The airport is where it's at

Dec 15, 2022

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Thanks for reading the Ottawa Playbook. I'm your host Nick Taylor-Vaisey. Today, the House has adjourned for the holidays and many MPs are far away from the nation's capital. We take a look at Parliament's unfinished business. Plus, a deep dive into utility pole politics.

Driving the Day

SEE YA IN 2023 — Silly season is over. The holidays are near.

The House adjourned today for six weeks. Government House Leader MARK HOLLAND gave himself a passing grade, reflecting on the fall as a "productive parliamentary session."

Wednesday's marquee achievement was passage at third reading of Bill C-18, which would force certain online platforms to share revenue with news outlets. But it's not a law yet. That's now up to the Senate, which has its hands full with other government legislation.

— Three: That's how many bills have received royal assent since the House returned in September. Each got the vice-regal rubber stamp almost a month ago on Nov. 17.

With those three signatures, the government repealed mandatory minimums on drug offenses, authorized a top-up to a housing benefit for qualifying families, and set in motion the first phase of a dentalcare promise that shored up key NDP support.

At least one more bill is in line for royal assent: S-4, a government bill first tabled in the Senate that modernizes Canadian court proceedings in response to Covid-era pressures.

— What's left? So much.

C-11: The House managed to send its controversial Broadcasting Act overhaul to the Senate. The bill cleared report stage on Wednesday and is a vote away from royal assent.

C-21: Firearms legislation meant to take guns off the streets has angered gun owners who claim the Liberals are outlawing common hunting weapons. That bill is facing considerable pushback, even from within the Liberal caucus, and is stuck at a House committee.

C-27: Innovation Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE tabled a long-awaited rewrite of federal digital privacy laws. But the bill's smooth ride hit a snag in November.

The NDP and Tories complained C-27 would also regulate "trade and commerce in artificial intelligence systems," and argued MPs should vote separately on those provisions. Speaker ANTHONY ROTA ruled in their favor. Champagne's next move is an open question.

C-29: … isn't as close. That bill would establish a national council for reconciliation, and senators debated it at second reading on Wednesday.

C-32: Finance Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND's bill that implements bits and bobs from Budget 2022 and the Fall Economic Statement — including an end to interest on federal student loans — is on the cusp of royal assent.

The Senate finance committee passed it without amendment, and Freeland's staff will no doubt watch that chamber closely as the bill returns for a final vote.

M-62: The House adjourned right before debate on Liberal MP SAMEER ZUBERI 's private member's motion, which calls on the government to expedite the entry of 10,000 Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims over two years starting in 2024.

Zuberi's motion has 20 seconders, the maximum allowed under House rules, from all parties. The Montreal-area MP expects the second hour of debate to sit near the top of the Commons agenda when MPs return in January.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

— PM Trudeau will chair a Cabinet meeting. He'll also speak with Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY. At 7:15 p.m., Trudeau will deliver remarks at the Liberals' annual Laurier Club holiday party at the Museum of History in Gatineau.

— NDP leader JAGMEET SINGH is in Montreal. His first morning stop is a meeting with APTS, a healthcare union. At 11 a.m., he'll speak to reporters about healthcare at NDP MP ALEXANDRE BOULERICE's office. Next up is a stop at COP15. He'll meet with Quebec union leaders and Nature Canada before attending the WWF-Canada COP15 Reception.

For your radar

POLE-ING FIRM — ÉRIC VACHON wants the attention of the Prime Minister's Office.

Vachon isn't used to making a stink with politicians. He runs a company that produces utility poles and railway ties. Business is good at Stella-Jones. Canada has a voracious appetite for utility poles and the company's customers include major provincial utilities.

— The gripe: Vachon says a federal regulator's decision is about to choke supply chains and threaten the performance of Canada's telecommunications and electrical grid.

— The background: In 2020, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) launched public consultations on a wood preservative named pentachlorophenol (penta for short). The regulator intended to ban the sale and use of the chemical, which poses a potential exposure risk — including people who work with it.

