| | | | |  | | By Kyle Duggan and Nick Taylor-Vaisey |
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Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. It’s Friday! Let’s get to it: → Liberals and Conservatives duke it out with new and legacy media brass. → Some U.S. presidential candidates are making bank from Americans in Canada. → U.S. Ambassador DAVID COHEN drops hints on dealing with critical minerals. |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | | 
“We would love to restore news to Facebook and Instagram,” Meta's Rachel Curran told a House committee on Thursday. "We could turn that content on again tomorrow if C-18 were repealed." | Just Sullivan/Getty Images | FACEBOOK FIGHT, REDUX — Check to see if you had this one on your parliamentary bingo card: A rematch with Meta and MPs over news sharing. Lawmakers on the House public safety and national security committee hauled social media giants before the cameras Thursday to grill them on misinformation and Russian disinformation campaigns. Much of the meeting focused on the recent Tenet Media scandal. The U.S. Justice Department alleges Russia is funding the media company as part of an influence operation in the presidential election. But the fight over news sharing and compensation was impossible to avoid. Liberal MP HEATH MACDONALD and Bloc Québécois MP RHÉAL FORTIN pressed Meta about news still being blocked on its platforms. MacDonald said he was unable to post to Facebook a Globe article titled “Canadian right-wing influencer’s alleged dealings with Russian media company took place despite sanctions,” but he had no problem with an article by alt-right influencer LAUREN SOUTHERNstill on Tenet Media's Rumble page. “Do we need more legislation surrounding social media platforms?” he floated. There’s “a lot of misinformation on Facebook in particular,” Fortin said, but it “doesn’t seem Meta is acting on that.” RACHEL CURRAN, Meta’s head of public policy for Canada, said Facebook would happily turn the taps back on if the government just got rid of the Online News Act. “We would love to restore news to Facebook and Instagram,” she said, and repeated the point several times in exchanges that were somewhat tense. “We would love to work with them again, and we could turn that content on again tomorrow if C-18 were repealed, or if we were scoped out of that piece of legislation.” — Recall: That big high-profile fight the government had with Meta last year that resulted in the company removing news from its platforms in Canada. Google is still working through the regulatory process being set up by the federal communications regulator. The search giant has come up with a C$100 million a year fund for news media, but it’s been a slow process to get to the point where the money moves. — May be short lived: A year from now, the Trudeau government’s policies designed to bail out financially struggling legacy media could be in the hands of PIERRE POILIEVRE, if he wins the next election. And not just the Online News Act. Just what would he do about those journalism tax credits that news companies have come to rely on? — The other media fight: Elsewhere in the parliamentary precinct, legacy media was in the hot seat and the Conservatives were spoiling to fight. RICHARD GRAY, VP of CTV News, was up at the Commons ethics committee after a scandal that saw the network fire two staff over manipulating a clip of Poilievre speaking. And it comes fresh on the heels of a larger-than-life response Poilievre launched at CTV and its parent company, BCE — briefly barring his party from talking to its reporters or lobbyists. — Hunting for clips: Conservative MP MICHAEL BARRETT accused the network of broadcasting “disinformation” and “activism masquerading as journalism.” “You altered that quote from Mr. Poilievre into one that reflected talking points from Justin Trudeau's prime minister's office,” Barrett asserted. Gray disagreed and noted the network has twice apologized. “In my 33 years working in television news, I cannot recall anything similar to this ever happening before.” — Related reading: National Post’s STEPHANIE TAYLOR has the full blow-by-blow. — Also worth a read: Journalist STEPHEN MAHER recently tried to figure out what happened at the network, and chalked it up to a lack of resources and experience. — Worth taking note: Liberal MP BRENDA SHANAHAN tried to get Gray to weigh in on Poilievre “attacking mainstream media” with the “intention to mislead and to make Canadians believe that news networks that they have trusted before are no longer trustworthy.” Gray replied the erosion of trust in societal institutions isn’t because of anything specific political leaders are saying. “There has been a shift in our society where there is a more prevailing attitude that if you’re not with us, you’re against us,” he said. | | Where the leaders are | | | |  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets Ferdinand Marcos Jr., president of the Philippines. | AFP via Getty Images | — Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU participates in an armchair discussion at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Vientiane, Laos. Also in attendance: Trade Minister MARY NG. Trudeau will hold a media avail after he visits the Mekong riverfront walk. — Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND attends QP. — Playbook did not receive itineraries for Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE, Bloc Leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET or NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH. — Green Leader ELIZABETH MAY will attend Parliament virtually. | | DULY NOTED | |
— The Hogue commission hears from Public Safety Minister BILL BLAIR and Heritage Minister PASCALE ST-ONGE.
