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Jun 22, 2023 View in browser   By Nick Taylor-Vaisey Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Nick | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I’m your host, Nick Taylor-Vaisey, with Kyle Duggan. Today, the House of Commons is mostly empty. We take stock of the raucous final day of debate after weeks and weeks of shenanigans. Plus, the lobbying commissioner dropped her annual report. And could MAXIME BERNIER actually help PIERRE POILIEVRE? DRIVING THE DAY BUH-BYE — As the sun set on the first day of summer, and tourists on the Hill soaked up the most daylight Ottawa will see all year, MPs inside the House of Commons wrapped up business until fall — Sept. 18, to be exact. The sun finally fell behind the Gatineau Hills just before 9 p.m. Just past 11 p.m., MPs filed in to the chamber for one last round of votes (more on those below). The half-filled room gave party whips an ovation as they marched down the aisle. Dozens of MPs voted remotely on the remaining business, including every party leader. The Commons collectively had a foot out the door. The speaker moved a motion to adjourn at 12:12 a.m. Thursday morning, bringing to an end the geekiest office pool on the Hill. For the record, the last MP in the chamber was Conservative MP MICHAEL KRAM, who left just past 12:30. A couple of pages high-fived. Silly season was officially over. The MPs, like kids at the end of the school year, were set free. Next up is a return to adult life in the real world, where barbecues and constituents await. Just not before a final burst of calamity on a feisty caucus day in the Commons. — Fuddle-duddle watch: The elected commoners endured each other for nine nearly consecutive sitting weeks bisected by a single constituency week — an "extremely long period of time" was how Government House Leader MARK HOLLAND put it to reporters. What would the final day of that interminable spring be without an accusation that Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU cursed in the general direction of NDP MP LEAH GAZAN? Conservative MP KAREN VECCHIO leveled the claim, arguing the prime minister dropped an F-bomb following his response to Gazan's call for the government to do more to protect Indigenous women and girls. Trudeau categorically denied saying anything as he sat down. We rewatched the tape. The PM's lips did appear to move as he shook his head in disappointment. But his mutterings, if there were mutterings, were no match for the high-decibel commotion in the House. — Other shenanigans: Liberal MP KODY BLOIS tried to sneak in a non-sequitur softball question that appeared to have Tory House Leader ANDREW SCHEER in Speaker ANTHONY ROTA's face. Rota ruled the question invalid … Conservative MP TODD DOHERTY asked Rota to apologize for his own nasty language in response to another Tory MP. Rota's response: "I don't remember yelling anything that was undeserved or unparliamentary" … Tory finance critic JASRAJ SINGH HALLAN failed to gain unanimous consent to table the Liberal plan to balance the budget (i.e. a blank piece of paper he waved at the government side). Time for a few months of mutual timeout. Senators won't be far behind. WHAT DID GET DONE — Government House Leader MARK HOLLAND boasted Wednesday about the 15 bills his party managed to shepherd through the Commons in as many weeks. On Wednesday night, MPs approved billions in spending, several Senate amendments to the Online News Act, new corporate transparency rules, and the appointment of HARRIET SOLLOWAY as Canada's public sector integrity commissioner. MPs also unanimously agreed on a sitting calendar for 2024. — What notably didn't get done: Public Safety Minister MARCO MENDICINO's gun control bill, the lightning rod known as C-21, is stuck in the Senate. Mendicino told Playbook that getting the legislation through the Senate before the summer was his "top priority." He won't get his wish. Bloc Québécois leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET caused a stir Wednesday when he told reporters that opposition parties and the government were nearing an agreement on how to establish a public inquiry into foreign interference. Blanchet said a deal could be struck "within days." Holland only called talks "productive," declining to comment on the timing of a potential announcement. TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU's itinerary includes only "private meetings." — Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND's itinerary also lists only "private meetings." 10:45 a.m. NDP leader JAGMEET SINGH is in Thunder Bay, Ont. to talk about his party's plan to "help renters in Thunder Bay." 1:45 p.m. Natural Resources Minister JONATHAN WILKINSON and Emergency Preparedness Minister BILL BLAIR will join U.S. Ambassador DAVID COHEN to make "an announcement on bilateral wildfire cooperation." For your radar BY THE NUMBERS — Lobbying Commissioner NANCY BÉLANGER published her 2022-23 annual report this week. Playbook spotted some stand-out stats. 8,467: Lobbyists who registered at least once in the year. 30,681: Communication reports filed in 2023, a new record and up by nearly 20 percent from the previous year. 1,602: Lobbyist meetings with the Prime Minister's Office. 56: Meetings with the PM alone. 11,511: Meetings with MPs. 1,421: Meetings with senators. 5,960: Meetings with senior public servants (DMs, associate DMs, assistant DMs). 