On Oct. 4, the PMRA decreed a one-year phase-out. Alarm bells rang at Stella-Jones HQ in Montreal, which knew the ruling was two years in the making and supports the transition to new preservatives — but had during consultations pushed for more time.

— The stakes: Canada needs up to 60,000 new utility poles every year.

Hurricane Fiona brought down 5,000 poles in the Atlantic provinces, and the more extreme weather produced by climate change is likely to increase demand. Plus, 5G and broadband expansion projects require poles. So do new industrial facilities.

— The challenge: Stella-Jones says Canada's existing supply of penta-treated poles will need to be destroyed or exported next October — and the company can't convert its facilities to handle a new preservative quickly enough to replace the missing pole supply.

Vachon added that Health Canada hasn't approved an alternative preservative called dichlorooctylisothiazolinone (DCOI for short). If DCOI gets the go-ahead, the company says it needs 9 to12 months to convert its operations.

Stella-Jones's customers include eight major utilities, including Fortis, BC Hydro, Hydro One, Hydro Québec and ATCO subsidiaries. The anticipated result north of the border: a "major shortage."

— The solution: Stella-Jones is pleading with government officials to extend the phaseout period to three years, and reminding them the U.S.-based Environmental Protection Agency gave industry a five-year grace period.

The EPA has also green-lit DCOI. Stella-Jones is already converting its American facilities and says the sooner the better for a Canadian approval.

— The response: Health Canada isn't budging on the phase-out. And a spokesperson told Playbook that DCOI is under review, but didn't offer a timeline: "Once the review is completed, a proposed registration decision will be published for consultation."

The department reminded us that DCOI has been a registered wood preservative in the U.S. "for many years," and Health Canada only received a request to approve DCOI in late 2021.

Translation: Patience is a virtue.

— What's next: Stella-Jones doesn't want to wait. The company has tapped a team of Crestview lobbyists to get in the government's ear asap. They might as well wait until 2023. Official Ottawa is about to take a month-long nap.

FROM THE DESK OF 338CANADA

NAVE GAZING — How often have you attended a religious service in the past three months?

If your answer is "never" you're in the majority, according to a new survey of Canadians from EKOS Research Associates. In fact, only 19 percent of survey respondents said they'd joined a service more than once during that time frame.

The survey was inspired by new census data from Statistics Canada showing that 68 percent of Canadians claimed a religious affiliation in 2021, down from 90 percent in 1985.

By comparison, almost 70 percent of Americans identify as religious.

Here's what the survey tells us about the Canadians who said they'd not attended service: 81 percent were NDP voters; 71 percent were Liberals; 57 percent were Conservatives.

The breakdown by voting intention suggests NDP (23 percent), Bloc (26 percent) and Green Party (28 percent) voters are significantly less religious than the national average. Half of Conservative voters (52 percent) said religion is important in their lives.

Read PHILIPPE J. FOURNIER's full report here.

MEDIA ROOM

— The Hub's SEAN SPEER writes: "Poilievre is building a coalition of strivers who still believe in the meritocratic dream." The post scored a +1 from the Tory leader's storyteller-in-chief, BEN WOODFINDEN.

— A Globe investigation: How big-name investors, including Canadian pension funds, bought into a crypto craze that ended up with criminal charges

— FRANK GRAVES and STEPHEN MAHER share a byline at the Walrus. Display copy: How the Conservative leader is harnessing the growing tide of authoritarianism in Canada.

— LISA YOUNG and LOLEEN BERDAHL teamed up for Policy Options to write about the latest iteration of western alienation.

PROZONE

If you're a subscriber, don't miss our latest policy newsletter from MAURA FORREST: That's a wrap (almost)

In other Pro headlines:

— EU countries seek to weaken new rules to tackle methane emissions.

— Tech group sues California over kids online safety law.

