Trumpy new year

A daily look inside Canadian politics and power.

Jan 17, 2024 View in browser   By Zi-Ann Lum Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Zi-Ann | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. Let's get into it. In today's edition: → On Trudeau’s Cabinet retreat agenda: Canada’s hot-and-cold relationship with an increasingly unstable United States. → A House committee meets to debate throwing sunlight on the prime minister’s Jamaican vacation. → It’s a Davos kind of day for CHRYSTIA FREELAND. DRIVING THE DAY America’s wild election year will be top of the agenda at next week’s Cabinet retreat in Montreal. | Matt Rourke/AP GIDDY UP — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU says his government is ready for a bumpy ride if DONALD TRUMP returns to the White House. “It wasn’t easy the first time,” Trudeau said en français at a Tuesday morning event at the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal. “And if there’s a second time, it won’t be easy either. We won’t imagine that one day it’ll be easy with the Americans.” Trudeau made his remarks on the morning after Trump celebrated an easy caucus victory in Iowa, winning by a historic margin, seemingly unencumbered by a raft of criminal charges. — More real talk: Aside from stating the obvious, a couple notable remarks emerged from Trudeau’s lecture-length answers. → Working with an American president is “always a major challenge,” the PM said. That was the case with BARACK OBAMA and now with JOE BIDEN, leaders with whom he said he’s simpatico, and it is definitely true of Trump who once called Trudeau “two-faced.” → Trudeau poked a new hole in any suggestions there will be a 2024 Canadian campaign. He framed the U.S. election in polarizing terms, saying Americans can choose optimism or “step back” as a nation and buy a populist narrative that sells “a nostalgia for a moment which has never existed.” Democracies around the world are witnessing the rise of grievance politics that doesn’t offer solutions, Trudeau said. “And in two years here in Canada, we will make a similar choice.” — Reality check: The rise of populism and Trump is an irresistible golden goose for Liberal fundraising campaigns. The Donald’s shadow loomed large in the 2019 election when then-Conservative leader ANDREW SCHEER ducked questions about former Trump operatives playing a role in his campaign. Trump’s name was used as a bogeyman by Liberals in 2021 in election-year fundraising emails, attacking Scheer’s successor ERIN O’TOOLE and Conservatives as “Trump North” delegates. — Spoiler alert: Liberal HQ has for months been likening Conservatives to hardline Republicans, recently comparing Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE’s anti-mainstream media schtick to Trump’s own animus against the fifth estate. — What’s next for PMO: America’s wild election year will be a top agenda item at next week’s Cabinet retreat in Montreal. The priorities, according to Trudeau’s office, will be affordability, health care, public safety, and Canada’s middle class. Oh, and discussions about “Canada’s relationship with the United States ahead of this fall’s presidential election.” — What’s missing: Any explicit mention of the environment or climate as an agenda item. — Homework check: It’s been 154 days since Foreign Affairs Minister MÉLANIE JOLY mentioned in August that Ottawa was pondering a game plan should the United States take a far-right shift. Neither Joly nor her Cabinet colleagues have offered an update on whether that plan to have a plan has evolved. There are 293 days until the U.S. presidential election. For your radar THE MORNING SHOW — The House ethics committee awakens from its holiday slumber today to debate whether or not to launch a probe into Trudeau’s recent Jamaica vacation. — Live at 10:30 a.m.: Conservative and Bloc MPs want to know if the PM’s sunny holiday breached ethics rules — a law-breaking precedent Trudeau set years ago when he accepted a free trip to the Aga Khan’s private island. — Why is this a thing: A prime minister’s vacation is easy partisan bait, an attempt to catch a leader in a potential ethical faux pas. The PMO initially said the federal ethics watchdog was consulted to check if Trudeau’s getaway was compliant with rules. It doesn’t help that Trudeau’s office initially stated the PM’s family was paying for its holiday out-of-pocket before later telling The Canadian Press the Trudeaus were vacationing “at no cost at a location owned by family friends.” — Why it may not be a thing: The 10-member House committee has five Liberals. If NDP MP MATTHEW GREEN votes with Liberals to vote down the motion, that would be that. Green has previously criticized the PM for failing to show transparency and accountability in the way his personal decisions hit taxpayers, most recently Trudeau’s Montana holiday that cost the public purse nearly C$230,000 (with more than C$200,000 attributed to security). If Green sides with his Tory and Bloc colleagues, that will force committee chair, Conservative MP JOHN BRASSARD to cast a tie-breaking vote to study Trudeau’s free Jamaican getaway, which journalist GLEN MCGREGOR priced at C$84,000 in the National Post. Where the leaders are — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in Saint John, New Brunswick, with photo-ops at an affordable housing development and the Port of Saint John on his schedule. He has a media availability at 10 a.m. (11 a.m. AT). — Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND is in Davos, Switzerland. Another Canadian at Davos this week: JODY THOMAS. The Privy Council Office confirmed to Playbook that the PM’s national security and intelligence adviser represented Canada at Monday’s fourth Peace Formula meeting of national security advisers. — NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH does not have public events on his itinerary. DULY NOTED — Energy and Natural Resources Minister JONATHAN WILKINSON