| | | | |  | | By Zi-Ann Lum and Kyle Duggan | Presented by The Coalition For Canadian Research | Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Ottawa Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. In today's edition: → DANIELLE SMITH's day in Ottawa, in two acts and two narratives. → One of the godfathers of AI says Bill C-27 is “going in the right direction.” → Round 2 of POLITICO Canada’s First Annual Trivia Cup is done and dusted.
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | |  Protesters greet Alberta Premier Danielle Smith at an event Monday evening in Ottawa. | Patrick Doyle, The Canadian Press | TWO CONVERSATIONS — The premier of Alberta got the attention she was seeking in Ottawa. Even before Smith's first official event of the day, Liberals were in front of cameras denouncing her promise to introduce controversial legislation targeting the rights of transgender youth. — Check: “This is right-wing American style politics, culture wars that they're trying to import from the United States,” charged Employment Minister RANDY BOISSONNAULT during an early-morning presser on the Hill. Boissonnault hinted Smith’s overtures amount to government overreach, arguing it’s an individual’s prerogative to choose how they come out about their gender and sexual identity. “I was a young closeted kid in the 1980s growing up in the RALPH KLEIN era and my parents were the last people I told. Why is that? Because it's the hardest relationship,” the Alberta Cabmin said in response to Smith’s proposed policy changes that include requiring students 15 and under to obtain parental consent for name or pronoun changes. Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU was quick to link Smith’s attention on the issue to her recent appearance with American contrarian TUCKER CARLSON. “Danielle Smith has now moved forward with the most anti-LGBT policies of anywhere in the country,” the PM said Friday, pledging his government “will be there to protect youth.” Despite providing plenty of tape deriding Smith’s proposed policies, Cabinet ministers have been short on details for how they plan to protect transgender youth. — Action plan, so far: Boissonnault told reporters Ottawa plans to reach out to members of Smith’s United Conservative Party government, those “who can vote against this and make sure that this doesn't happen.” — Code switch: The sold-out Economic Club of Canada luncheon where Smith was guest of honor did not feature any on-stage mentions of the premier’s LGBT politicking. Nor was there any discussion about Alberta's wildfire mitigation plans after record blazes last year forced some oil and gas companies to curtail production. — Suits and salads: Instead, the audience at the Delta hotel nibbled on salads, roasted chicken and vegetables plates and chocolate mousse cake, as the the premier practiced her energy investment pitch before heading to Washington later this week. — Spotted among the 34 tables: Conservative finance critic JASRAJ HALLAN chatting with Business Council of Canada President and CEO GOLDY HYDER in the lobby, Tory MPs SHANNON STUBBS, STEPHANIE KUSIE and SCOTT AITCHISON. Hyder was later spotted introducing Japanese Ambassador KANJI YAMANOUCHI and seatmate South Korean Ambassador LIM WOONGSOON to Smith and Alberta’s senior rep in Ottawa JAMES CARPENTER, ex-Hill journalists MIKE BLANCHFIELD and HEATHER SCOFFIELD and Sandstone Group’s KEVIN BOSCH.
