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WELCOME TO OTTAWA PLAYBOOK. I'm your host, Nick Taylor-Vaisey. It's Friday, which means Playbook will have far fewer off-the-Hill SPOTTED sightings in local pubs around town. (On Tuesday, we ran smack dab into an informal all-party confab at the Royal Oak at Bank and Gloucester.) But we have a lot to process from Thursday, including ZI-ANN LUM tracking Trade Minister MARY NG's Washington sojourn. Reminder: 11 sitting days until the break.
DRIVING THE DAY
SLOWLY BUT SURELY — The House leaders are at it again. A day after they agreed to whisk a conversion therapy ban bill to the Senate — a tour de force of parliamentary kumbaya after weeks of bitter post-election acrimony — the Commons scrounged out a way to debate CHRYSTIA FREELAND's Covid relief bill and finally start the engines on every other standing committee that powers the chamber's work.
— Finally, committees: Government House Leader MARK HOLLAND stood before QP with a beast of a motion that passed with unanimous consent. Here's the translation from legislativese:
→ The finance committee will deal with Freeland's Bill C-2. Each party whip will name their members by this afternoon, and FINA will study the bill starting no later than Monday. Freeland will appear as a witness for two hours (sooner rather than later, Playbook reckons, though no date has been set).
→ The procedure and House affairs committee will gather at 12:30 p.m. for a crucial meeting that starts the work of assembling all of the other standing committees that study, well, just about every single bill that will wend its way through the legislative process. First order of business: Electing a chair. (You can feel the momentum.)
→ As we shared with Pro readers on Thursday, PROC's members will include Liberals MPs BARDISH CHAGGER, RYAN TURNBULL, MARK GERRETSEN, SHERRY ROMANADO, RUBY SAHOTA and GREG FERGUS. Tories will be MICHAEL BARRETT, BLAINE CALKINS, ERIC DUNCAN and BRAD VIS. The Bloc Québécois will send ALAIN THERRIEN. The NDP will send RACHEL BLANEY.
→ The House clerk will convene initial meetings for every standing committee no later than Dec. 17. (That's the final sitting day before the long winter break — better late than never?)
— Wait, there's more: The House passed C-2 by a vote of 183-129. Playbook noted seven Tories who'd opposed hybrid sittings cast their "nay" votes from outside the chamber — including ARNOLD VIERSEN from the back seat of a car. So it's on to FINA and what Playbook predicts will be a rather accelerated study.
THOSE LAB DOCS — Holland wasn't finished for the day. He rose again to propose yet another committee, this one charged with dealing once and for all with reams of sensitive documents related to the dismissal of two scientists, XIANGGUO QIU and KEDING CHENG, from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.
This was a whole thing before the election. Liberals refused to disclose documents they said would endanger national security. The president of the Public Health Agency, IAIN STEWART, was even hauled before MPs and formally admonished by the Speaker for failing to hand over the docs.
Holland told the chamber Thursday that his government's preference today is the same as it was then: the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), an all-party panel granted top secret clearance, could look at every document the feds felt queasy about releasing to the world.
The opposition howled earlier this year that NSICOP was a committee of parliamentarians. But they reported to the prime minister, not Parliament, and he ultimately controlled any report they produced. Trust wasn't exactly strong in those fraught spring months, so the situation ground into a stalemate.
Holland acknowledged Thursday that NSICOP was a non-starter, so made another proposal — and it bore striking resemblance to a 2010 arrangement that allowed MPs to look at documents related to the controversial Afghan detainee scandal.
— The terms of the deal: Holland pitched an ad hoc committee, supported by "three former senior judges" — retired judges always get work in Canada — that every party supported.
They'd meet in a "secure government facility." Bureaucrats would redact documents. MPs would see redacted and unredacted versions. If they disagreed with a redaction, the judges would make the final call. The judges would also decide how to disclose it all publicly.
— What's next: The opposition response. Holland put his proposal in writing, sending a letter to his fellow House leaders. Given the emerging tenor of cooperation, don't be surprised if this does the trick.
OMG, THERE'S MORE — Speaker ANTHONY ROTA rose after QP to rule on the Tories' insistence that the secretive all-party board of internal economy (BOIE) was acting outside its jurisdiction when it imposed a vaccine mandate on the House precinct. Soon after the Commons reconvened post-Throne Speech, Tory whip BLAKE RICHARDS argued that only the full House had that authority.
— He was right: Rota ruled that Richards made a compelling case, and that there was a prima facie question of privilege. That's fancy Speaker-speak for: "It looks like a member's parliamentary privilege was violated." He invited Richards to make a motion of censure or refer the matter to a committee.
— Case closed: When Liberals and New Democrats teamed up last week to revive a hybrid House, one of that motion's many clauses included an identical vaccine mandate. That explains why Richards laid down his arms Thursday. "The fact that the precedent has been set is satisfactory," he told the chamber. Point made.
