In and out in Alberta

Nov 30, 2022

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Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I'm your host Zi-Ann Lum. Text of Alberta Premier DANIELLE SMITH's sovereignty act has landed; Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU says he has other things on his mind. Plus, experts weigh in presumptions and omissions in the Indo-Pacific strategy that deserve a closer look.

DRIVING THE DAY

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks at a press conference after the Speech from the Throne in Edmonton on Nov. 29, 2022.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on Tuesday in Edmonton. | THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

BLAME OTTAWA — Premier DANIELLE SMITH has declared a "new dawn" in Alberta.

Alberta's United Conservative Party government kicked off a new legislative session by introducing its contentious sovereignty act, Smith's self-described bid to "reset the relationship with Ottawa."

"I hope we never have to use this bill," Smith told reporters Tuesday after Alberta's Lieutenant Governor SALMA LAKHANI 's reading of the Throne Speech. "I hope that we've sent a message to Ottawa that we will vigorously defend our constitutional areas of jurisdiction, and they should just butt out."

That means natural resources. Smith name checked federal Environment Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT twice.

Its full title of the legislation is the " Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act ." The Throne Speech stitched "constitutional shield" — Smith's description of the legislation — into its text .

— What's in the bill: If passed, the sovereignty act would allow Smith's government, when it's "necessary and appropriate," to not enforce federal laws, regulations and "actions" if they're deemed "unconstitutional or harmful to Albertans."

The act would give the provincial Cabinet new powers to change laws. The process would start with a minister introducing a motion to use the act, identifying the unconstitutional or harmful federal "action" from Ottawa and proposing solutions.

The motion would go to debate and a free vote for MLAs. If passed, the resolution would go to Cabinet. The output would be a binding order or directive to a minister or "provincial entity."

"Nothing takes place behind closed doors," Smith said in response to a question about government jurisdiction. She called the legislation a response to "a long and painful history of mistreatment and constitutional overreach from Ottawa."

— In Alberta and beyond: The Calgary Chamber of Commerce fired off a statement to warn the act will "impede new investment in the province, reduce business certainty and stability, and create challenges for businesses to attract and retain talent."

Professor EMMETT MACFARLANE called it, "perhaps the most blatantly unconstitutional pile of crap ever introduced in a legislature in modern Canadian history."

Professor LISA YOUNG shared her analysis in a blog post titled, Excuse me while I light my hair on fire.

Back on Twitter, Mount Royal University political science prof DUANNE BRATT observed: "The Smith govt is committing itself to eroding democracy/rule of law in Alberta in order to combat its perception of federal govt jurisdiction overreach. In other words, punishing Albertans to thwart Trudeau."

— In headlines: Danielle Smith and the War Against Ottawa Measures Act (JASON MARKUSOFF, CBC); Sovereignty act has come bigger and more undemocratic than advertised (KELLY CRYDERMAN, The Globe and Mail); Alberta 'sovereignty' act introduces sweeping new powers to resist Ottawa (KIERAN LEAVITT, The Toronto Star); The Alberta Sovereignty Act is so tough Ottawa might consider disallowing it (DON BRAID, Calgary Herald).

— Meanwhile in Ottawa: Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU said he has other issues on his mind.

When asked what he thought about the sovereignty act ahead of its release, Trudeau listed affordability, job creation and funding climate change as the issues on his mind. "That's what Albertans are focused on and that's what I'm going to stay focused on," he said.

— The last word: Former Alberta premier JASON KENNEY also made news last night, resigning his seat via tweet.

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For your radar

DATA DROP — Time to see how the pandemic ruffled labor and commuting trends.

Statistics Canada releases its seventh and last batch of Census 2021 results today, promising updated snapshots on education, evolving labor force dynamics and how people commute to work, plus the state of French-language instruction in the country.

The trends are particularly interesting for Ottawa.

The city touts a reputation for having "more engineers, scientists, and PhDs per capita than any other city in Canada" and the federal government is the region's largest employer.

— Question for tomorrow: Before the pandemic, Ottawa-based Shopify lured workers to the city before it flipped into a "digital by default" company after Covid-19 hit. Hybrid work models for public servants in Ottawa have also disrupted what the downtown office spaces look like.

How will remote work policies and labor trends transform Ottawa?

Share your two cents: ottawaplaybook@politico.com .

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

— It's caucus day on the Hill.

— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in Ottawa but will beam into New York City to join the Reuters NEXT conference at 9:20 a.m. and will head to a 10 a.m. caucus meeting to round out his morning. Trudeau will be at question period at 2 p.m.

— Deputy Prime Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND is in Ottawa and will attend the Liberals' caucus meeting at 10 a.m.

— MÉLANIE JOLY is in Bucharest, Romania attending the NATO foreign ministers meeting.

— Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE is on his way to Belgium and Germany for a week-long trip.