| | A message from The Coalition For Canadian Research: The Coalition for Canadian Research has been formed by organizations representing the broad spectrum of Canada’s research community to call on the federal government to increase funding for Canadian research. Without action, Canada’s place as a leader in innovation and home for highly-qualified talent is at stake. Help champion Canadian researchers – tell our leaders that Canada’s global standing is at risk. | | | — Repetition as power: Smith likened Environment Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT to an activist holding Canada’s future hostage. During a presser ahead of her keynote she told reporters she wants to reset Alberta’s relationship with Ottawa — for starters, by booting Guilbeault from the environment portfolio. “There is one extraordinarily ideological member of that Cabinet who seems to be running the show,” Smith said. “I don't know why the prime minister hasn't reined him in because he's causing national unity problems.” (On the topic of unity, Smith would hear from Boissonnault later in the day about her “reckless and irresponsible” idea to pull Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan.) In Calgary with Carlson last month, Smith encouraged the right-wing celeb to target Guilbeault. The former activist turned environment minister hit back at the time accusing Smith of elevating rhetoric that increases the risk of political violence against anyone who runs for public office. — Alberta activity: As Playbook scooped last week, Smith was in town to officially open the province’s new Ottawa office, a 1,300-square-foot space on the 17th floor of Constitution Square, the same building that’s home to Liberal Party HQ. The province closed its Ottawa bureau in 2015 in a bid to save a few million. Smith told reporters she was “100 percent” inspired when she learned Quebec had its own Ottawa “embassy” — and she hinted at closer collaborations with Premier FRANÇOIS LEGAULT’s government. Quebec reopened its regional office in the capital in September 2019. Smith was a lobbyist, Global News commentator and talk-radio host at that point in her career. — Gift spotting: To mark the official re-opening of the province’s Ottawa office, staff gave special visitors boxes of Canadian maple whiskeys, autographed by Smith. — Smith’s entourage: Environment Minister REBECCA SCHULZ, Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ SIGURDSON, Tech and Innovation Minister NATE GLUBISH, Deputy Premier and Public Safety Minister MIKE ELLIS, Indigenous Relations Minister RICK WILSON, Transportation Minister DEVIN DREESHEN and Smith’s chief of staff MARSHALL SMITH. — Ottawa high-level meeting log: Smith started the day with plans to meet Energy Minister JONATHAN WILKINSON and Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE, whom she praised a “champion of industry all across the country.” Boissonnault scored a last-minute seat at the Cabmin meeting after snow trapped Intergovernmental Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC in New Brunswick. — Twist: Champagne couldn’t make the meeting in the end due to a scheduling conflict. — What’s next: Smith is in Toronto today with a meeting with the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada and Ontario Premier DOUG FORD on her schedule. She heads to Washington Wednesday. Smith’s office confirmed meetings with unnamed U.S. senators and attendance at a congressional reception hosted by the Canadian American Business Council and WestJet. Alberta has been expanding its diplomacy efforts in the U.S. in the past two years, opening offices in Chicago, Denver and Seattle. — Last but not least: Smith has a meeting with Canadian Ambassador to the U.S., KIRSTEN HILLMAN, in the books for Thursday before wrapping up her stateside trip on Friday.
| | Where the leaders are | | — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in Ottawa with plans to chair the Cabinet meeting at 10 a.m. and to attend Question Period in the afternoon. — Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND is in Ottawa with a 9 a.m. date with Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE and Treasury Board Minister ANITA ANAND for their weekly economic update. She joins the Cabinet meeting at 10 a.m. and QP at 2 p.m. — Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE is in Montreal with a 9:45 a.m. press conference on his public schedule. — Bloc Québécois YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET has not released a public itinerary for Tuesday. — NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH is in Ottawa with plans to attend QP at 2:15 p.m. | | DULY NOTED | | 9:30 a.m. NDP MP CHARLIE ANGUS will hold a press conference to talk about his private member’s bill (Bill C-237) on banning “Big Oil’s misleading advertising.” 11 a.m. NDP MP LISA MARIE BARRON holds a media availability to talk about her motion proposing a National Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform. Remember that? 12:20 p.m. OSFI Superintendent PETER ROUTLEDGE and Insurance Bureau of Canada President and CEO CELYESTE POWER are in Toronto for a fireside chat at CatIQ’s Canadian catastrophe conference. A media availability with Routledge will follow. 2 p.m. Speaker RAYMONDE GAGNÉ will preside over a swearing-in ceremony for Canada’s newest senators: MARNIE MCBEAN, PAULETTE SENIOR, TONI VARONE, MARY ROBINSON and MOHAMMAD KHAIR AL ZAIBAK. 6 p.m. Liberal MP GEORGE CHAHAL hosts a reception in the Valour Building to support the Wilder Canada Action Plan, “the largest coordinated biodiversity plan in Canadian history for plant and animal species at risk.” 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 .
