Guess who's coming to the Hill?

Oct 26, 2022

By Zi-Ann Lum , Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Maura Forrest

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Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I'm your host Zi-Ann Lum with Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Maura Forrest. Get ready for TIFF MACKLEM to make news. Also today, the Bloc's motion to cut ties with the monarchy is headed for a vote. Guns 'N Roses and ZZ Top rockers are today's headliners on the Hill. As for tomorrow, a certain Biden administration official is scheduled to bring his fluent French to the capital.

DRIVING THE DAY

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, and Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly attend a news conference, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — U.S. Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN is heading to Ottawa Thursday for a two-day bilat with Foreign Affairs Minister MÉLANIE JOLY.

The meeting comes ahead of the G-7 foreign minister's meeting in Germany slated for the end of next week .

MACKLEM'S MOMENT — Every time TIFF MACKLEM approaches a mic, he makes news. This morning brings the Bank of Canada governor's latest moment in the sun: another interest rate announcement.

Inflation has shown early signs of cooling, but the bank's primary weapon to combat it is the same as it ever was: Higher interest rates.

Most of the major bank analysts expect another "super-sized" hike from Macklem, this one clocking in at 75 basis points. That would bring the target rate to 4 percent.

CIBC, BMO, Scotiabank and National Bank economists all made the same call. RBC took "the under" at 50 basis points.

Macklem and Senior Deputy Governor CAROLYN ROGERS will take media questions at 11 a.m.

— The debate: SHARAN KAUR, a former adviser to BILL MORNEAU during his days as finance minister, wants the government to rethink its fiscal policy as the Bank of Canada focuses on monetary policy. "Interest rates are a blunt tool to help calm the market down," she tweeted . "A stronger (message) would be for (government) to pull back on spending."

Translation: Let the bank do what the bank will do. (Deficits aren't helping inflation.)

ROBERT ASSELIN, senior vice-president of policy at the Business Council of Canada, took issue with callers from various corners — including some bank economists — urging Macklem to cool it with the rate hikes.

One of the bank's jobs, after all, is to wrestle inflation to its target. Asselin posed a key rhetorical question : "Didn't the current government just sign (in December) an agreement mandating the Bank of Canada to keep inflation at 2%?"

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For your radar

POOR CHARLES — As promised, Bloc Québécois Leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET tabled an opposition motion yesterday calling on the government to take the "necessary measures" to cut ties with the British monarchy.

MPs will vote on the motion today.

— In the chamber: Blanchet said it costs Canada about C$70 million a year to support the constitutional monarchy, money that could be better spent elsewhere. Even if divorcing Canada from the monarchy is not Canadians' top priority, he said, it's still the preference of the majority of the population .

— The usual response: The Liberals and Conservatives lambasted the Bloc for wasting time on a non-issue, while Canadians are preoccupied with the high cost of living. Parliamentary secretary KEVIN LAMOUREUX said the Bloc is "out of touch."

The Conservatives excoriated the sovereigntist party, accusing Bloc MPs of trying to make headlines. "What planet are they living on?" asked PIERRE PAUL-HUS, the Tories' Quebec lieutenant.

— A few allies: Liberal and Conservative opposition means the motion — which is largely symbolic, anyway — is destined to fail when it comes to a vote today. But the Bloc may get some support from the ranks of the NDP, who appear divided on the issue. Manitoba MP NIKI ASHTON said she would support the Bloc motion, calling the monarchy a symbol of colonialism, slavery and repression.

— On the other hand: B.C. NDP MP ALISTAIR MACGREGOR said he would vote against, arguing the monarchy is "far, far down the list" of his constituents' concerns.

PBO BURN — Parliamentary Budget Officer YVES GIROUX is not exactly inspiring confidence in the government's rental and dental legislation.

"If I was a betting man, I would say that it's unlikely that we'll see the government measuring the impact of Bill C-31, which is unfortunate," Giroux told members of the Senate's national finance committee Tuesday. The government has a record of missing its own self-imposed performance targets, he explained.

— Fiscal toothache: A potential spike in administration costs could increase the cost of the Liberals' proposed C$1.7-billion dental plan for children.

If the stopgap plan develops into a "real dental care program" where receipts have to be provided and reimbursed, Giroux said then expect future costs to be "significantly higher."

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

— It's caucus day on the Hill.

— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU will attend caucus and QP. At 4 p.m., he'll meet with the chairperson of the African Union Commission, MOUSSA FAKI MAHAMAT and later attend a reception in his honor.

