| | | | |  | | By Nick Taylor-Vaisey | | Presented by |  | | | Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Ottawa Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. Let's get into it. In today's edition: → Three words to describe Day 8 at the foreign interference inquiry: clear as mud. → How stressful is the annual federal budget roadshow? → On deck today in this break week: ArriveCAN at House committee. |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | | 
MP Han Dong arrives at the foreign interference commission on Tuesday. | Sean Kilpatrick, The Canadian Press | AT THE HOGUE COMMISSION — Finally, some answers on attempted foreign interference. If only they weren't so riddled with caveats, inconsistencies and hazy memories. Independent MP HAN DONG, a central player in a swirl of allegations related to attempted Chinese interference in the past two federal elections, didn't do much to clarify matters. — Ahead today at the Hogue commission: Two current and two former MPs offer testimony today at the commission: NDP MP JENNY KWAN, Conservative MP MICHAEL CHONG, former Conservative MP KENNY CHIU and former Tory leader ERIN O’TOOLE. — Back to Day 8, where senior political party campaign officials and two Chinese-Canadian politicians fighting allegations of improper dealings submitted to repeated questions from neutral, friendly and occasional sharp-tongued lawyers. So. Many. Lawyers. Oh, the billable hours. — Unverified intel: Some basic facts presented to the Hogue commission are clear and unambiguous. Some of the witness biographies produce factoids for future Playbook trivia nights. For instance, NDP stalwart ANNE MCGRATH's first name is Geraldine. Who knew? But reams of documents still to be made public at the inquiry will include heavily redacted intelligence reports of unclear value. Commission lawyers have made clear from the start that information in the reports isn't necessarily verified, and could represent a single-sourced opinion that doesn't offer a full understanding of an issue. — Flashback: Remember the "intelligence isn't evidence" caveats that followed every bombshell scoop on foreign interference allegations based on leaked reports. STEPHANIE CARVIN, a Carleton prof and former national security analyst, was shouting it from every rooftop in town (including ours). "Human sources have their own agendas, and they can be wrong," she told us at the time. "We have to remember that just because something's in an intelligence assessment or report, doesn't necessarily mean it's true. It is information that has been gathered that may be pointing to a serious national security problem. Or not."
|  Part of a briefing note prepared for the clerk of the Privy Council | Document submitted to the Public Inquiry on Foreign Interference | — Known unknowns: Here's an unsolved mystery that caught our attention. A briefing note prepared for the clerk of the Privy Council on March 24, 2023, recalls post-election debriefs on attempted foreign interference with Conservative Party officials in 2021. The memo is packed with handwritten notes and annotations. Playbook asked whose pen made the notes. The commission wasn't immediately able to say. — Ctrl-F check: As the number of disclosed documents stretches into the dozens and the hundreds and on and on, we imagine stressed-out staffers and bureaucrats searching each other's handles, wondering whose name might end up in the limelight. Two moments jumped out on Tuesday. → Mid-campaign briefings: Three senior campaign operatives in 2021 told the commission that intelligence briefings provided by the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force were shallow. "I didn't really learn anything in the briefings that I didn't regularly read in The New York Times or The Globe and Mail or The Toronto Star," said WALIED SOLIMAN, the Tory campaign co-chair in 2021. McGrath, the NDP's national director at the time, said she’d hoped the briefings would offer advice and guidance on how to detect and deal with interference threats. They did not, she said. SITE documents submitted to the commission outlined specific threats of foreign interference, including conversations in Chinese state media about the Conservative platform's negative impact on Canada-China relations. Soliman and McGrath — and Liberal national director AZAM ISHMAEL — did not recall receiving information that specific, or viewing those documents. It's all fodder for future hearings, when the commission will hear from members of the SITE task force. → A mysterious bus: Independent MP HAN DONG's Tuesday testimony left some in the room scratching their heads. Dong, who quit the Liberal caucus amid allegations of improper dealings with Chinese diplomats, also faces questions about alleged "irregularities" in the nomination race that made him the Liberal candidate for Don Valley North in 2019. Some of those questions revolve around international students who arrived at Dong's nomination meeting on a bus. The Liberals stand by their nomination processes, which Ishmael told the commission aren't vulnerable to foreign interference. Dong admitted Tuesday under questioning by commission counsel to canvassing about 20 international students at NOIC Academy, a private high school in his riding. Dong said he encouraged the students to volunteer on his campaign. Liberal rules allow international students to join the party as long as they "ordinarily live in Canada." They're eligible to vote in nomination contests if they live in the riding. NOIC Academy is not in Dong's district. He says he spoke with the students at a Seneca College residence — which is in Don Valley North. — Why this matters: An intelligence report presented at the commission — remember those all-important caveats — claimed a “known proxy agent” of China's Toronto consulate gave those students “falsified documents to allow them to vote.” — Unclear answers: Dong only disclosed his recollection of the bus on Monday, the day before his testimony. He told the commission his wife recently reminded him about that bus, but he couldn't remember exactly when they spoke about it, or explain why it didn't come up in conversation earlier, or why he didn't disclose it sooner. — For the record: Dong has denied any reported connection to attempted foreign interference. He is in the process of suing Global News for defamation. | | | | A message from Google: At Google, we know it can be tough keeping your family safe online. So we help make it easier by automatically turning on safety settings for kids and teens. With protections like filtering explicit content with SafeSearch, blocking age-restricted videos on YouTube, and more. To find online safety features for kids and teens, visit:g.co/families | | | | | For your radar | |
ROADSHOW 101 — Just how stressful are pre-budget roadshow announcements meant to capture a news cycle and revive a governing party's flagging popularity?
