I Spy: Poilievre edition

Nov 15, 2022

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Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I'm your host, Nick Taylor-Vaisey with Zi-Ann Lum. Today, we take stock of the scene at a pair of House committees. Plus, we get lost in the fascinating office shelves of PIERRE POILIEVRE.

DRIVING THE DAY

PROXY WAR — Tory MP ADAM CHAMBERS put it best Monday when he described the House finance committee as a "low trust environment."

In yesterday's Playbook we explored the procedural politics at play in the House as Conservatives employ procedural tactics to delay the Liberals. Government House Leader MARK HOLLAND's motion to extend sitting hours met predictable Tory frustration Monday in the House.

The mood wasn't much more collegial at committee.

Chambers' colleagues filibustered most of a two-hour meeting. PHILIP LAWRENCE and MARTY MORANTZ and CATHAY WAGANTALL produced thousands of words for interpreters to translate and Hansard writers to immortalize in print.

The MPs were annoyed.

Two weeks ago at the same committee, Liberal parliamentary secretary TERRY BEECH tabled a motion to "pre-study" the Fall Economic Statement (FES). Liberals want certain FES measures to be the law of the land as soon as possible. A pre-study could have expedited that work.

The committee didn't go for it, promised to talk during break week about the possibility of pre-study, and returned yesterday to give peace a chance.

But Conservatives were still miffed.

They don't want the government dictating committee priorities. They want to talk about other things. They object to a pre-study of a bill that will find its way to the committee once it passes second reading.

— What happened? FINA, as Hill nerds call it, suspended again last night without reaching a resolution. The last word went to Chambers, who half-heartedly suggested a subcommittee take up the task of figuring out how to study Bill C-32 — aka the FES bill.

— Voice of reason: NDP MP DANIEL BLAIKIE , the committee's lone New Democrat, implored the group to stop "chit-chattin'" and find a way to talk about the FES, or something, anything aside from talking more about talking more.

Mission failed, evidently.

Meanwhile at the foreign affairs committee:

Conservative MP GARNETT GENUIS ' motion asking the government to immediately revoke a sanctions waiver for the export of Gazprom turbines was smacked down by Liberals as a "clever" but "cheap" stunt.

Genuis used Monday's committee time to argue that there's no purpose for the waiver, which allows for five additional turbines to be serviced in Canada and returned to the Russian state-owned energy company for use in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.

— Read the room: "Nord Stream 1 has been blown up — there's a 50-meter hole in the pipeline," said Genuis's colleague, MICHAEL CHONG. "These turbines aren't going to be of any use to anyone. That pipeline is not coming back. It is broken and dead."

Liberal MP HEDY FRY balked at the motion, calling it a "little bit disrespectful" to leap to a conclusion.

"Let us do what committees always do. Let's have our analysts present us with a report … Let them put some recommendations forward for us," Fry said before making a successful motion to adjourn.

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For your radar

SHELF LIFE — Conservative leader PIERRE POILIEVRE is Mr. WYSIWYG — a what-you-see-is-what-you-get partisan since he hit puberty with a remarkably consistent political philosophy.

Turns out Poilievre's office, which he recently described to YouTuber JJ MCCULLOUGH as "not the most stately" workspace, matches that track record. Poilievre tweeted a few photos from his office as he promoted an in-person, one-on-one interview with McCullough.

Playbook is annotating the highlights of a pair of shelving units packed with paraphernalia.

— People: The middle of the top shelf is bookended by a bust of SIR JOHN A (natch).

WINSTON CHURCHILL features prominently — both in small bust and large book form. Among those on display: "David & Winston," a chronicle of Churchill's enduring friendship with LLOYD GEORGE; "Finest Hour," a reflection on his relationship with Scotland.

A book about NAPOLÉON, the emperor whom Poilievre occasionally quotes , cracked the top shelf. Texts on DWIGHT EISENHOWER and ALBERT EINSTEIN sit a few feet apart.

