Final caucus day of 2022

A daily look inside Canadian politics and power.

Dec 14, 2022 View in browser   By Zi-Ann Lum Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I'm your host Zi-Ann Lum. Later today, speeches in the House will remind us of life's surprises and the limits of good intentions. Elsewhere in this week before the holidays, Conservatives are calling on MARY NG to resign. DRIVING THE DAY HINDSIGHT'S WISDOM — In the House of Commons, MPs are referred to by their ridings. But this afternoon, a series of speakers will break with convention and recognize the late JIM CARR by name. NDP House Leader PETER JULIAN acknowledged Tuesday that the tributes are overdue. MPs had known Carr was fading. "We were aware that we needed to do that," he said. The MP for Winnipeg South Centre died Monday. Ahead of Tuesday's QP, MP TERRY DUGUID put it on record that Carr had served with distinction. "He believed that our evolving energy sector will help power our country forward. That is how he found the strength to see his private member's bill — the building a green prairie economy act — pass third reading last week." Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE shared his condolences off the top of question period. In reply, Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU told the House: "His thoughtfulness, his commitment to the Prairies and his commitment to Canada will be long remembered and need inspire us all every single day as we notice the empty seat among us." Global's AARON D'ANDREA reports that MPs on the House public safety committee, which Carr once chaired, also shared remembrances during their meeting on Tuesday. A public memorial will be held for Carr on Saturday in Winnipeg at the Centennial Concert Hall. Do you enjoy Ottawa Playbook? Maybe you know others who would like it, too. Point them to this link where they can sign up for free. WATCHDOG BITES — International Trade Minister MARY NG broke ethics rules over two contracts signed for media training services by a company owned and led by her friend of more than 20 years, AMANDA ALVARO. "There is simply no excuse for contracting with a friend's company," said Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner MARIO DION. "This includes the need to quickly obtain media training services to help Minister Ng respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020." The value of the contracts each fell below the C$25,000 threshold needed to trigger a competitive bidding process. Dion launched an investigation after Conservative MP JAMES BEZAN requested the commissioner review the contracts to Alvaro. The watchdog's findings present the Conservatives with a new opening to call back the WE scandal, which their leader was quick to do. "From incompetence to bad ethics, we have another Liberal minister found guilty of violating the Ethics Act," Poilievre told the House. Conservative MPs are calling on Ng to step down. "After [former finance minister] Bill Morneau got caught, he did the honorable thing and resigned," Bezan said. "Will the trade minister follow suit?" Ng told the House she accepts full responsibility. "I should have recused myself," she said in reply to Bezan. "I am sincerely sorry for not having done so." For your radar 'TOOTHLESS TIGER' — Anti-child labor campaigner FERNANDO MORALES-DE LA CRUZ says a Senate public bill proposing to "prevent and reduce" the risk of forced labor or child labor in Canada's supply chains lacks teeth. "The companies only have to send a report saying that they did their best," Morales-de la Cruz told Playbook. "They don't have any obligation to change their business models." Bill S-211 would require government and companies to report annually on the steps they're making to eliminate forced or child labor in "at any step of the production of goods in Canada or elsewhere." It targets companies that make at least C$40 million in revenue and employ 250 people or more. Sen. JULIE MIVILLE-DECHÊNE introduced the bill in the Senate last November. "This is a private member's bill and we think we went to the maximum we could go as parliamentarians to build a bill which had some consensus — obviously not everybody," Miville-Dechêne said in response to criticism. "Some businesses are saying it goes too far … We have enough, I think, support to start somewhere." — Legislative status: It's near the finish line in the House, carried by Liberal MP JOHN MCKAY , about to slide out of the report stage and on to third reading. Miville-Dechêne said Morales-de la Cruz is "one voice." Human rights activists have criticized her bill for not going far enough, she said. France, for example, has a due diligence law with a sanctions regime that allows victims to sue for damages. — What's next: Unrelated to Bill S-211, Labor Minister SEAMUS O'REGAN has been assigned the task of tabling future legislation to eradicate forced labor from the Canadian supply chains and to "ensure that Canadian businesses operating abroad do not contribute to human rights abuses." TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS — It's caucus day. — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in Ottawa and will attend the 10 a.m. Liberal caucus meeting. He'll be in question period and will deliver remarks in tribute to MP JIM CARR at 3:50 p.m. Trudeau will wrap his day at the Liberal holiday party. 9 a.m. Congresswoman DEBBIE DINGELL (D-Mich.) and Rep. BILL HUIZENGA will join Liberal MP VANCE BADAWEY and Sen. JANE CORDY at a joint press conference in West Block to mark the 50th anniversary of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The Americans will join their Canadian peers virtually. 