2: Interviews granted to journalists. Zero: Exemptions granted on the five-year restriction on lobbying for former designated public office holders. (The commissioner received 10 requests. Two were deferred to 2023-24.) — Most popular targets: The commissioner's report revealed the distinction between who lobbyists hope to meet and who they actually sit down with. Every time a lobbyist wants to bend the ear of somebody in government, their registration includes a list of target institutions. The PMO is the second-most popular among all registrations, but doesn't crack the top five for posted meetings. Registry devotees will note a steady stream of lobbyists whose companies or clients are in the clean energy space — many looking to influence tax policy or secure federal money (say, the ever-popular Strategic Innovation Fund). Here's how the numbers break down: → Top 5 registrations: House of Commons; PMO; Innovation, Science and Economic Development; Finance; Senate. → Top 5 meetings: House of Commons; Innovation, Science and Economic Development; Environment and Climate Change; Finance; Natural Resources. → Most popular subject matter in meetings: Environment, economic development, energy, industry, health. FOR THE RECORD — Sen. IAN SHUGART, the former clerk of the Privy Council, delivered his maiden speech to the Red Chamber on Tuesday. Shugart urged his colleagues to show restraint from their perches in the Senate. Here's an excerpt of his remarks: "In this Parliament, we have witnessed a sea change in the composition of the upper house. If the present government is reelected, we can expect further evolution of the Senate. The further we get from a party-based Senate, the more entrenched will be the idea of independence and freedom of action. Taken too far, we could find ourselves with many senators effectively setting themselves up as a de facto opposition to the government. We could be left with a frequent or perpetual standoff between the two chambers, as more and more independent senators claim a right to block legislation coming from the elected chamber. "Alternatively, notwithstanding the current attention being given to foreign interference, I am convinced that our democratic institutions and process are healthy enough to give us a different government. Should that be the case, some senators may feel it is their right and obligation to oppose any legislation from the other place if it reflects a philosophical perspective with which they disagree. Given the numbers that can be projected, this could be a recipe for legislative paralysis. To be blunt, either scenario creates the possibility that this institution could be at risk of acting undemocratically — ironically, by allowing tightly held principle to trump constitutional convention and deference to the will of the elected chamber. "In either situation, we have the seeds of constitutional crisis. An essential ingredient in avoiding or resolving such a crisis will be the practice of restraint. Our Constitution is black-letter law and convention — practices developed over decades and centuries, in which the instinct to exercise raw power is restrained for the common good. Absent restraint, the convention that the Senate’s duty is to scrutinize, amend and pass legislation — balanced against deference to the chamber that most directly reflects the will of the people — is incomplete." HALLWAY CONVERSATION BERNIER: HELPING OR HURTING POILIEVRE? — The conventional wisdom says BRANDEN LESLIE's decisive by-election victory over People’s Party Leader MAXIME BERNIER on Monday was unambiguously good news for PIERRE POILIEVRE's party. Bernier banked on a trove of votes in Portage-Lisgar that never materialized. He managed to win more than 17.2 percent of the voters, but commentators dismissed the showing as a turning point in Bernier's long road to political obscurity. If the populist Quebecer salvages a solid donor base that turns out to vote in the next campaign, does Bernier pose a threat to Poilievre? SEAN SPEER, editor-at-large at The Hub, played devil's advocate on that question: “Political parties to the right of the mainstream conservative party may be a helpful safety valve for fringe ideas and voices. They can enable mainstream parties to position themselves as balanced and moderate and ultimately to govern more effectively.” FRED DELOREY, the Conservative national campaign director in 2021, says the party needs all the votes it can get — and the tent is big enough for everyone. DeLorey tells Playbook that postmortem calculations estimated Bernier's crew cost the Tories four or five seats. Playbook's question: Does a moderately successful People’s Party actually help Conservative odds of winning the next election? SHAKIR CHAMBERS, principal at Earnscliffe and knower of the Tory landscape: There’s an assumption that all People's Party voters fled the Conservative Party. The data does not neatly draw that same conclusion. PPC gains across Canada are not always a result of the CPC losing its supporters. Having a party on the right of the CPC is not inherently bad, for the reasons Mr. Speer outlines. It creates an environment where conservative-leaning voters can say, “Thank god they’re not like those guys.” Is there an optimal vote share in the PPC/CPC world? I’m not sure. But trying to “destroy” the People's Party might not be a wise move. Mad Max channeled his inner Terminator