— Deputy Prime Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND will be at caucus this morning.

— Natural Resources Minister JONATHAN WILKINSON is in Washington, D.C. to attend the International Atomic Energy Agency's ministerial conference on nuclear power. Canada's national statement will be delivered around 10:30 a.m.

9 a.m. Statistics Canada holds a press conference to launch its sixth batch of data from the 2021 Census. Today's release will provide updates on trends related to immigration, place of birth and citizenship, ethnocultural and religious diversity, and mobility and migration.

10 a.m. The Bank of Canada announces its latest overnight rate decision and will publish its latest Monetary Policy Report.

1 p.m. Liberal MP SAMEER ZUBERI will hold a press conference to talk about his motion proposing to create a policy to help resettle 10,000 Uyghurs and Turkic Muslims . Zuberi will be joined by leaders of Canada's Uyghur community.

2 p.m. NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH holds a pre-QP media availability in West Block to talk about inflation and affordability.

6 p.m. CPAC hosts a send off for PETER VAN DUSEN at the Métropolitain Brasserie.

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PROZONE

For POLITICO Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter by MAURA FORREST, ZI-ANN LUM and NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY: Much ado about Macklem.

In news for POLITICO Pro subscribers:

— Canada says the U.S. knows its softwood lumber stance is 'ridiculous.'

— Democrats growing anxious — again — over Black turnout.

— China, Russia criticize U.S. electric vehicle tax credit at WTO.

— Pipelines gain new purpose and profit under climate law.

— U.S., China climate talks in 'limbo' ahead of UN conference.

MEDIA ROOM

— For The Walrus, TAMARA THERMITUS is profiled by reporter MARTIN PATRIQUIN about her short tenure leading Quebec's human rights commission, a case an interviewee described as the " epitome of systemic racism ."

— APTN's MARK BLACKBURN reports on the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling that has put a hold on Ottawa's C$20-billion child welfare deal.

— TASHA KHEIRIDDIN pens a column in the National Post about new British PM RISHI SUNAK and the electoral challenge he shares with Trudeau.

— The Globe and Mail's TIMOTHY MOORE and JUSTINE HUNTER weave a visual explainer showing how contractors are fortifying B.C.'s Coquihalla Highway against future extreme weather events .

— Global News' RACHEL GILMORE breaks down parliamentary privilege and what it has to do with DOUG FORD and SYLVIA JONES being no-shows at the Emergencies Act inquiry.

Playbookers

Birthdays: HBD to Canadian businessmanANDRÉ DESMARAIS. Also celebrating today: Winnipeg mayoral candidate GLEN MURRAY, former Cabinet minister ROY MACLAREN and former NDP MP CLAUDE GRAVELLE.

Send birthdays to ottawaplaybook@politico.com .

Spotted: NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH getting his flu shot and bivalent booster from Dr. NILI KAPLAN-MYRTH a day after she won her race for Zone 9 OCDSB Trustee … RYAN REYNOLDS rocking at CBC tee … Full house at Canada House in London with MPs MIKE LAKE, MATT JENEROUX, KODY BLOIS, JAMES MALONEY, Sen. TONY DEAN joining High Commissioner RALPH GOODALE for bilat meetings.

Liberal MP ADAM VAN KOEVERDEN dipping into a packed Riviera for an evening reception hosted by Restaurants Canada.

Heritage Minister PABLO RODRIGUEZ working the room at the Canadian Media Producers' Association (CMPA) evening reception in the Wellington Building … Also in the room: House Speaker ANTHONY ROTA, Mental Health and Addictions Minister CAROLYN BENNETT, Diversity, Inclusion and Youth Minister AHMED HUSSEN, Liberal MPs ANTHONY HOUSEFATHER, CHRIS BITTLE, JUDY SGRO, TIM LOUIS, Sen. DENNIS DAWSON, DONNA DASKO and CMPA's REYNOLDS MASTIN and ANDREW ADDISON.

Movers and shakers: CHRISTOPHE CINQMARS-VIAU joins Freeland's office as a new senior policy adviser … ANITA NEVILLE officially installed as Manitoba's lieutenant governor (h/t MARCI SURKES).

Alberta Premier DANIELLE SMITH has a new comms adviser : JOSEPH DOW.

