government's work to combat Islamophobia. 11 a.m. P.E.I. Sen. BRIAN FRANCIS hosts a news conference with TABATHA BULL, president and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, to launch a National Indigenous Economic Strategy for Canada. 1:30 p.m. Conservative MP GARNETT GENUIS and Sen. LEO HOUSAKOS will hold a press conference in Ottawa on the ongoing human rights violations in Xinjiang. 2 p.m. Deputy Prime Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND will attend Question Period. 3:30 p.m. Defense Minister ANITA ANAND will appear before the House national defense committee. 4:30 p.m. Trudeau and Boric will participate in a Q&A discussion with high school students. 4:30 p.m. The IRPP hosts a special event in Montreal digging into "The puzzling persistence of racial inequality in Canada." Keynote speakers are Queen's University Professor Emeritus KEITH BANTING and DEBRA THOMPSON. 5:30 p.m. Freeland will meet with a delegation of leaders from the Canadian Muslim community.
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | ALSO FOR YOUR RADAR | | FORD NATION — What are the lessons for the federal Conservatives from DOUG FORD's decisive victory in last week's Ontario election? According to our roundup of perspectives, the key takeaways are to be less ideological, more middle-of-the-road, less polished and more appealing to workers. The Toronto Star's CHANTAL HÉBERT: "Not only did Ford not cater to the anti-vax, anti-vaccine-mandates crowd to secure a second majority mandate, but he owes that victory in part to having picked the opposite lane over many of the defining moments of the pandemic." Global's ALEX BOUTILIER : "The main takeaway from multiple party insiders — including those helping to run leadership campaigns — was that the federal Conservatives need to emulate Ford's blue-collar messaging and build a new voter coalition to take on Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party." CBC's JASON MARKUSOFF : "There may have been a time four or five years ago when everyone in conservative politics wanted to come across as clever-seeming as Kenney and not as unpolished as Ford. Four or five years is a long time in politics." POLITICO's NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY : "Now it's the lack of dogma in the premier's office, particularly since Covid's arrival, that supporters credit as a key ingredient in Ford's reelection." The Globe and Mail's ANDREW COYNE: "Alas, Mr. Ford did not just ditch populism on his way to re-election but also any lingering attachment to conservatism." — On the other hand: Maybe Ford is difficult to emulate. "Looking at especially Pierre Poilievre, he is taking a dramatically different approach to a Doug Ford," DUANE BRATT, political science professor at Mount Royal University, told CBC News. "I don't know if they can copy Ford. I mean, there's a certain 'ordinary person that is there' that Jean Charest and Patrick Brown don't have either." ICYMI — The foreign affairs minister's comments on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre prompted some sharp criticism from the Chinese embassy in Ottawa over the weekend. "We remember June 4, 1989, when peaceful protests were suppressed following a violent crackdown on unarmed demonstrators in and around Tiananmen Square," MÉLANIE JOLY wrote Saturday on Twitter. "Canada stands with those who peacefully defend and fight for their freedom and human rights in China and around the world." — Clapback: The embassy responded in a series of tweets, calling Joly's remarks "erroneous" and taking aim at Canada's human rights record with regard to Indigenous peoples.
| | | | A message from CPAC: Unfiltered access to the people and events that shape our democracy and real-time coverage of Parliament, politics and public affairs since 1992. | | | | | MEDIA ROOM | | — PAULA SIMONS makes a short appearance on The Hill Times Hot Room pod to talk about the overreach of Bill S-7. Here she is in the Senate speaking out on the same. — AUTUMN PELTIER is on the season finale of APTN's Face to Face. "First Nations are at the bottom of the list for everything and not just water," says the climate activist and chief water commissioner for Anishinabek Nation. — Globe readers ought to read VASS BEDNAR and JESSE HIRSH: When an algorithm takes over your newspaper. — The Star asked pollster DAVID HERLE about advice for the Ontario Liberals. He's also on the latest West of Centre pod. And Curse of Politics nails "WTF happened" analysis, ICYMI. — The Calgary Herald's DON BRAID contemplates the rise and fall of JASON KENNEY.
| | PROZONE | | For POLITICO Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter by ZI-ANN LUM is jam-packed: The week ahead: Trudeau trip. First stop? NORAD. In other headlines for Pros:
— CISA warns states of security flaws in Dominion Voting Systems' ImageCast X machines.
— Tech executive and former Marine officer nominated tapped to be U.S. cyber ambassador.
— U.S. general calls on West to send fighter jets to Ukraine 'as soon as possible.'
— White House climate office draws fire as actions stall.
— Farm groups urge Biden to resist India's WTO ag demands.