8:30 a.m. Statistics Canada releases its seventh and final set of results from the 2021 Census.

9:15 a.m. Conservative MP GARNETT GENUIS and Sen. SALMA ATAULLAHJAN hold a media availability in West Block to talk about Bill S-223 and Bill C-257 .

9:30 a.m. The Public Order Emergency Commission continues in Ottawa.

12 p.m. Health Minister JEAN-YVES DUCLOS will speak at a fireside chat at the Children's Healthcare Canada Conference in Ottawa.

6:45 p.m. Indigenous Services Minister PATTY HAJDU and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister MARC MILLER will be at the Senate Indigneous peoples committee.

HALLWAY CONVERSATION

NOW WHAT — Points for the Indo-Pacific strategy being a public document, too bad its highly anticipated release was rolled out and buried over the weekend.

The 26-page strategy sets the stage for "more frequent high-level travel" to the Indo-Pacific in the new year, beyond expected trips to Japan when the country takes over the G-7 presidency in 2023.

Now that it's out (after a janky communications strategy that saw technical briefings organized a day after the plan's release), Playbook asked four experts for one element of the Indo-Pacific strategy that they think deserves more attention.

LYNETTE ONG, political science professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.

How do we respond to changing political environments in China? With increased risks of social instability, are you prepared for a fragile "disruptive global power"?

The Indo-Pacific Strategy is premised upon a strong China (though autocratic), but the regime may not be as strong as [Global Affairs Canada] has assumed.

STÉPHANIE MARTEL, Queen's University assistant professor in international relations.

The strategy and its analysis is so focused on China, then India, Japan, etc. that our support to ASEAN's "centrality" through "deep respect" rings a bit hollow.

How exactly Canada plans to "become a more active and engaged partner" of ASEAN specifically will have to be further fleshed out over the coming months. Without a strong Southeast Asian anchor, our desire to be recognized as a fully fledged "Indo-Pacific nation" will not materialize.

How ASEAN reacts to the branding of China as a "security threat," which creates tensions with the "inclusive" elements that align with ASEAN's view of regional order, is something to watch.

TREVOR KENNEDY, Business Council of Canada vice president of trade and international policy.

We were pleased that it was released publicly as we felt it was important for Canada's business leaders, domestic stakeholders and international partners to share a clear understanding of the government's priorities for the region in the areas of trade, security and development.

Given the importance of energy security and the energy transition in the North Pacific, however, we believe strongly that the strategy should have included a clearer commitment that Canada will do more to increase the stable, secure supply of Canadian liquified natural gas to our allies in the region. That is something our allies in Korea and Japan, in particular, have asked of Canada.

GORDON HOULDEN, director emeritus of the University of Alberta's China Institute.

The Indo-Pacific Strategy seeks to emphasize trade and investment ties with Asian economies "ex-China." This effort, through new free trade agreements, additional trade officers and other measures is laudable and welcome. However, the economic weight of the [People's Republic of China] complicates this strategy.

China's GDP is roughly the same size as the GDP of Japan, [South Korea] and Taiwan, combined with the GDP totals for Southeast Asia and South Asia.

Furthermore, nine of the 10 ASEAN states list China as their principal trading partner. Many of the supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region emanate from China or lead back to China. Thus, even an energetic effort to build trade in the Indo-Pacific does not necessarily reduce Canadian economic exposure to China, and may increase China's profile in Canadian trade, albeit indirectly.

PROZONE

For POLITICO Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter from MAURA FORREST and SUE ALLAN: Is it time to regulate net-zero targets?

In news for POLITICO Pro subscribers:

— Pentagon: China to more than triple its nuclear arsenal by 2035.

— Germany's Habeck backs 'Buy European' response to U.S. trade threat.

— Al Gore tells EU: Join us, don't fight us over green subsidies.

— Congressional leaders head to White House for lame duck planning.

— Democrats prepare to upend presidential primary calendar.

MEDIA ROOM

— Top of POLITICO this morning: The GOP's same-sex marriage evolution: A slow, choppy tidal shift.

— TONDA MACCHARLES shared her takeaways from the Pubic Order Emergency Commission on the This Matters pod.

— And KADY O'MALLEY of iPolitics served up three things House committees could learn from the hearings.

— JACKIE FORREST, executive director of the ARC Energy Research Institute, points out in the Globe that the Canadian Pacific Railway was finished in five years. "Fast-forward 140 years and such megaprojects are slow to build in Canada," she writes. "It can take more than 10 years from start to finish — if it begins."

— The Global Exchange pod features COLIN ROBERTSON in conversation with SCOTTY GREENWOOD, VINA NADJIBULLA, LUIZA CH. SAVAGE and DARRELL BRICKER about the 2022 Halifax International Security Forum.

— New from ALTHIA RAJ: Justice Minister DAVID LAMETTI under fire for 'unbelievable' comparisons between euthanasia and suicide.