Media mentions: MACKENZIE GRAY is saying adieu to CTV News this week and joins Global News next week as a parliamentary bureau national reporter … KARYN PUGLIESE is now editor-in-chief and LINDA SOLOMON WOOD moves forward as publisher at Canada's National Observer .

Cocktail circuit: 369 Global kicks the evening off with a Rideau Club reception at 4:30 p.m. The theme: Leveraging immigration to address Canada's labor market crisis.

Healthy First Nations and Liberal MP GARY ANANDASANGAREE host a 5:30 reception in the Wellington Building that celebrates "the role elected representatives play in Indigenous partnerships." Special guests include MATT SORUM from Guns N' Roses, BILLY GIBBONS from ZZ Top, and actors TIA CARRERE, AMBER MIDTHUNDER, WES STUDI and GRAHAM GREENE.

The Met hosts a 6 p.m. party for PETER VAN DUSEN, who's retiring after decades in the journalism business.

At 6:30 in the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, Tory MP TODD DOHERTY joins Overseas Friends of India Canada and the Deepak Obhrai Foundation to host the 22nd National Diwali Celebration on Parliament Hill.

Back at the Wellington Building, the National Council of Canadian Muslims and United Muslim Organization host a Canadian Islamic Heritage event at 6:30.

At 7, the Canada-Uyghur Parliamentary Friendship Group and Uyghur Refugee Advocacy Project host a reception in the Valour Building. Liberal MP SAMEER ZUBERI's M-62 , which declared China's treatment of Uyghurs and Turkic Mulsims a genocide, passed the House unanimously — though Cabinet abstained, except for MARY NG who tried to change her virtual vote to an abstention: no dice.

Send Playbookers tips to ottawaplaybook@politico.com .

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On the Hill

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12 p.m. The Senate veteran affairs committee meets to continue its study of "emerging treatments" for veterans suffering from occupational stress injuries.

4 p.m. The Senate foreign affairs committee is reviewing the Sergei Magnitsky Law, and the Special Economic Measures Act. Today's batch of witnesses include department officials from Global Affairs Canada, CBSA and the RCMP.

4:15 p.m. It's clause-by-clause consideration day for senators on the Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee studying Bill C-5 . Three justice department officials join them.

4:30 p.m. The House finance committee holds its third meeting to study pre-2023 budget consultations with witnesses including the Business Council of Canada's ROBERT ASSELIN, Canadian Taxpayers Federation's FRANCO TERRAZZANO and SHIMON KOFFLER FOGEL of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

4:30 p.m. Representatives from the Canadian Cattle Association, Canadian Pacific Railway and Second Harvest join the House agriculture committee today to aid MPs' study of global good insecurity.

4:30 p.m. The House transport committee meets to continue on with its study of anticipated labor shortages in the Canadian sector. WestJet executive Andrew Gibbons is on the witness list.

4:30 p.m. The House human resources committee gets into a technical briefing on Bill C-22 with two department officials.

4:15 p.m. The Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee goes through clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-5 , legislation proposing repealing certain mandatory minimums.

6:45 p.m. The Senate national finance committee meets to study Bill C-31, the government's nicknamed rental and dental bill.

6:45 p.m. Hearings related to Bill C-11 continue at the Senate transport and communications committee with witnesses from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, h264, ICI Television.

6:45 p.m. The Senate Indigenous peoples committee continues its study of the Cannabis Act.

Behind closed doors: The Senate audit and oversight committee meets to "supervise and report on the Senate's internal and external audits and related matters"; the Senate social affairs committee will keep its discussion of "future business" related to the role of gender-based analysis in policymaking hush hush.

TRIVIA

Tuesday's answer: "Eventually my bus stopped at city hall" — that's Edmonton Mayor AMARJEET SOHI.

Props to BRANDON RABIDEAU, JOSEPH CHAMOUN , KEVIN BOSCH, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, NANCI WAUGH, GORDON RANDALL, JOHN DELACOURT, MARK AGNEW,

Wednesday's question: Who was dropped from the Trudeau Cabinet in October 2021?

Send your answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com

CORRECTION: In Tuesday's Playbook, we goofed on the trivia answer. Blue Jays fans remember it was DAVE WINFIELD who knocked in the winning runs back in the '92 World Series. We somehow replaced his name with JOE CARTER , the slugger who always seemed to be in the right place at the right time in pivotal postseason moments. Carter did catch the final out of that World Series, but Winfield's clutch offense set the stage for the victory.

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