and let us know he’ll be back. If the goal is to eradicate the PPC, I’d be more curious to know how many voters the CPC pushes away for every PPC vote it chases. Agree? Disagree? Tell us what you think. MEDIA ROOM — Top of Newswatch: JODY THOMAS tells CBC's The House that the source behind foreign interference leaks "will be found" and punished. — The federal government has released its action plan to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, CP’s STEPHANIE TAYLOR reports. — The Toronto Star's TONDA MACCHARLES bids adieu to NORA DAIGLE, a 20-year veteran of the Parliamentary Protective Service and its predecessors who served her final shift on Wednesday. The former boxer received a standing ovation from MPs. — From THE NARWHAL: Vancouver’s development destroyed Burrard Inlet. Tsleil-Waututh Nation is determined to save it, — LAURENT CARBONNEAU of the Council of Canadian Innovators, still basking in the glow of his wedding last weekend, published a Mooseworks newsletter urging federal cybersecurity policymakers to work more effectively with Canadian companies that have an easier time selling their products to foreign governments. — NEIL MOSS of The Hill Times scoops that the House Canada-China committee is planning a Capitol Hill summit with U.S. counterparts. TALK OF THE TOWN JOIN US IN WASHINGTON — Second-last call for Canada-U.S. geeks in D.C. Join us to play Ottawa Playbook Trivia on Monday at Penn Social's Little Pen Coffeehouse. Doors open at 7 p.m. First question at 7:30. We'll have a special guest quizmaster: Ambassador KIRSTEN HILLMAN. Registration is open. RSVP via this Google Form. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to former Cabmin WAYNE EASTER and former MPs BEV SHIPLEY and JENNIFER COSSITT. HBD +1 to Ontario Native Women’s Association founding member JEANNETTE CORBIERE LAVELL. SARINA REHAL of Crestview Strategy also celebrates today. Spotted: TAYLOR BACHRACH, “rising on a matter of great import.” RIDEAU HALL, adorned with the crochet art of Métis artist TRACEY-MAE CHAMBERS in celebration of National Indigenous People’s Day. (h/t JUDY TRINH) Foreign Affairs Minister MELANIE JOLY, beginning a visit to Washington with a face-to-face check in with Ambassador KIRSTEN HILLMAN. — In Toronto: The Star editorial board has endorsed ANA BAILÃO for mayor, seconded by former mayor JOHN TORY, offering an endorsement “because I care about this city” … Meanwhile, Ontario Premier DOUG FORD is warning frontrunner OLIVIA CHOW will be an “unmitigated disaster.” … The Local asks: Where has Chow been? Movers and shakers: Iqaluit Mayor SOLOMON AWA has won the Indigenous Voices Award for his Inuktitut-language book, “Animals Illustrated: Narwhal.” The Government Relations Institute of Canada has a new executive team: MEG BUTTLE (continuing as president), HUNTER DOUBT (vice president), HARDAVE BIRK (corporate secretary) and D’ARCI MCFADDEN (treasurer). They toasted the new team at an evening social on the patio of Beyond the Pale Brewing. New West Public Affairs senior consultant CHARLIE BELDMAN is now repping the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers on the Hill. BRYAN LE was appointed, via order-in-council, a messenger at the Prime Minister's residence. Media mentions: ICYMI, The Rover was first to report that Montreal Gazette editor BERT ARCHER and deputy editor LENIE LUCCI are leaving the newsroom at the end of the month. Former Parliament Hill journalist EMMA LOOP starts a gig as news editor at Axios … Canadian journalist and BBC correspondent LYSE DOUCET received an honorary degree from the University of Oxford. PROZONE If you’re a subscriber, don’t miss our latest policy newsletter by KYLE DUGGAN: House in overdrive. In other Pro headlines: — FTC claims Amazon tricked millions into Prime subscriptions. — France disbands climate movement over ‘eco-terrorism’ allegations. — OECD tax agreement would cost Treasury, forecasters predict. — U.S., India move toward closer defense trade cooperation — European Commission to make Russian frozen assets proposal this summer. On the Hill → Find the latest House committees here → Keep track of Senate committees here 9 a.m. The Parliamentary Budget Officer will post a new report that compares household purchasing power at different income levels from 2019 to 2022. 10 a.m. Sen. KIM PATE holds a press conference in the Sir John A Macdonald building to announce a humanitarian delegation to northeastern Syria this summer to visit camps and detention centers. TRIVIA Wednesday’s answer: National Aboriginal Day, now National Indigenous Peoples Day, was announced in 1996 by ROMÉO LEBLANC, who was governor general at the time. Props to BOB GORDON, GEORGE YOUNG, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, GERMAINE MALABRE and SHAUGHN MCARTHUR. Belated props for Tuesday’s question to DUANE BRATT, BOB HOWSAM and AMY CASTLE. Today’s question via LAURA DAWSON: Everyone knows the famous BILL REID sculpture, “Spirit of Haida Gwaii,” outside the Embassy of Canada in Washington. Who, or what, donated it? Send your answer 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 Playbook wouldn’t happen: Without Luiza Ch. Savage, Sue Allan and Emma Anderson.   Follow us on Twitter Nick Taylor-Vaisey @TaylorVaisey Sue Allan @susan_allan Maura Forrest @MauraForrest Kyle Duggan @Kyle_Duggan 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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