— The Bank of Canada releases its third quarter issues of the Business Outlook Survey and the Canadian Survey of Consumer Expectations. 7:30 a.m. Health Minister MARK HOLLAND takes questions virtually on pharmacare. The government's Bill C-64, which sets in motion the first phase of the program, received royal assent Thursday evening. | | | 2024 WATCH | | | 
"Harris for President” has raked in more than 800 individual donations from Americans living in Canada. | Jacquelyn Martin/AP | FAR AWAY FINANCING — Americans living in Canada have shelled out more than $187,556 this presidential election cycle, according to U.S.Federal Election Commission filings analyzed by Playbook. — No contest: The largest beneficiary is the KAMALA HARRIS campaign. “Harris for President” raked in $152,170.95 from more than 800 individual donations, according to Playbook’s review of donor receipts from nearly the past two years, up to the end of August. The Harris camp took in more than four-fifths of all donations, with funds pouring in from Black Brook, Nova Scotia, all the way to Victoria, British Columbia. — Biggest loser: DONALD TRUMP, whose campaign rang up $0 from north of the border. — Runner up: ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. Team Kennedy managed $26,451.44 through just over 70 donations. RFK Jr. doesn’t exactly have a big Canada presence, although there was that one time JUSTIN LING documented KYLE KEMPER (PMJT’s half-brother) driving a pro-RFK RV around Ottawa’s posh New Edinburgh neighborhood. Only two people donated to RFK from the Ottawa area, though. — Data caveat: It’s not the cleanest dataset Playbook has ever seen, with some of the address information in some entries improperly filled out, making it unclear the country or origin of those donations. — No bucks from Canucks: Canadians, as much as some may want to, cannot make political donations during the presidential election, or in any U.S. election (hello, foreign interference!). — Honorable mentions: “MARIANNE WILLIAMSON for President” brought in 34 donations, totalling $5,199.79. “JILL STEIN for President” brought in $34, picking up a couple bucks from donors in Etobicoke and Vancouver. “CHASE OLIVER for President” received $400 from one donor in Coquitlam, B.C. And “DEAN 24, INC.,” the campaign committee for Rep. DEAN PHILLIPS (D-Minn.), had logged one donation from Bowen Island in B.C. worth $3,300. | | WHO'S UP, WHO'S DOWN | |
Up: Hopes for a large rate cut by the Bank of Canada later this month.
Down: The House’s ability to function, as a privilege debate over the government’s refusal to hand over unredacted documents tied to a conflict of interest scandal eats up time. | | | For your radar | | |
FED-PROV TENSION — U.S. Ambassador DAVID COHEN delivered a message to federal policymakers and business leaders gathered at the Westin Thursday for a breakfast panel on cross-border critical minerals cooperation.
Cohen observed that tension between Ottawa and some provinces on resource development is "not a productive exercise for easing the investment climate and furthering the growth" of the mining sector. The ambo, sitting alongside Teck CEO JONATHAN PRICE at an event sponsored by AmCham Canada and the Business Council of Canada, said ongoing federal-provincial friction on resource development "does not attract enough attention, particularly in Ottawa, as I look around the room." — The unspoken message: Sort it out. — Earth to Ottawa: Cohen didn't call out specific provinces or premiers, but noted "some of the feelings … that the federal government has not been fully respecting their role in this process, which creates almost an incentive for the provincial governments to take actions to remind the federal government that they're there and they have their view." Provinces play an "essential role" in mineral development, Cohen said. — Target audience: The top-floor meeting space with a panoramic view of the city was packed with senior bureaucrats who take an interest in critical minerals and the energy transition — and might have a thought or two about fed-prov relations, too. → Privy Council Office deputy secretaries to Cabinet: PAUL HALUCHA (clean growth), MOLLIE JOHNSON (plans and consultations) and KAILI LEVESQUE (operations) — as well as CHRIS PADFIELD, assistant secretary for clean growth. → Deputy ministers: ROB STEWART (international trade), PAUL THOMPSON (employment and social development). → Ambassadors: Korea's LIM WOONGSOON, the EU's GENEVIÈVE TUTS and Argentina's MARIA JOSEFINA MARTÍNEZ GRAMUGLIA. → Parliamentarians: Conservative MPs DAN ALBAS and MATT JENEROUX; NDP MPs RICHARD CANNINGS and LEILA DANCE; Sen. PAULA SIMONS. → Also in the room: GOLDY HYDER, RICK TACHUK, BETH BURKE, ROB RUSSO, MARCELLA MUNRO, MICHEL LIBOIRON, ELIZABETH ROSCOE, AMY CASTLE, HEATHER SCOFFIELD, MUHAMMAD ALI, JOHN MANLEY, TOM D'AQUINO, MATTHEW HOLMES, PERRY BELLEGARDE, JANET SILVER, ASHLEY CSANADY, MARISA MASLINK, JONATHAN FALCONE, RICHARD MAHONEY. | | MEDIA ROOM | |
— A government source tells Reuters’ DAVID LJUNGGREN that the Fall Economic Statement could have no spending in it to avoid a confidence vote. (Playbook floated this possibility last month.)