MARY’S POP INS — International Trade Minister MARY NG wraps up her three-day all-party mission in D.C. today, but her itinerary doesn’t include time with some key players. The assignment was to double down on efforts to get the U.S. to back down on the controversial EV tax credit in President JOE BIDEN’s Build Back Better plan, which is now in the hands of the U.S. Senate. Also on the to-do list: Advocate for Canadian lumber and P.E.I. spuds.
Ng was in D.C. two weeks ago with Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU. The PM raised his concerns about the proposed EV tax credit IRL at the Three Amigos/Viajeros summit. But weeks later, it’s unclear if Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER and finance committee chairman RON WYDEN will keep the measure in the Senate’s version of the BBB reconciliation bill. Ng is in D.C. since the World Trade Organization’s ministerial conference in Geneva was canceled.
— Notable absences: Playbook has learned Ng does not have one-on-one meetings scheduled with the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate finance committee this week. But Wyden’s office tells Playbook the Oregon senator has a Zoom meeting planned with Ng for next week. A spokesperson for Sen. MIKE CRAPO, the top Republican on the committee, confirmed he doesn’t have any meetings planned this week with Ng or Canadian officials.
— A minister’s meeting receipts: Look to Twitter for a visual record of Canadian diplomacy. Ng brought Canada’s acting Consul General LOUISE BLAIS and Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association FLAVIO VOLPE to meetings with Sen. BILL HAGERTY and Sen. MARSHA BLACKBURN. She had some face time with Puerto Rico’s representative JENNIFFER GONZÁLEZ-COLÓN to talk about P.E.I. potatoes; and shared pictures of her bilats with Sen. RAPHAEL WARNOCK and Sen. TODD YOUNG.
While Ng has repeatedly warned the protectionist tax credit undermines obligations in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, she hasn’t publicly threatened legal action, which is what the Mexican government did Thursday with its concerns over the same tax credit. “We would apply trade reprisals,” said Mexican Trade Secretary TATIANA CLOUTHIER.
THE FES-TIVE SEASON — Freeland had other news Thursday: the small matter of tabling a Fall Economic Statement, which charts the federal path forward on managing the nation's purse. The big day is Dec. 14, just a few sleeps away from the winter break.
— Don't expect surprises: The reelected government has telegraphed just about every major proposal. But we'll be watching the all-important fiscal and economic outlook trends. The Globe and Mail reported that private-sector economists, whose projections help guide federal decisionmakers, gave Freeland an earful at a recent meeting about inflationary pressures and government spending.
ANDY BLATCHFORD has a preview for Pro subscribers.
— The Tory response: It's predictable, at this point. Finance critic PIERRE POILIEVRE loves big, bad numbers. Here's one: Treasury Board President MONA FORTIER's recently tabled spending estimates pegged overall Budget 2021 expenses at a whopping C$497.6 billion. Freeland's fiscal update will have new deficit and debt projections. Poilievre and Co. will round up.
DAYS WITH NO DOCS: 38 — A month has passed since the new Cabinet was sworn in, and still the Prime Minister's Office has made no mention of powerful Cabinet committee membership or new mandate letters for ministers — those key documents that set the government's priorities. Playbook is counting the days. We'll stop when the documents flow.
— Pro subscribers can download a poster of Trudeau’s cabinet, and key ministers, here
TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is participating in a virtual question and answer session with SABINA VOHRA-MILLER, a health advocate and co-founder of the Vohra-Miller Foundation.
— Environment Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT is in Calgary today to meet with his provincial counterpart, JASON NIXON. One thing likely to come up is his decision to put off any reveal of the new federal climate plan until the end of March.
HOUSE BUSINESS
It's not exactly a bromance, but clearly GÉRARD DELTELL and MARK HOLLAND aren't mortal enemies. “I would like to start by thanking my counterpart across the way for his teamwork,” Holland told the chamber Thursday as he set the week's agenda. “He is right that we have good team spirit, and I hope we will continue this way.”
— The next debate: The bill du jour is C-3, which would guarantee 10 paid sick days for federally regulated workers and set out new criminal offences for threatening health-care workers.
— The week ahead: The House will stay on C-3 on Monday, and then debate the supplementary spending estimates Tuesday and Wednesday. They're not finished with the Throne Speech, so expect more lofty agenda-setting rhetoric on Wednesday and Friday. That debate culminates in a confidence vote. (It'll pass.)
HALLWAY CONVERSATION
BEIJING EDGES CLOSER — The parliamentary precinct isn't exactly buzzing with chatter about a potential boycott of the Beijing Games next February, but U.S. President JOE BIDEN reportedly supports a “diplomatic” boycott — that is, no official political delegation alongside the country’s athletes.
ERIN O'TOOLE favors a similar position for Canada in protest of human rights abuses in China. At least 13 MPs want a full boycott.
Liberal MP ADAM VAN KOEVERDEN, a household name thanks to a gold medal he won in a kayak, says the Games must go on. Sport Minister PASCALE ST-ONGE deferred to the Canadian Olympic Committee, which is all systems go.
Playbook spoke with another Olympian in the House: PETER FONSECA, a decorated marathoner who finished 21st at the 1996 Games before serving as a provincial cabinet minister — and now a Liberal MP. This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Are MPs talking about a boycott?
