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Jul 10, 2024 View in browser   By Kyle Duggan, Zi-Ann Lum and Nick Taylor-Vaisey Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Ottawa Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. Let's get into it. In today's edition: → Guess the magic number still hanging over Canadians as NATO meets. → Q. for USTR: Does Canada’s DST violate the USMCA? → Canada’s Green Party loses a leader. DRIVING THE DAY NATO leaders pose for a family photo before President Joe Biden, front row center, delivers remarks on the 75th anniversary of NATO. | AP THE HEAT IS ON — Figuratively. Literally. And at sweltering levels for Team Canada no matter how you slice it. Welcome to day three of NATO week in Washington, where delegates are shuffling in and out of icy air conditioned buildings and back into the hot and humid city, where the various meetings are sometimes too close by to justify the Uber, but far enough to get slow roasted walking there. Motorcades whiz by like clockwork, bombing through downtown. And the security fencing put up around the convention centre on the expectation of protests makes it look like NATO HQ is preparing for a war here. — Surprise VIP: Most of the events surrounding the summit require some form of individual registration — hyper-planned, tightly scripted, super secure. But Canadian media, including Global’s MERCEDES STEPHENSON and CTV’s JUDY TRINH, stumbled onto a surprise appearance by Ukraine President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY and his wife, OLENA ZELENSKA, at a memorial to Holodomor on Tuesday morning near the Capitol Building. Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, at a memorial to Holodomor on Tuesday morning near the Capitol Building. | Kyle Duggan, POLITICO They laid out some flowers, paused for silence, then Zelenskyy delivered remarks in his native language to members of the Ukrainian community gathered at the memorial. Zelenskyy kept the visit brief and left without taking media questions. — Stakes are high: PAUL GROD, president of the Ukrainian World Congress, told media in a scrum after Zelenskyy left that this week’s meetings are crucial to send a clear message to Russia, as Ukraine seeks entry to the alliance. “Having a firm invitation that can no longer be revoked is critical because Vladimir Putin is going to try to use that in any kind of peace negotiations. He wants Ukraine to be not aligned.” — More calls on 2 percent: While Grod praised Canada’s efforts to aid Ukraine, he also wants to see it commit to more defense spending — otherwise, risk losing clout. “Canada, because of their low defense spending, is not a strong voice on the global arena when it comes to security and defense issues. Security and defense today is a top priority for most global leaders,” he said. — Sticky like the heat: The issue is following JUSTIN TRUDEAU et al. as they move around the city, especially as other voices fill out the conversation. JAMIE TRONNES, executive director of the Center for North American Prosperity and Security, part of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, tells Playbook Canada will face “a lot of challenges” this week since it’s yet to produce a plan to hit two percent, “which is quite frankly, embarrassing.” — Case in point: Estonian Defense Minister HANNO PEVKUR said at a POLITICO/WELT event that seeing most members reach 2 percent is a “good result, but it’s not enough,” and called for upping the target to 2.5 percent or even 3 by next summit. “We would like to see that still the focus will be on Ukraine but we also see the Indo-Pacific situation,” Pevkur later said, “but then someone comes and says that, well, actually the biggest problem is climate change.” Tronnes said while Pevkur didn't “mention Canada specifically,” it seemed like shots were fired. “It’s pretty clear that a lot of countries are very frustrated with Canada's lack of commitment to NATO.” — How they’re spinning it: That same day, Trudeau delivered a speech at the Canadian embassy on the still relatively new NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence, located in Montreal. Trudeau addressed the elephant in the room by slamming the STEPHEN HARPER government and challenging the assertion Canada is a freeloader. “When we took office, Canada was spending less than 1 percent of our GDP on defence each year, but we vowed to change that, and we have followed through on our word,” he said. “Our leadership of the multinational NATO-led battle group in Latvia, our continued efforts to train Ukrainian military personnel through Operation Unifier, and our new defense policy vision, which invests C$73 billion in defense over the next two decades, all demonstrate Canada's unwavering resolve to support the Alliance,” the prime minister said to a friendly audience. Back in Toronto, Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND was also forced to defend the spending figure at a dental plan news conference, where she said much the same. Spotted at Trudeau’s