and Manitoba Premier WAB KINEW are in Winnipeg to make a funding announcement for clean fuels production. That happens at 3:15 p.m. (2:15 p.m. CT). — International Trade Minister MARY NG is in Edmonton to talk about the Indo-Pacific Strategy and to deliver an afternoon keynote to Ukrainian business leaders, the latest whistle stop on her tour of Western Canada to tout Canada’s free-trade agreement with Ukraine. — Elsewhere in the Prairies, Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE will be holding court in a Regina hotel ballroom to talk about critical minerals and “the digital industry.” Talk of the town Calling all trivia geeks. We're launching our First Annual Politico Canada Trivia Cup. There's still space for your team in most categories. Are you a minister's office looking for a team-building event? Boy, have we got the event for you. Drop us a line for details. MEDIA ROOM Talk of the town is that former Cabinet minister Carolyn Bennett is poised to become ambassador to Denmark. | Getty Images — The Toronto Star’s ALEX BALLINGALL reports on a leak that outgoing Liberal MP CAROLYN BENNETT is poised to be named Canada’s next ambassador to Denmark. — Top of POLITICO this hour: Trump’s win in Iowa shows big strengths and hidden warning signs. — La Presse’s VINCENT LAROUCHE breaks down a list newly unveiled by Ottawa of Chinese, Russian and Iranian research organizations that pose a national security risk to Canada — and have links to most Quebec universities. — Former Cabmin CATHERINE MCKENNA shares a byline with LAWRENCE TUBIANA in a Time op-ed on 2024 being the year for urgent “exponential climate action.” — Political analyst DAVE COURNOYER pens an ode on Substack to mark the end of an era in Alberta politics following RACHEL NOTLEY’s decision to step down as NDP leader — a piece that considers potential leadership contenders. — CBC News’ EVAN DYER reports Ottawa will abide by all rulings from South Africa’s genocide case before the International Court of Justice — and lays out the days of confusion that preceded Global Affairs Canada’s latest statement. — In the National Post, JOHN IVISON writes on Trudeau’s new top security adviser NATHALIE DROUIN lacking “obvious security experience.” Playbook also notes in the latest senior public service draft: Incoming Canadian Food Inspection Agency President PAUL MACKINNON’s lack of a background in science. PROZONE Our latest policy newsletter for Pro subscribers from NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY, KYLE DUGGAN and SUE ALLAN: On the Trudeau Cabinet agenda. In other news for Pro readers: — EU set to allow draconian use of facial recognition tech, say lawmakers. — End of an era: Who comes after JOHN KERRY? — World Bank chief predicts climate push can survive Trump. — Ukraine’s army digitization law sparks worries over data protection. — Republicans dodge Iowa’s hot-button energy issue: CO2 pipelines. Playbookers Birthdays: O happy day to Liberal MP KODY BLOIS, Sen. RENÉE DUPUIS (75!) and MARY-ANNE CARTER of Earnscliffe. HBD +1 to Liberal MP IREK KUSMIERCZYK. Birthdays, gatherings, social notices for this community: Send them our way. Spotted: Sen. ROSA GALVEZ at a conference in Mumbai to deliver a keynote on “Engineering Excellence to transform communities” … CityNews’ RICHARD SOUTHERN sharing the first look of a new ServiceOntario outlet inside a Staples. Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities Minister KAMAL KHERA revealing this year’s theme for Black History Month as “Black excellence: An heritage to celebrate; a future to build”… Fisheries and Oceans Canada awarding a C$34.3-million contract to retrofit the Canadian Coast Guard ship JUDY LAMARSH to St. John's Dockyard Ltd. Movers and shakers: ROBERT WRIGHT starts as associate deputy minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations on Monday … The same day RAJAGOPALAN THUPPAL begins as executive vice-president of Shared Services Canada. New Brunswick Sen. JOHN MCNAIR is the newest member of the Independent Senators Group … JOSH MATLOW giving “thoughtful consideration” to seeking the Liberal nomination in Toronto-St. Paul’s. Sen. HASSAN YUSSUFF officially replaces Sen. RENÉE DUPUIS on the Senate audit and oversight committee today, the Quebec senator’s mandatory retirement date. Media mentions: Journalist BRISHTI BASU says her one-year newsroom contract “has been cut short after 5 months,” a move attributed to budget cuts … CBC Radio "On The Go" host ANTHONY GERMAIN is leaving Canada’s broadcaster after 32 years. Meanwhile, KATE MCKENNA is celebrating 10 years with CBC News. Send Playbookers tips to ottawaplaybook@politico.com . On the Hill The House of Commons is back Jan. 29; the Senate returns Feb. 6. → Find House committees here. → Keep track of Senate committees here. 12 p.m. The House government and operations committee will meet to hear from consultant VAUGHN BRENNAN as part of MPs’ continuing study on the ArriveCAN app. We're tracking every major political event of 2024 on a mega-calendar. Send us events and download the calendar yourself for Google and other clients . TRIVIA Tuesday’s answer: JUDY EROLA was the first woman to be employed as a weather reporter by a Canadian television station. Props to ADAM ENKIN, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, JIM CAMPBELL, KEVIN BOSCH, MARCEL MARCOTTE and GEORGE SCHOENHOFER. Today’s question is via reader J.D.M. STEWART: Which prime minister was the subject of this assessment by an Ottawa journalist? “He is such a pompous ass that an orangutan that would flatter him could choose its own reward.” 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? Run a Playbook ad campaign. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. Playbook wouldn’t happen without: POLITICO Canada editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and Luiza Ch. Savage.   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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