| | | | A message from The Coalition For Canadian Research:   | | | | | For your radar | | AI BILL GETS BOOST — Liberal MPs walked away from the industry committee Monday with a little bit of cover against some of the criticisms aimed at Bill C-27, also known as the digital charter. One of the godfathers of AI, YOSHUA BENGIO, told lawmakers the legislation is “going in the right direction,” and it’s better to have an imperfect law with rules that can be adapted later than a delayed law or none at all. A tsunami of critics and organizations have warned the AI section of the bill hasn’t received enough public scrutiny and leaves too much for Ottawa to fill in the blanks after the fact. Witnesses in the hot seat find themselves with the difficult choice of which part of the sprawling privacy/AI legislation to focus on. — But, but, but: Bengio also said the bill falls short on the timeline. It won’t kick into effect soon enough because of the lengthy process for hammering out regulations, all the while the technology will be evolving. “It would take something like two years before enforcement would be possible,” he said. He raised short-term concerns about the technology proliferating disinformation online and amping-up cyberattacks. — Timeline to AI as smart as humans: “In the next two decades,” he predicted. “Even possibly in the next few years.” — The usual suspects: Ottawa will also eventually face the challenge of effectively enforcing it on a rapidly advancing field that malign actors will want to leverage. Conservative MP BRAD VIS asked the obvious question for anyone in Ottawa who was a casualty of the Phoenix pay system: “How in the world is Industry Canada going to regulate online harms with AI when [the bureaucracy] can't even manage their own pay systems? I just don't know if our public service right now is nimble enough to do the job we need it to do.” — Experts answer: Seek more advice from more experts.
| | MEDIA ROOM | | — The Globe’s ANDRÉ PICARD writes that the dithering on MAID reveals the ingrained cowardice in Canadian politics. — In Calgary, Mayor JYOTI GONDEK is the focus of a potentially precedent-setting (and long-shot) recall petition seeking to remove her from office. The Globe and Mail’s CARRIE TAIT has the details. — Policy Options’ KATHRYN MAY has all the juice on the latest high-level moves in the federal public service in the latest edition of The Functionary. — Ottawa Citizen’s DAVID PUGLIESE finds the Canadian angle on TAYLOR SWIFT with a Senate committee floating the idea if the American superstar has time to give seal meet a PR boost.
| | | PROZONE | | | Don’t miss our latest newsletter for Pro subscribers from KYLE DUGGAN, ZI-ANN LUM and SUE ALLAN: Bengio urges Canada not to dither on AI. In other news for Pros: — Is LNG dirtier than coal? It's complicated. — Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to dissect Biden LNG export clampdown. — NASA’s newest Earth-observing satellite prepares for launch. — POLITICO Pro Q&A: Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey on trade. — EU capitals fear Russian retaliation and cyberattacks after asset freezes.
| | Playbookers | | Birthdays: ROCCO ROSSI (former CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce) celebrates today with ALYKHAN VELSHI and former Bloc MP ÈVE-MARY THAÏ THI LAC. HBD +1 to Vancouver-born U.S. Secretary of Energy JENNIFER GRANHOLM. Celebrate your day with the Playbook community. Send us the details. We’ll let everyone know. Spotted: Ethiopian Prime Minister ABIY AHMED: the latest dignitary to have Trudeau’s ear, per a readout from the prime minister’s office. Montreal’s SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN Bridge was lit up with red, green and yellow to mark Black History Month. At the Better Evidence Conference at the University of Ottawa on Monday: Public Services Minister JEAN-YVES DUCLOS, ANIL ARORA, CINDY BLACKSTOCK, PAUL ROCHON, SEAN SPEER, TYLER MEREDITH, YAPRAK BALTACIOĞLU, MATTHEW MENDELSOHN, IMA OKONNY, PETER WALLACE and HONEY DACANAY. The conference was a co-production of Blueprint and the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy. More on this in Wednesday’s Playbook. Approximately 300 people gathered outside the Sir John A Macdonald building to protest the Alberta premier who was due at an evening reception hosted by Canada Strong and Free. Movers and shakers: Gen. GREGORY GUILLOT is now in official command of NORAD. Media mentions: The Canadian Press' Washington correspondent JAMES MCCARTEN has stepped into the role as interim Ottawa bureau chief.
| | A message from The Coalition For Canadian Research: Canada faces a critical challenge as research funding remains stagnant, jeopardizing our competitive edge. Countries like the United States, Germany and Japan are strategically investing in research to propel their economies and attract global talent.
In contrast, Canada’s funding for research and support for researchers is stagnating, hindering our ability to generate new insights and attract highly qualified individuals. In the face of pressing challenges like climate change, a strained health care system and rising costs of living, investing in research will be central to Canada’s future success.