— The bill to Canadian taxpayers for KING CHARLES' three-day Royal Tour of Canada back in May: at least C$1.4 million. CTV News tabulates where expenses are missing

Playbookers

Birthdays: A hearty HBD to Conservative MP KELLY BLOCK.

Send birthdays to ottawaplaybook@politico.com .

Spotted: Housing, Diversity and Inclusion Minister AHMED HUSSEN in Mexico City posing for a pic with Nobel Peace Laureate KAILASH SATYARTHI.

Some special Ottawa humor in the foyer of the Château Laurier: a framed copy of YOUSUF KARSH's iconic SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL portrait as an ornament on a sponsored Christmas tree (h/t/ GREG MACEACHERN).

Movers and shakers: IRWIN COTLER, reappointed by Trudeau special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combatting anti-Semitism until March 31.

Clean Prosperity has a new federal government relations director : ETIENNE RAINVILLE.

JESSICA PRINCE, ex-chief of staff to former justice minister JODY WILSON-RAYBOULD, has a new gig in the B.C. public service as assistant deputy minister of strategic issues in the premier's office.

ROSS PRUSAKOWSKI is now director of Export Development Canada 's economic and political intelligence centre, or "EPIC" for short.

Transport Minister OMAR ALGHABRA announced a sweep of new appointments. New faces at the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority include ROSEMARY CAPPARELLI and JENNIFER SULLIVAN join as directors. The Great Lakes Pilotage Authority has new members: OKSANA MARY EXELL and JOHN GLENN ST. MARSEILLE. At the Québec Port Authority, FRANÇOIS AMYOT joins as a "user director."

Media mentions: JOHN LORINC is the 2022 winner of the Balsillie Prize for Public Policy.

Farewells: Conservative MP TED FALK paid tribute in the House to late Springs Church pastor LEON FONTAINE.

Send Playbookers tips to ottawaplaybook@politico.com .

On the Hill

→ Find upcoming House committees here

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10 a.m. The Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights holds a press conference in West Block to speak on Bill C-21 and Liberal amendments that would expand prohibitions to additional models of rifles and shotguns.

12 p.m. The Senate veterans affairs committee continues its look into emerging treatments for veterans suffering from occupational stress injuries.

4 p.m. The Senate foreign affairs committee meets to pick up on its study of Canada's foreign service and Global Affairs Canada. Witnesses include Treasury Board and National Defense representatives.

4:15 p.m. The Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee meets to study Bill S-205 , Sen. PIERRE-HUGUES BOISVENU's Senate public bill proposing Criminal Code amendments related to intimate partner violence offenses.

4:30 p.m. The House transport committee meets to continue its study of inter-city transport by bus in Canada.

4:30 p.m. Twenty-four department officials will be at the House finance committee to take questions related to Bill C-32, the government's legislation to implement certain provisions of the Fall Economic Statement.

4:30 p.m. Ukraine's deputy economy minister, TARAS KACHKA, and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress are among those slated to appear before the House agriculture committee studying the Ukraine goods remission order.

4:30 p.m. The House ethics committee will meet to continue its study of privacy concerns related to the ArriveCAN application.

6 p.m. Governor General MARY SIMON delivers remarks at the Canadian Museum of Nature to open the art exhibition, "Our Land, Our Art."

6:45 p.m. Indigenous Services Minister PATTY HAJDU and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister MARC MILLER will be at the Senate Indigenous peoples committee to take questions related to Bill C-32, the government's legislation to implement certain provisions of the Fall Economic Statement.

6:45 p.m. Bill C-11, government legislation to modernize the Broadcasting Act, goes through clause-by-clause consideration at the Senate transport and communications committee .

6:45 p.m. The Senate national finance committee meets with department officials from Treasury Board and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to go over details related to Supplementary Estimates (B).

Behind closed doors: The Senate ethics and conflict of interest committee meets, no cameras allowed; the Senate social affairs, science and technology committee meets to review a draft report of its study looking at the role of gender-based analysis plus in the policy process; the House foreign affairs committee meets to consider two draft reports.

TRIVIA

Tuesday's answer: U.S. President JOE BIDEN will host his first White House state dinner on Thursday. Guest of honor: French President EMMANUEL MACRON.

India's PM MANMOHAN SINGH was guest of honor at BARACK OBAMA's first state dinner in November 2009.

Props to MARC AGNEW, BOB GORDON, BARBARA GRANTHAM, HÉLÈNE CHEVALIER, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, MARC ROSS, GORDON RANDALL and KEVIN COLBOURNE.

Wednesday's question: This MP got their first taste of political life by signing up for a playground committee "in the heart of the Old North West."

Send your answer to ottawaplaybook@politico.com

Playbook wouldn't happen: Without Luiza Ch. Savage and Sue Allan.

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