— House Democrats introduce bill to squash cross-border gun trafficking.

— 4 startling ways China is challenging the U.S.

— CDC says long Covid has contributed to thousands of U.S. deaths.

PLAYBOOKERS

Birthdays: HBD to Senator CHANTAL PETITCLERC. Former MPs RAHIM JAFFER and JIM EGLINSKI also celebrate this day.

Birthdays, gatherings, social notices: Send them our way.

Spotted: Toronto Star feature writer RICHARD WARNICA, deconstructing the "Toronto Life hate read." … New West Public Affairs principal MIKE SOLBERG, doing the depressing math on mortgage rates … Justice Minister DAVID LAMETTI in sartorial competition with caucus colleague EMMANUEL DUBOURG.

Keurig-Doctor Pepper GR guy MICHAEL FORIAN-ZYTYNSKY, meeting Ontario's midwestern trade rep EARL PROVOST (with a hat-tip to Ontario PC president MICHAEL DIAMOND).

Movers and shakers: The Friedrich Ebert Foundation paid NDP leader JAGMEET SINGH's way to Germany for November meetings with that country's Social Democratic Party — including Chancellor OLAF SCHOLZ. The foundation also footed the bill for NDP national director ANNE MCGRATH and Singh EA JAMES CHAPMAN.

— Total costs on the receipts: C$19,500.87 for transportation, C$3,470.94 for accommodations and C$4,860 for meals.

Enterprise Canada's GRACE BAXTER signed up to rep the Canadian Catholic School Trustees' Association. The org is targeting MPs and senators, Employment and Social Development Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Public Safety Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada and Women and Gender Equality.

Cocktail circuit: Trade Minister MARY NG is a late edition to the Liberals' Laurier Club holiday party tonight at the Canadian Museum of History. That makes a dozen members of Cabinet on the list of featured guests.

The 20th Century Boys — feat. RICHARD MAHONEY, PETER VAN DUSEN, GLEN MCINNES, DONOVAN ALLEN, WARREN EVERSON, DAVE FRASER, KELLY CRAIG, JONATHAN COOK, MIKE MARTIN and special guest EVAN SOLOMON — are playing their 17th annual Christmas dance party tonight at the Rainbow in the ByWard Market. Doors open at 8. Tickets are C$25. Proceeds go to the Ottawa Food Bank.

Media mentions: SCOTT DEVEAU is leaving Bloomberg News after nine years. TVO's KAT ESCHNER met a childhood hero.

Send Playbookers tips to ottawaplaybook@politico.com.

On the Hill

→ Find the latest on House committee meetings here.

→ Keep track of Senate committee meetings here.

9 a.m. The Senate internal economy committee will meet to consider financial and administrative matters.

12:30 p.m. The Senate foreign affairs committee will hear from International Trade Minister MARY NG and officials from Global Affairs Canada regarding the Canadian foreign service.

Behind closed doors: The House national defense committee will meet in camera to discuss drafting instructions for a report; the Senate ethics committee will meet privately to consider matters related to the ethics and conflict of interest code for senators.

TRIVIA

Wednesday's answer: The Nova Scotia Tree for Boston recognizes the help Boston extended to Haligonians after the Halifax Explosion of 1917.

Props to DON NEWMAN, ROB LEFORTE, MICHAEL BENTON, LAURA JARVIS, SOPHIA NICKEL, JOANNA PLATER, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, DOUG SWEET, PATRICK DION, NATHAN CARR, LAURIE MACE, NANCI WAUGH, AMY BOUGHNER, KATE DALGLEISH, LUCAS BORCHENKO, MAUREEN MACGILLIVRAY, CHRIS MCCLUSKEY, PAULETTE MCMURRAY, JOHN ECKER and ROSS LECLAIR.

Today's question: On this date in 1964, a bitter, six-month debate on Parliament Hill was ended by closure. What was it about?

Send your answer to ottawaplaybook@politico.com

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