CONRAD BLACK's 1993 memoir "A Life in Progress," written at the height of a career in newspaper baroning, lies atop JOE LIEBERMAN's "The Gift of Rest" — a tribute to the notion of resting on the Sabbath.

Your Playbook host recognized TOM FLANAGAN's "Harper's Team," which tells the tale of the former PM's rise to power. On the adjacent shelf, a copy of Aesop's Fables.

— Swag: A #Justinflation placard (of course), an "I love small business" shirt,

a ball cap with a Conservative logo, another ball cap that reads "Coastal Gaslink," as in the pipeline. Poilievre also keeps an "Every Child Matters" T-shirt within reach on a lower shelf.

— Remembrance: A framed photo of the Vimy Memorial beside the heart-wrenching editorial cartoon drawn by the Halifax Chronicle-Herald's BRUCE MCKINNON following the 2014 Ottawa shooting.

— Miscellany: The prairie boy who found a new home in exurban Ottawa keeps a copy of "Carleton Saga" on his lower shelf — a dose of local history. Poilievre also features a couple of bottles of Crown Royal.

This was just a sampling. What do you spot on Poilievre's shelf that helps tell the story of the opposition leader? Tell us!

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

— PM Trudeau is at the G-20 Summit in Bali. For a primer, here's POLITICO's NAHAL TOOSI: The last G-20? That and other stuff to watch

— Deputy PM Freeland meets Unifor leaders.

— Environment Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT participates in three events at COP27 related to carbon pricing, coal phase-out and clean air.

— Today's witnesses at the Rouleau Commission are RCMP commissioner BRENDA LUCKI and deputy commissioners MIKE DUHEME and CURTIS ZABLOCKI.

— The Public Health Agency of Canada hosts a virtual national autism conference .

6 a.m. (7 p.m. Bali time) Trudeau will attend the G-20 Leaders' dinner hosted by Indonesian President JOKO WIDODO.

9 a.m. The Parliamentary Budget Officer releases a new report that examines the Fall Economic Statement.

10:30 a.m. NDP leader JAGMEET SINGH speaks about the pediatric health care crisis.

11 a.m. Auditor general KAREN HOGAN will present four performance audits that cover chronic homelessness, Arctic waters surveillance, cybersecurity of personal information in the cloud, and emergency management in First Nations communities.

11 a.m. The House heritage committee meets to continue its study of safety in sport with Hockey Canada executive PAT MCLAUGHLIN and BOB NICHOLSON of the Oilers Entertainment Group. (Nicholson was president and CEO of Hockey Canada for more than a decade.)

12 p.m. Liberal MP NATHANIEL ERSKINE-SMITH holds a news conference on Bill C-293, a private member's bill that would force a review of the federal pandemic response and create a preparedness plan for future pandemics.

1 p.m. Four federal ministers respond to Hogan's reports.

1 p.m. Singh meets with B.C. premier JOHN HORGAN.

10 p.m. (11 a.m.) Trudeau holds a bilateral meeting with Italian PM GIORGIA MELONI.

10:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m.) Trudeau holds a bilateral meeting with Japanese PM FUMIO KISHIDA.

PAPER TRAIL

ADAPTATION NATION — The Insurance Bureau of Canada has new polling out this morning on climate adaptation. The IBC asked Pollara to ask Canadians about how governments manage natural disasters.

— Key findings: 54 percent gave governments a passing grade on disaster response. But only two in five say governments are doing enough to adapt.

— More please: The hunger for more adaptation spans disasters: 58 percent on flooding, 57 percent on forest fires and 55 percent on extreme heat.

Eighty-five percent of respondents called for investments in climate adaptation and community resilience. Three-quarters want immediate targets to protect communities that can be achieved within five years.

— The backdrop: Environment Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT had promised a national adaptation plan before the end of the year. He tempered expectations during a recent interview on CBC's The House , citing ongoing consultations with Indigenous groups, provinces and territories.