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| | PLAYBOOKERS | | Birthdays: HBD to Liberal MP FRANCIS SCARPALEGGIA and former diplomat HOWARD BALLOCH. Also celebrating today: Former PQ minister BERNARD DRAINVILLE, who announced his return to politics on Friday, running this time around with the Coalition Avenir Québec. Spotted: Health Minister JEAN-YVES DUCLOS, testing positive for Covid-19. … Public Safety Minister MARCO MENDICINO with many mayors. International Trade Minister MARY NG, visiting a nuclear technology provider in North Carolina and… well, we're not quite sure how to explain this one. Conservative MP CATHAY WAGANTALL, kicked off Parliament Hill Friday for refusing to provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination. BERNADETTE JORDAN, incensed on behalf of a displaced little library. GERRY BUTTS kicking off his #BigBookSummer with The Evangelicals by FRANCES FITZGERALD … JOCELYN LUBCZUK, reading From The Ashes by JESSE THISTLE. We're building a Playbook summer reading list. Tell us what's top of your pile. Movers and shakers: FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — GR firm Sandstone Group and consulting house ASSIG will announce a strategic alliance today with the goal of better supporting each other's clients in North America and Europe. Former UN ambassador LOUISE BLAIS is a diplomat in residence at Laval University's Graduate School of International Studies. The White House has tapped NATE FICK to be the U.S. State Department's inaugural ambassador-at-large for cyberspace and digital policy. BGC Canada is welcoming Governor General MARY SIMON as its patron. Media mentions: Congrats to all the winners of the National Magazine Awards. The Walrus was the top winner with five awards. Props to ALISON UNCLES and the crew from Maclean's, who picked up four gold awards, including for Best Magazine: News, Business, General Interest. Farewells: The Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians will host its annual memorial service in the Senate at 9:30 a.m. The list of 35 parliamentarians being honored includes former NDP leader ALEXA MCDONOUGH and longtime MP DAVID KILGOUR. Sen. HOWARD WETSTON sat for an exit interview. On the morning after the Ontario election, NDP MP CHARLIE ANGUS paid tribute to GILLES BISSON, who served for 32 years as the MPP for Timmins until Thursday's defeat to Progressive Conservative GEORGE PIRIE. "There are a million stories one could tell about how many people Gilles has helped over the years, of the countless fights he has taken on and won, and of his fierce love for northern Ontario," Angus told the House.
| | On the Hill | | Keep up to House committee schedules here. Find Senate meeting schedules here. 11 a.m. The House agriculture and agri-food committee meets to embark on a new study on global food security. Witnesses include Ukrainian member of Parliament YULIA KLYMENKO. 11 a.m. The House human resources committee continues its study of the Housing Accelerator Fund. Representatives from Alberta Municipalities, the City of Hamilton and Regroupement des offices d'habitation du Québec will appear. 2 p.m. Bill S-7 is under the radar at the Senate national security and defense committee where senators will hear from two officials from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the Canadian Bar Association and Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association. 3:30 p.m. Defense Minister Anand will appear before the House national defense committee to take MPs' questions on main estimates related to her department. 3:30 p.m. The House official languages committee is studying Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act. MARLENE JENNINGS and JOAN FRASER will appear on behalf of Quebec Community Groups Network. 3:30 p.m. The House health committee will hear from senior department officials on "children's health." 3:30 p.m. The House international trade committee will hear from diplomats as it continues its study of opportunities in the Indo-Pacific. 5 p.m. The Senate human rights committee meets to study Bill S-224. The bill's sponsor, Sen. SALMA ATAULLAHJAN, is on the witness list. 5 p.m. The Senate official languages committee meets to study matters related to Francophone immigration to minority communities. 6:30 p.m. The House Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying will hear from HENRY MYEEGUN, Indigenous Knowledge Keeper, University of Waterloo and others. Behind closed doors: 11 a.m. The House finance committee to consider a draft report of its study on the invocation of the Emergencies Act and related measures. 11 a.m. The House transport, infrastructure and communities committee to discuss a report on targeted infrastructure investment. 2 p.m. The Senate Aboriginal peoples committee to consider two separate draft reports: One on the government's constitutional, treaty, political and legal responsibilities and another on relevant provisions in the budget implementation bill. 3:30 p.m. The House natural resources committee to consider a draft report of their study on the Emissions Reduction Fund's onshore program. 6:30 p.m. The House special committee on Afghanistan to review a draft report.
| | TRIVIA | | Friday's answer: "It's not just Liberals who are here. We have Conservatives here. We have NDP here. We have Bloc Québécois and Green Party members here," Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU said on June 1, 2016, when the Pride Flag was raised for "the very, very first time" on Parliament Hill. Props to GANGA WIGNARAJAH, JACOB WILSON, DOROTHY MCCABE, JOANNA PLATER, AMY BOUGHNER, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, NANCI WAUGH, BRAM ABRAMSON, MICHAEL MACDONALD, GOZDE KAZAZOGLU, BOB GORDON, HARRY MCKONE and KEVIN BOSCH. Monday's question: How many soldiers landed in or parachuted into Normandy on June 6, 1944? Send your answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com Playbook wouldn't happen without Luiza Ch. Savage and editor 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 | | | | |
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