speech … MPs ANTHONY HOUSEFATHER, FRANCESCO SORBARA, JUDY SGRO, Gen. WAYNE EYRE (attending his last NATO summit heading the armed forces), Canada’s ambassador to NATO DAVID ANGELL, Norway’s foreign affairs minister ESPEN BARTH EIDE, Belgium’s foreign affairs minister HADJA LAHBIB, and JOHN PODESTA, senior adviser to Biden on international climate policy. — Noted: Republican Sen. DAN SULLIVAN also blasted the Trudeau government on Tuesday for failing to present a “real plan” to meet the 2 percent defense spending target. “This must change. There is no excuse,” he said. — In the room: Sullivan was one of nearly a dozen lawmakers, drawn from both sides of the aisle, that Trudeau met Tuesday morning — some of whom had signed a letter calling on him to boost defense spending. Also on the meeting list: Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER (D-N.Y.), Senate Commerce Chair MARIA CANTWELL (D-Wash.), Senate Foreign Relations Chair BEN CARDIN (D-Md.), Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-Wis.), Sen. SUSAN COLLINS (R-Maine), Senate Minority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL (R-Ky.), Sen. ROGER WICKER (R-Miss.) and Sen. THOM TILLIS (R-N.C.). — Coming up today: The big meeting of the North Atlantic Council. JOE BIDEN’s dinner for heads of state. Defense ministers dine together hosted by U.S. Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN; U.S. Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN holds a similar affair for foreign mins. In related reading: — POLITICO’s MATT KAMINSKI writes: Trump or not in the White House, NATO has to embrace some hard realities to survive another five — much less 75 — years. — From PAUL MCCLEARY and ALEX WARD: Ukraine’s path to NATO membership ‘irreversible,’ allies expected to declare. — From a team at POLITICO: 12 people to keep an eye on at the NATO summit. For your radar TBD ON THE DST — The Coalition of Service Industries is urging the United States Trade Representative to challenge Canada’s new digital services tax as a violation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, POLITICO’s DOUG PALMER reports. “We regret that the Canadian government is implementing a digital services tax that is out of alignment with international norms, not least in its retroactive application, and that will disproportionately affect American companies,” CSI President CHRISTINE BLISS said in a statement. — What next: A USTR official said the trade agency was concerned about Canada’s move and is mulling its options. “We are assessing, and are open to using, all available tools that could result in meaningful progress toward addressing unilateral, discriminatory DSTs,” the official said.   Understand 2024’s big impacts with Pro’s extensive Campaign Races Dashboard, exclusive insights, and key coverage of federal- and state-level debates. Focus on policy. Learn more.     ALSO FOR YOUR RADAR IT AIN'T EASY — Being Green in Ottawa, where party leaders with bigger budgets clamor for sound bites, means people tend to pass you over. JONATHAN PEDNEAULT, the deputy leader of the fifth party in the House, gave up his fight for the federal lime light Tuesday. Pedneault stepped down from the role for “personal reasons,” declining to elaborate in a morning press conference alongside party leader ELIZABETH MAY. — Internal delays: May and Pedneault ran together in a 2022 leadership contest, pledging to manage the party as "co-leaders." The Toronto Star's MARK RAMZY reported that Pedneault's resignation followed a Monday evening emergency meeting of the party's federal council. The Greens have for months delayed a grassroots vote on approving a co-leadership model. May and Pedneault both insist their party, which favors consensus-based decision-making, is undergoing healthy debate over its structure. — For the record: May said the party has asked her not to leave before the next election, RACHEL AIELLO of CTV News reports. May said she is committed to running again, alongside a full slate of Green candidates, in all 343 federal ridings. — In related reading: From the Star’s ALTHIA RAJ: “It’s ‘obvious’ Trudeau should step down, May says — so why won’t she listen to her own critics?” Where the leaders are Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Capitol for a meeting with House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. | AP — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in Washington for the 75th NATO Summit. He’ll close his day at the White House with a dinner for leaders hosted by U.S. President JOE BIDEN. — Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND is in Washington for the 4th Canada-U.S. Nuclear Energy Forum. She will also meet with the co-chair of the joint Canada-U.S. Energy Transformation Task Force, AMOS HOCHSTEIN. — Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE has not released his public itinerary. — Bloc Leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET is in Québec City with plans for a 1:30 p.m. press conference at the Fontaine de