Guilbeault was clear on one thing. More spending is on the way: "We will need to invest billions of dollars, because climate change is costing Canadians billions of dollars."

ASK US ANYTHING

TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW — We welcome tips and scoops. What are you hearing that you need Playbook to know? What are you watching this week? Send details .

MEDIA ROOM

— "I've been an urgent-care doctor for 39 years, and my department has never been closer to collapse. We're not alone," writes ALAN DRUMMOND at Maclean's .

— A Hydro-Québec employee faces espionage charges for allegedly providing trade secrets to China .

— POLITICO's ZACH MONTELLARO says the Democrats' slim hopes to retain the House majority appeared to have dimmed .

— The Hub's GEOFF RUSS reports on a poll that suggests economic fear is making Canadians less productive .

— On her latest podcast , Senator PAMELA WALLIN talks to former U.S. ambassador DAVID WILKINS about the state of American politics.

PROZONE

For POLITICO Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter: Behind the Bali bilats.

In news for POLITICO Pro subscribers:
— Google to pay record multi-state settlement over location data practices.
— Washington gets increasingly freaked out by Twitter.
— NRC's Crowell: 'Irresponsible' to pursue nuclear as a climate solution without fixing waste problem.
— Xi rebukes U.S. efforts to isolate Chinese economy.
— Why it will be hard for Biden to woo Southeast Asia.

PLAYBOOKERS

Birthdays: Monday's Playbook jumped the gun. HBD today to JOHN ROBERTS, J. GREG PETERS, Alberta's TRAVIS TOEWS and former MPs FRANK BAYLIS and JONATHAN TREMBLAY.

HBD + 1 to NDP MP CHARLIE ANGUS and Conservative MP TIM UPPAL.

Movers and shakers: ADAM TINDALL-SCHLICHT is the new administrator at the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

Spotted: A new list of Canadians sanctioned by Russia , featuring Communications Security Establishment chief CAROLINE XAVIER, former Cabmin PETER MACKAY, politician-slash-lawyer JEAN CHAREST, political scientists THOMAS HOMER-DIXON and CHRISTIAN LEUPRECHT, security expert WESLEY WARK , Alberta premier DANIELLE SMITH, former Alberta premier ED STELMACH (misidentified as repping Saskatchewan), and former Alberta deputy premier THOMAS LUKASZUK.

Also CBC reporters CHRIS BROWN, MURRAY BREWSTER, MARGARET EVANS and ADRIENNE ARSENAULT. And CTV reporters PAUL WORKMAN and DANIELLE HAMAMDJIAN. As well as Global reporter DAVID AKIN.

Oh, and Globe sports columnist CATHAL KELLY , famed author MARGARET ATWOOD, and Ace Ventura, Pet Detective — aka actor JIM CARREY.

Cocktail circuit: At 4 p.m., Let's Talk Science on the Hill takes over Room 430 of Wellington Building. Special guests include Canadian astronaut JOSHUA KUTRYK … Also at 4, Lions of Canada host a reception in the Valour Building … At 5, the Canadian Association of Radiologists caps a lobby day with a reception at The Met.

At the same time, Western University is up the street for a Chateau Laurier reception … Down the hall at 5:30, the Mining Association of Canada holds its annual reception … At 6, the Canola Council of Canada and Canadian Canola Growers Association open their reception in the same building.

Back in Wellington Building at 6, the Chicken Farmers of Canada host a fall reception.

The Canadian American Business Council's State of the Relationship Gala also goes down tonight. Playbook will report back tomorrow morning.

On the Hill

→ Find upcoming House committees here

→ Keep track of Senate committees here

It's a jam-packed day in Ottawa:

9 a.m. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President NATAN OBED and Parliamentary Budget Officer YVES GIROUX will be at the Senate Indigneous peoples committee as part of a study of the federal government's constitutional, treaty, political and legal responsibilities.

9 a.m. The PBO will release a new report titled, "Fall Economic Statement 2022: Issues for Parliamentarians."