— TONDA MACCHARLES and ALEX BALLINGALL spoke to more than 20 MPs and insiders for their latest story. They report, "there remains no real threat to Trudeau’s leadership from within his caucus, even though some members believe the party would be better off without him." — DAVE COURNOYER substacks about a season of political change in Alberta. — From BOB FIFE and STEVEN CHASE: A motion by NATE ERSKINE-SMITH would suspend regular meetings of the special Canada-China committee — something MICHAEL CHONG argues would skirt ministerial accountability. — Tory Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE explains the real reason why his party supported a Bloc Québécois motion to hike old age security payments. (It was all about sending a signal, he says.) — CBC’s DAVID THURTON has a rundown on the PBO’s carbon pricing correction. | | PLAYBOOKERS | |
Birthdays: HBD to BONNIE LEASK, VP of Blackbird Strategies.
Saturday: Former Sen. JOAN FRASER, KATIE BOOTHBY-KUNG of Enterprise Canada, SHANNON ZIMMERMAN in the deputy prime minister’s office, former Liberal MP GURBAX MALHI and former Alberta NDP leader BRIAN MASON. Sunday: Conservative MP JOHN BARLOW, Liberal MP DARRELL SAMSON, SAJJID LAKHANI from Impact Public Affairs and TAUSHA MICHAUD of McMillan Vantage. Monday: Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister GARY ANANDASANGAREE and BAHOZ DARA AZIZ, Anandasangaree's director of communications. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send deets. Spotted: KATE MALLOY, marking The Hill Times’ 35th year of publishing. NDP MP DON DAVIES and Liberal Health Minister MARK HOLLAND hailing Royal Assent of Bill C-64, the government’s pharmacare legislation that passed its final hurdles last night. “We're ready to start signing deals with provinces and territories,” Holland said in a victory-lap video on social media. — QP scenes: Green MP MIKE MORRICE, taking a few pre-QP minutes with Women and Gender Equality and Youth Minister MARCI IEN, Government House Leader KARINA GOULD (borrowing PM TRUDEAU's desk) and Liberal MP LEAH TAYLOR ROY. Noted: Greenpeace’s PATRICK BONIN will run for the Bloc Québécois in the Bloc stronghold riding of Repentigny, per Radio-Canada … The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians launched a "review of the role of the National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister." Bill C-64, the government's signature pharmcare legislation, received royal assent Thursday. Stakeholders are chiming in. Movers and shakers: Maple Leaf Strategies' ALIK ANGALADIAN posted a meeting on behalf of Electra with PMO senior adviser BEN CHIN and deputy policy director TONY MAAS. Top priority: "potential financial opportunities and investments to build a clean iron plant." Media mentions: CHRIS HAMILL-STEWART joins Kathari News as a content editor … DAVID EBNER is The Globe and Mail's new justice reporter. | | PROZONE | |
For POLITICO Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter: US envoy challenges Canadians.
GAVIN BADE and SAM SUTTON report: Trump promises to ‘revolutionize’ auto industry in pitch to Michigan voters. In other news for Pro readers: — Zelenskyy’s 5 asks on his Europe tour (and the odds he’ll get them). — Johnson slams door on Congress returning for disaster aid. — White House activates emergency response to telecom hacks. — Heavy-hit Florida may have avoided ‘worst case scenario’ from Hurricane Milton. — Milton slams Florida, cutting electricity to 3 million customers. | | WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY | | Find the latest House meetings here. The Senate schedule is here. | |
Thursday’s answer: WAYNE GRETZKY said, “I’d love to tell you there were 16,000 screaming fans there for the game, but the reality is, there were only about 8,900 fans in the stadium that night. But it was loud and boisterous anyway.” He was speaking about his NHL debut on Oct. 10, 1979.
Double props to DARRYL DAMUDE, SARA MAY, LAURA JARVIS, KRISTA OUTHWAITE, RAY DEL BIANCO, CHRIS MCCLUSKEY, MARCEL MARCOTTE, ROBERT MCDOUGALL and BOB GORDON, all of whom nailed the question and the bonus. Friday’s question: Seven and a half years ago, which province’s legislature had “a bit of a procedural meltdown” of its own as the governing Liberals launched into a sort of filibuster of their own budget? Answer to ottawaplaybook@politico.com Writing Tuesday's Playbook: KYLE DUGGAN 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.
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