Tourny. — NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH and Deputy Leader ALEXANDRE BOULERICE (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie) will be in Montreal at 5:30 p.m. to kick off the campaign for NDP candidate for LaSalle-Émard-Verdun, CRAIG SAUVÉ. — Green Party Leader ELIZABETH MAY is back in her West Coast Saanich-Gulf Islands riding with vague plans to spend the day meeting constituents. MEDIA ROOM — ALESSIA PASSAFIUME of The Canadian Press reports from Montreal via a source in the room: AFN head told chiefs draft child-welfare reform deal with Ottawa worth C$47.8B. — The Star looks at Mayor OLIVIA CHOW’s first year in office. — From POLITICO’s BARBARA MOENS, EDDY WAX and SARAH WHEATON: Inside URSULA VON DER LEYEN’s charm offensive ahead of knife-edge vote on her future. — For the sake of our democracy, the Liberal Party must safeguard its membership process against diaspora politics and foreign interference, GEOFF RUSS writes for the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. — AMANDA FOLLETT HOSGOOD of The Tyee considers how two treaty breakthroughs in British Columbia change the landscape.  — For the first time, the Canadian government has conducted a rapid analysis of a period of extreme heat and determined its connection to human-caused climate change, BENJAMIN SHINGLER of CBC News reports. PROZONE Our latest policy newsletter for Pro subscribers via ZI-ANN LUM, KYLE DUGGAN and NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY: NATO notoriety dogs Trudeau. In other news for Pro readers: — How Trump is influencing a GOP fight over a China-driven climate bill. — Bird flu concerns rise in Midwest as farmers grapple with flooding, fairs. — NATO countries make $1B pledge on space surveillance. — Republican platform heavy on energy, silent on climate. — Big Tech is stress testing the grid. It doesn't have to be a disaster. — How Kamala Harris' climate record would play at the top of the ticket. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to Sen. JULIE MIVILLE-DECHÊNE; PMO adviser ALISON MURPHY; DIMITRI SOUDAS, former director of communications to Prime Minister STEPHEN HARPER; JOE CRESSY (40), chief of staff at Waterfront Toronto; former Ottawa politician MICHEL BELLEMARE. Bonus birthday: MP ARPAN KHANNA celebrated July 9. Spotted: Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU in conversation with Chief of Defence Staff Gen. WAYNE EYRE in the corner booth of the hotel bar. Movers and shakers: Conservative MP ROBERT KITCHEN is not running for reelection in his Saskatchewan riding. STEVEN BONK, an MLA who declined to re-offer for this fall's provincial vote, will instead seek the federal Tory nomination in Souris-Moose Mountain. JACKIE JACOBSON is appealing his loss to KIMBERLY FAIRMAN in the race for the Tory nomination in Northwest Territories. Jacobson claims "unfair and biased treatment … clearly broke party rules and calls into question the fairness of the entire process." ALEX CATTRAN is GEDS official as a senior event planner in PIERRE POILIEVRE's office. The Canadian Produce Marketing Association named MP LIANNE ROOD its “2024 Produce Champion,” an honor it bestows on one MP or senator for championing industry issues on Parliament Hill. The Competition Bureau has appointed HESKI BAR-ISAAC to a six-month term as a special economic adviser for digital and platform markets. WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY 10:30 a.m. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister GARY ANANDASANGAREE will deliver a keynote at the Assembly of First Nations gathering in Montreal. 1:15 p.m. Officials from Public Services and Procurement Canada will be in the National Press Theatre to provide a media briefing on the Alexandra Bridge replacement project. 4:25 p.m. National Defense Minister BILL BLAIR will join his Swedish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Danish counterparts on a NATO Public Forum panel titled “Nordic Security Redrawn” at the Marriott Marquis Washington, DC. 9 p.m. (6 p.m. PT) Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE will headline a Liberal fundraiser for MP RANDEEP SARAI at Central City Brewers in Surrey, British Columbia. TRIVIA Tuesday’s answer: On July 9, 1960, ROGER WOODWARD accidentally plunged into the Niagara River.  Props to ROBERT MCDOUGALL, MALCOLM MCKAY, KEVIN BOSCH, CAMERON RYAN, AMY CASTLE, JOHN MERRIMAN, PATRICK DION, LAURA JARVIS, MARCEL MARCOTTE and BOB GORDON.  Wednesday’s question: Who served as acting mayor of Ottawa for a stint in 2009? Answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com Writing Playbook tomorrow: NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY. Playbook wouldn’t happen without: POLITICO Canada editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and Luiza Ch. Savage. 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.   Follow us on Twitter Nick Taylor-Vaisey @TaylorVaisey Sue Allan @susan_allan 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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