The short answer: It depends. Some are zero. Some are 10. "Not all events are created equal. I’d hope the government can do a $10-a-day childcare announcement in their sleep at this point," says MATT BARNES, an associate principal at Navigator who worked on four budgets as a senior communication strategist and issues manager to both CHRYSTIA FREELAND and BILL MORNEAU. Tuesday's pre-budget stop in Halifax, which sure looked and felt like a dress rehearsal for a future election campaign, might've been a different story. Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU promised plenty more funding for housing, tied in part to agreements with provinces — a staple of this pre-budget parade. Indigenous protesters attempted to drown out the PM, a preoccupation to be expected on the next hustings. Barnes' view of the maritime scene: “Billions in new spending to address one of the top issues facing Canadians, fierce political opposition, and disruptive protesters to top it all off? Today was probably a 10.” — Planning hell: A small army of political staffers, bureaucrats, MPs and stakeholders whip up each stop on the roadshow. How much time do they have? "In an ideal world, staff would want at least two weeks to plan everything," says Barnes. "In reality, they can come together in as little as 12 hours." This year's pre-budget marathon is "likely a relief" to ministers' offices that get involved, Barnes says. Budget details used to be a "closely guarded secret" until the minister unveiled her plan. Ministers would fan out to show off the document "without even knowing what they were announcing until the day before." This year, no suspense. — The dreaded I-word: Governments will rarely admit to making cuts. They prefer euphemisms. PERRIN BEATTY, the president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, aired a similar government comms bugaboo in a recent interview with Playbook. “You'll find that when the budget comes down, that no federal politician today uses the word spending, They've excised it from their vocabulary. Everything is an investment,” Beatty says. “But if it were our money that we were writing checks for, we would know the difference between spending, where the money disappears at the moment the check is written, and an investment, which actually brings returns and which helps to fund future activity.” Beatty's solution: Make investments that are actually investments. “What we need to do, because we have a serious infrastructure deficit, is to do triage, and to focus on genuine investments, where the money that we spend — whether it's in ports, airports, bridges, other key elements of infrastructure — will generate the economic activity that repays the investment that's made.” — Hiccups happen: Things go wrong in the dizzying world of pre-budget logistics. Take, for instance, the stakeholder lockup invite from Finance officials that circulated Tuesday. The sender forgot to make use of the “BCC” function, which meant the whole ecosystem of lobbyists and their clients briefly saw each other's contact information. Until a bureaucrat sheepishly recalled the email a few minutes hence. — In related reading: The Globe’s ANDREW COYNE asks in a column welcoming budget transparency: “If a prime minister discloses the budget’s contents in advance, and no one is listening, does it count as a leak?” Know someone who could use Ottawa Playbook? Direct them to this link . Five days a week, zero dollars.
| | Where the leaders are | | — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in the Greater Toronto Area with Housing Minister SEAN FRASER. At 10 a.m. they will visit an affordable housing development for a 10:15 a.m. budget announcement and media availability. At 3 p.m., the PM will meet with students in an after-school program. — Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND is in Edmonton with Employment Minister RANDY BOISSONNAULT. She will make a housing announcement at "approximately" 2 p.m. local time after touring a rental apartment. — Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE headlines a rally at Tsawwassen Springs, a golf course near the ferry terminal to Vancouver Island — and a stone's throw from the American exclave of Port Roberts, Washington. — NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH is in Hamilton and will hold a presser at 12:15 p.m. with MP MATTHEW GREEN and NDP MPP MONIQUE TAYLOR. Topic: “Making ultra-rich CEOs pay their fair share.” — Green Party Leader ELIZABETH MAY and Deputy Leader JONATHAN PEDNEAULT are in Winnipeg where they will meet community groups, the CEOs of party riding associations in Winnipeg, and Manitoba Premier WAB KINEW. | | DULY NOTED | |
— Foreign Minister MÉLANIE JOLY heads to Brussels to attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. POLITICO reports that officials there are expected to discuss gradually moving the Ukraine Defense Contact Group into the alliance’s control, according to three European officials and a U.S. official with knowledge of the internal deliberations.