9:30 a.m. Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE will open the top of his caucus meeting to the media. 10 a.m. Bloc Québécois Leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET holds a press conference in the Wellington Building to wrap the session before the holidays. 11 a.m. Governor General MARY SIMON will invest 50 appointees to the Order of Canada with a ceremony at Rideau Hall. 12:30 p.m. Health Minister JEAN-YVES DUCLOS will deliver an update on the Covid-19 situation in Canada "and other public health concerns." A media availability will follow. 2 p.m. NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH holds a media availability in West Block before heading inside the chamber for question period. 5 p.m. Liberal MP SAMEER ZUBERI's M-62, which calls on the government to expedite the entry of 10,000 Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims over two years starting in 2024, will get its second hour of House debate. PAPER TRAIL FROM THE TENDERS — Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada is looking for a 60-month lease on a new mail-sorting machine . "The current machine is outdated and requires an upgrade," reads a new tender published this week . The current lease expires Dec. 31. — Now hiring: The justice department is looking to hire up to three bilingual "senior ATIP advisers" on contract and has shortlisted 23 vendors eligible for bidding. Initial award value: C$2,080,000, taxes included. PROZONE For POLITICO Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter from MAURA FORREST: Ng apologizes; Anand doubles down. In news for POLITICO Pro subscribers:  — White House says climate law will fuel import boom. — More fights ahead for EU carbon border tax. — 'America has achieved a tremendous scientific breakthrough.' — Industry's big bet on chemical recycling is sparking policy fights across the country. — China challenges U.S. chip rules at WTO. MEDIA ROOM — In his latest for Global SAM COOPER reports: Secret 2020 Privy Council Office memo found 'active foreign interference network' in 2019 election. — The Globe's MARIE WOOLF writes on "the talented and ubiquitous" OWEN RIPLEY, the public servant guiding both the online news bill and the online streaming bill through parliamentary committees. — Fresh on POLITICO: From blockchain to photos, a look at the struggle to track Ukraine aid. — On the latest episode of the Hub dialogues, SEAN SPEER and PPF president ED GREENSPON discuss their newish paper, "The Urgent Case for a Supply Rebuild, Investing in a New Economic Compact for Canada." — "The truth is that DANIELLE SMITH is keeping the party's head above water," DON BRAID writes in the Herald of the Alberta premier's first month on the job. — "Poilievre and the Conservatives can't plausibly form a government without an MP from Mississauga–Lakeshore," the Writ's ERIC GRENIER writes for subs. "The loss signals that his party still needs to do a lot of work before it is poised to win in the Greater Toronto Area again." PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: A merry birthday to DOMINIC LEBLANC. Engaged: McMillan Vantage senior consultant RACHEL RAPPAPORT and lawyer-turned-public servant ERIC CORMIER with a classic reveal . Spotted: Transport Minister OMAR ALGHABRA holding a Christmas ornament , potentially shooting an annual video related to SANTA CLAUS … and the transport minister sitting with Nissan Canada representatives with a printout of a "Nissan Zero Emissions Vehicle Commitment" deck in between. New senators SHARON BUREY and REBECCA PATTERSON making their debuts in the red chamber … Bloc MPs MONIQUE PAUZÉ and KRISTINA MICHAULD linking up with Catalonian climate envoys ISIDRE SALA and MARC VILAHUR. Movers and shakers: Trudeau's household staff gains a messenger : CHRISTOPHER RENDEL. New year, new role: DAVID COLETTO will replace BRUCE ANDERSON as chairman of Abacus Data on Jan. 1. Send Playbookers tips to ottawaplaybook@politico.com . On the Hill → Find upcoming House committees here → Keep track of Senate committees here 3:30 p.m. The House committee on the status of women will hold a press conference to discuss its report on violence against Indigenous women and girls. 4:30 p.m. The House ethics committee will continue its study of privacy concerns regarding the ArriveCAN app. Amazon Canadian public policy director NICOLE FOSTER is a witness. 4:30 p.m. The House agriculture committee will go through clause-by-clause consideration of Bill S-277, a private member's bill proposing the creation of a national Food Day. Behind closed doors: The Senate national finance committee meets to review a draft copy of its Supplementary Estimates (B) report. TRIVIA Tuesday's answer: Top marks to Playbook reader BRAM ABRAMSON for his answer: "DAN VANDAL — former pro boxer, briefly the acting mayor of Winnipeg, and a Métis son of St-Boniface — is the Cabinet minister responsible for economic development on the Prairies." Props to BRIAN GILBERTSON, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, DOUG RICE and BOB GORDON. Wednesday's question: Every year for the past 81, Nova Scotia has given a Christmas tree to the city of Boston. What inspired the tradition? Send your answer to ottawaplaybook@politico.com Playbook wouldn't happen: Without Luiza Ch. Savage and Sue Allan.   Follow us on Twitter Nick Taylor-Vaisey @TaylorVaisey Sue Allan @susan_allan Maura Forrest @MauraForrest Zi-Ann Lum @ziannlum POLITICO Canada @politicoottawa   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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