9 a.m. The government's dental and rental housing relief bill gets clause-by-clause consideration at the Senate national finance committee.

9 a.m. Anishinaabe writer, broadcaster and arts leader JESSE WENTE will be at the Senate transport and communications committee as senators study Bill C-11 .

9 a.m. The Senate rules, procedures and the rights of Parliament committee meets.

11 a.m. The House international trade committee gathers to study potential trade impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act. Witnesses include Aluminium Association of Canada President JEAN SIMARD, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce's DAVID BILLEDEAU and Electric Mobility Canada President DANIEL BRETON Breton.

11 a.m. The House heritage committee meets to continue its study of safety in sport with Hockey Canada executive PAT MCLAUGHLIN and BOB NICHOLSON of the Oilers Entertainment Group.

11 a.m. The House health committee resumes its study of over-the-counter medication.

11 a.m. The House national defense committee meets to hear from Global Affairs Canada department officials in relation to its study of Arctic security.

3:30 p.m. Auditor General KAREN HOGAN will videoconference into the House public accounts committee meeting exploring her office's November reports.

3:30 p.m. NDP MP BRIAN MASSE will be at the House environment committee as MPs embark on clause-by-clause consideration of his private member's bill proposing the establishment of Ojibway National Urban Park of Canada.

3:30 p.m. The House natural resources committee launches into a new study of federal assistance for "various natural resources industries" with witnesses from Export Development Canada, Business Development Bank of Canada, Canadian Energy Regulator executives and finance, natural resources and environment department officials.

3:30 p.m. The closure of mackerel fishing is the topic du jour at the House fisheries and oceans committee . Three department officials and representatives of the Maritime Fishermen's Union, Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association and Prospect Area Full-Time Fishermen's Association will be there.

3:30 p.m. The House citizenship and immigration committee holds its second meeting studying conditions faced by asylum-seekers.

6:30 p.m. The special Canada-China committee meets to continue its study of relations between the two countries.

6:30 p.m. The special joining committee on medical assistance in dying meets. Witnesses include Hospital for Sick Children bioethics director RANDI ZLOTNIK.

6:30 p.m. Economist PIERRE FORTIN will be at the Senate banking, commerce and the economy committee as part of senators' study of the "state of the Canadian economy and inflation."

6:30 p.m. The Senate agriculture and forestry committee is due to continue its study of soil health in Canada with testimony from Canadian Federation of Agriculture President MARY ROBINSON and MARTIN CARON, president of union des producteurs agricoles.

6:30 p.m. The Senate energy committee continues its study of hydrogen energy with witnesses that include four natural resources and finance department officials and Air Products executive SIMON MOORE — a company that recently received C$300 million from Ottawa to fund its Edmonton-area hydrogen facility.

6:30 p.m. The Senate fisheries and oceans committee meets to continue its study of Canada's seal populations and their effects on domestic fisheries.

Behind closed doors: PROC's agenda and procedure subcommittee meets away from cameras; same for the House public safety committee's subcommittee on agenda and procedure; the House public safety committee meets review a draft report of its study of Canada's security posture in relation to Russia; the House public accounts committee 's subcommittee on agenda and procure has "committee business" on its plate.

Tune in as international security leaders from democracies around the world discuss key challenges at the 14th annual Halifax International Security Forum live from Nova Scotia. As an official media partner, POLITICO will livestream the conversation beginning at 3 p.m. on November 18. The full three-day agenda is here .

TRIVIA

Monday's answer: An 18-carat gold lion sits atop the Black Rod.

Props to ROBERT MCDOUGALL, ELIZABETH BURN, MICHAEL MACDONALD, NANCI WAUGH, BRAM ABRAMSON and JOHN ECKER.

Tuesday's question: JOHN ROBERTS is now known as the co-anchor of America Reports on FOX News Channel. Way back when he was getting his start, he went by a different name. What was it?

Send your 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? Playbook can help. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com .

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