POLITICO is also reporting that NATO chief JENS STOLTENBERG will propose a $100 billion, five-year fund for Ukraine when alliance foreign ministers meet. 10 a.m. The Council of Canadian Innovators launches a new report with recommendations on fixing government procurement in Canada — aka how to more effectively buy everything from staplers to massive warships. RSVP. | | MEDIA ROOM | | — On today's "Decibel" pod: Canada’s uncertain AI future — POLITICO's STEVEN SHEPARD reports: JOE BIDEN and DONALD TRUMP cruised in Tuesday’s primaries. But both showed signs of weakness. — From our colleagues in London: Naked photos sent in WhatsApp ‘phishing’ attacks on UK MPs and staff. — Have we reached Peak Open Letter? The Globe and Mail published a call for civility from a coterie of politicians, advocates, academics, artists and corporate leaders. — POLITICO’s ADAM CANCRYN and DAVID LIM report on the first human case of avian flu in Texas. — FRASER NEEDHAM of APTN News reports on controversy within the Native Women’s Association of Canada. — CAITLIN WALSH MILLER writes in Maclean’s on “The Great Airbnb Crackdown.” | | PROZONE | | | | 
U.K. Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images | Our latest policy newsletter for Pro subscribers from GRAHAM LANKTREE: Inside the U.K.-Canada trade fight. In other news for Pro readers: — How to ‘Trump proof’ the transatlantic relationship? — Insurance prices skyrocket in disaster-prone states. — International gas projects test Biden's export agency. — Mountain Valley pipeline land fight returns to U.S. Supreme Court. — Estonia’s KAJA KALLAS backs MARK RUTTE for NATO top job. | | | | A message from Google:   | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | |
Birthdays: HBD to DANIEL LANG, who retired from the Senate of Canada in August 2017.
Birthdays, gatherings, social notices for this community: Send them our way. Spotted: Ottawa Mayor MARK SUTCLIFFE, announcing a tourism-and-investment mission to London (not the one in Ontario) with an apropos extracurricular: “I’m looking forward to participating in the London Marathon.” University of Calgary prof LISA YOUNG, co-author of a new book on how to empower arts graduate students to solve Canada's "most vexing challenges" … Earnscliffe principal MÉLANIE RICHER, marveling at DANIELLE COLLINS' victory at the Miami Open … Kingston and the Islands Conservatives, tweeting a pile of economic charts. Movers and shakers: Governor General MARY SIMON invested “Father of Nunavut” JOHN AMAGOALIK into the Order of Canada during a private ceremony in Iqaluit. Nunatsiaq News has coverage. PAUL MCCARTHY is now president of the Cannabis Council of Canada … New West Public Affairs brought on CHRISTOPHER MARTIN-CHAN, a former Hill staffer, as a senior consultant. Sussex Strategy's DAN LOVELL posted a pair of recent meetings on behalf of BWXT Canada, a nuclear energy service provider looking for "new funding opportunities" in Canada. BWXT met with PMO senior adviser BEN CHIN and Export Development Canada CEO MAIREAD LAVERY. MATTHEW DOMAN, Crestview Strategy's newest vice president, recently opened the firm's new office in Sydney, Australia. Media mentions: The Globe’s EMMA GRANEY has been named to the fourth class of the Xana Fellowship. Send Playbookers tips to ottawaplaybook@politico.com .
| | ON THE HILL | |
Parliament returns April 8.
→ Find House committees here. → Keep track of Senate committees here. 10 a.m. The House public accounts committee picks up its ArriveCAN study with help from witnesses from Canada Border Services Agency and the Office of the Auditor General. 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: Former Ontario Liberal Premier DALTON MCGUINTY was once jokingly accused of being an “evil reptilian kitten-eater from another planet.”
Props to JONAH ROSEN, NICK CHAN, DOUG RICE, CHRIS ROL, DAMIEN O’BRIEN, BLAKE JOHNSTON, LAURA JARVIS, LUCAS MALINOWSKI, KATE MCKENNA, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, JOSHUA ZANIN, CAMERON PENNER, MACKENZY METCALFE, SHAUGHN MCARTHUR, GUY SKIPWORTH, DAVID VALENTIN, BOB RICHARDSON, BRYAN LEBLANC, MATT DELISLE, TIM MCCALLUM, DAN MCCARTHY, MARCEL MARCOTTE, RALPH LEVENSTEIN, JOHN ECKER, PATRICK DION, STEPHEN RUSTON, BRANDON RABIDEAU, MIKE WADDELL and JOE BOUGHNER. Wednesday’s question: “Some wept, some moaned; some clutched their heads in ecstasy; everybody screamed, stamped, clapped hands, flailed arms, one person got down on all fours and pounded the floor.” What happened in Ottawa on this date in history? 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 | | | | |