Now, more than ever, we stand at a pivotal moment where decisive action is essential. Canada must match the ambition of our peers to compete on the global stage and foster highly-qualified talent in Canada. We have the people and ideas we need to keep forging ahead as a global leader in research. But we must act NOW or risk falling behind. | | | | | ON THE HILL | | 9 a.m. The Senate transport and communications committee is studying the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure. 9:30 a.m. The Senate rules, procedures and the rights of Parliament committee will meet to pick a deputy chair. 11 a.m. The House ethics committee continues its study of the federal government’s use of tools capable of extracting personal data from mobile devices and computers. Witnesses will include officials from the department of natural resources and others from Canada Border Services Agency and the RCMP. 11 a.m. The House agriculture and agri-food committee will look at efforts to stabilize food prices. On the witness roster: Dr. SYLVAIN CHARLEBOIS, Agri-Food Analytics Lab, Dalhousie University; Canadian Federation of Agriculture President KEITH CURRIE; Retail Council of Canada President DIANE J. BRISEBOIS, MARCUS JANZEN of Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada; and TYLER MCCANN of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute. 11 a.m. The House committee on science and research will hear from experts on the integration of Indigenous traditional knowledge and science in government policy. 11 a.m. Women’s economic empowerment will be the topic at hand at the House committee on the status of women. 3:30 p.m. The House environment committee continues its study of freshwater with experts from Environmental Defence Canada, Alberta Irrigation Districts Association, Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute. 3:30 p.m. Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development JERRY V. DEMARCO will be at the House fisheries and oceans committee to discuss its report on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s monitoring of marine fisheries catch. 3:30 p.m. The House international trade committee will spend its first half hour in camera. At 4 p.m., it will continue its study of Canadian businesses in supply chains and global markets. Witnesses include officials from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, SERDEX International and others. 3:30 p.m. The detention of JIMMY LAI in Hong Kong will be the focus of the subcommittee on international human rights. Witnesses include CHUNG CHING KWONG (Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China), KATHERINE LEUNG of Hong Kong Watch and LUKE DE PULFORD of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. 6:30 p.m. The Senate agriculture and forest committee will hear from experts from Australia and New Zealand as it discusses soil health. Behind closed doors: The House finance committee will be considering its draft report on pre-budget consultations. The House public accounts committee will be focused on their reports on the AG’s findings on Covid-19 vaccines and on Centre Block rehab. The House heritage committee will be discussing its report on safe sport in Canada. The House procedure committee is focused on the question of privilege related to Conservative MP MICHAEL CHONG. | | Talk of the town | | | | 
The winners of Round 2 in POLITICO Canada's First Annual Trivia Cup. | Kyle Duggan, POLITICO Canada | TRIVIA NIGHT — Playbook hosted the second round of the First Annual POLITICO Canada Trivia Cup last night at The Métropolitain. We filled the room with ministers' offices who set a new bar for team-name creativity. The top four finishers qualified for the championship June 3 at the Met, where they will face off against the geekiest lobbyists, journalists, public servants and MP/senator staff in town. — The winner with 24 points out of 30: The World — Runners-up with 21 points: The Finfluencers, Hiring to Retiring, “I was wondering if you might have a moment to discuss…” The rest of the field: → LPC of the 80s → "Can Someone Call My Work Phone?" → Miller Time → Miller Machine → Triple A Team → Binder Builders → The Members from Cardigan-Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe → The Tipsy Paper Straws — What's next: Journalists compete in their own qualifier on March 5. Public servants are next on April 23. MPs and senator staff conclude the opening rounds on May 6. We still have a few free tables. Want to claim one of them? Drop us a line.
| | TRIVIA | | Monday’s answer: WINSTON LAROSE and his 2018 run for Toronto City Council was the subject of Mr. Jane and Finch. Props to HELEN DARBY, BOB GORDON, MARCEL MARCOTTE, LAURA JARVIS, MARK RAMZY, MATT DELISLE, SEAN MOORE and ROBERT MCDOUGALL. Today’s question: Who was the first Black woman to serve as assistant deputy speaker of the House? 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 | | | | 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 | | | | |