I've discussed it with Adam Van Koeverden. We actually went out for a run this morning. But I haven't heard too many other MPs talking about it. I know ALEXIS BRUNELLE-DUCEPPE has brought it up in the House.
Would a boycott be effective?
I see the Games as helping us really move the yardstick on so many important issues, including human rights. I think people would get that there was a boycott — and then they'll just kind of forget, as has happened in the past in Moscow, and we'll move on.
Should Canada consider a diplomatic boycott?
That would be up to the leaders. I think it merits a conversation — always thinking about what impact will this have. Will it move the yardstick in terms of China, bringing them into the global community and doing the right thing? I'm not sure. It does merit a conversation and would send a message without impacting the athletes.
Should athletes make political statements while they're over there?
I do believe athletes should be able to exercise their freedom, their democratic right to voice their opinion on something that they feel strongly about. The Olympic movement is more than sport. It is about breaking these human barriers, color barriers, barriers around people with disabilities. It's bringing people together from all walks of life.
The Olympic Village is what we all strive for, it’s that utopia where I can be across from somebody from Iran, or somebody from Israel, or somebody from Brazil — having lunch together. And understanding we're all human and we all want the best for one another.
ASK US ANYTHING
What are you hearing that you need Playbook to know? Send it all our way.
PROZONE
Pro subscribers should catch ZI-ANN LUM’s Pro PM Memo: Who’s who on Ng’s D.C. itinerary — so far.
In other headlines for Pros:
— As Omicron looms, airlines in 'wait and see' mode.
— Biden oil policies draw heat from both sides.
— President takes the fight to Omicron. But the toolkit is growing bare.
— White House to push for trade restrictions on tech over human rights concerns.
— 67 WTO countries conclude pact to cut red tape for services trade.
Keep watch for today’s PM Pro Memo, which will set you up for the week ahead.
MEDIA ROOM
— The CBC's DAVID THURTON reports: Threatened with insolvency, Green Party considers closing its head office.
— THE NEW YORK TIMES reports that orcas are expanding their reach in the Arctic: “The change has potentially significant consequences for animals up and down the food chain — including humans.”
— “After 51 days, patience is beginning to run out all over Nunavut’s capital,” APTN’s Nunavut correspondent KENT DRISCOLL writes of the water crisis in Iqaluit.
— STEPHANIE LEVITZ has the inside story on the Conservatives strategy to back the bill that bans conversion therapy.
— On THE DECIBEL this morning, RITA TRICHUR explains the business case for being bilingual.
— In Foreign Policy, LAURIE GARRETT explains how HIV and COVID-19 variants are connected.
— CP's LAURA OSMAN says the National Advisory Committee on Immunization is set to release new guidance this morning on the use of COVID-19 vaccine boosters.
— PETER MANSBRIDGE tells an amusing story about a toque and AUSTON MATTHEWS’ hat trick — off the top of his Thursday podcast.
— In case you’ve yet to read, JASON McBRIDE tells the story of THE VACCINE HUNTERS in Toronto Life.
Playbookers
Birthdays: HBD to Munk School prof MEL CAPPE and to ANITA VANDENBELD, who hits a milestone today.
Bon Anniversaire to Sen. CLAUDE CARIGNAN, former Liberal MP WILL AMOS and the ever stellar ROBERTA BONDAR. They celebrate Saturday.
THOMSON HIGHWAY will be 70 on Sunday. Read him here in conversation with THOMAS KING. JOAN CROCKATT, STAN KUSHNER and SERGE CHAPLEAU also celebrate that day.
Spotted: SCOTT BRISON, back on the Hill. ... ROLAND PARIS, heading out. … The FCM’s CAROLE SAAB, returning home.
Movers and shakers: Fratton Park's REGAN WATTS is lobbying for Coca-Cola. … McMillan Vantage's RICHARD MAHONEY is repping the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence. … Hill + Knowlton's DANIEL KOMESCH signed up for Autobus Thomas, which wants to "ensure that policies and programs related to electric vehicles are designed to be inclusive of all manufacturers."
Farewells: IAN ADAMS died last month in Peterborough. SUSAN FERRIER MACKAY’s obituary in the Globe recalls that as a journalist in 1967, Adams wrote The Lonely Death of Chanie Wenjak, a feature that documented the death of a 12-year-old Indigenous boy while fleeing from a residential school in northern Ontario.
MacKay writes: “Shortly after publication of the Wenjack story, Adams received a letter from the CEO of Maclean-Hunter publishing saying he didn’t think Adams’s kind of writing (disturbing to the status quo) belonged in a magazine.”
TRIVIA
Thursday's answer: Parliamentary Poet Laureate LOUISE BERNICE HALFE – SKY DANCER wrote a poem about Gov. Gen. MARY SIMON. You can read it here.
Props to WAYNE FLEMING, MICHAEL MACDONALD, LEIGH LAMPERT and BRAM ABRAMSON.
Friday’s question: The Speaker of the House of Commons has an official Scotch. Who started that tradition?
Send your answers to [email protected]
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