ANTICLIMAX WEEK — No surprise that a pair of political ultimatums could pass with only modest fanfare this week. This is a town where deadlines go to die.
Just ask any journalist who attempts to pry basic information from the gatekeepers who guard it. Our deadlines can become little more than guidelines. Which brings us to this week's showdowns on Parliament Hill. — Trudeau's test: A stubborn corner of Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU's caucus hoped last week that he would reconsider his future in the short term. They urged him to spend the weekend mulling their request for his resignation. Trudeau didn't need even 24 hours to reassert his hold on the party, telling reporters on Thursday that he'd stay on. Twenty MPs stood behind him and applauded. The PM repeated those lines Friday during the latest stop on his podcast tour — this time on an episode of Village Media's "Inside the Village." Only some kind of prime ministerial weekend epiphany or supernatural deus ex machina is likely to give the dissenters what they want by the end of the day. → Keep an eye out: One Liberal MP, granted anonymity to speak freely, teased the possibility of intrigue — but didn't elaborate on what. The dissenters set an expectation that their deadline wouldn't simply come and go, the MP said, adding that Trudeau's most recent insistence on running again didn't disappear all the grumbling. → What's next: Wednesday's caucus meeting, where the rabble-rousers will join his supporters for a midweek check-in. — Bloc bluster: YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET's crew has threatened to pull its support for the government on confidence motions if Liberals fail to turn two Bloc Québécois private members' bills into law by Tuesday. Spoiler alert: neither is likely to cross the finish line known as royal assent. → Bill C-282: Senators are taking their time considering LUC THÉRIAULT's legislative attempt to bar Canada's trade negotiators from making concessions on supply-managed sectors. A Senate committee is still studying the bill with a fine-tooth comb. As Playbook first reported, Senate foreign affairs committee chair PETER BOEHM rebuffed Trade Minister MARY NG's written appeal to expedite the passage of C-282. This week, Boehm's committee will hold hearings Wednesday and Thursday. Among the witnesses: SYLVAIN CHARLEBOIS, ROLAND PARIS and JOHN MANLEY. The committee intends to start the study's next phase — clause-by-clause consideration — during the first week in November. → Bill C-319: ANDRÉANNE LAROUCHE 's PMB would hike old age security payments for seniors aged 65-74 — a measure estimated to cost C$16 billion over five years. Related reading: "The politicization of old age security: How the Bloc is hoisting the Liberals on their own petard," via former Conservative Leader ERIN O'TOOLE's Substack. — Status report: C-319 is stuck at third reading in the House, where private members' business is on hold amid a privilege motion debate that has snarled most chamber business. Speaking of which … HOUSE BUSINESS — More than a calendar month has passed since MPs first debated a Conservative motion of privilege that has dominated proceedings. Tory House Leader ANDREW SCHEER moved the motion Sept. 26 following a speaker's ruling. Scheer wants access to unredacted documents related to a conflict-of-interest scandal at a federally funded green investment foundation. — Today's agenda: MPs are debating an amendment that would send the matter to a parliamentary committee. The motion takes precedence over most House business. Conservatives won't let debate collapse. They're running out the clock each day, preventing the government from advancing its agenda. Liberals haven't yet motioned for closure, which would require the support of another opposition party. Committees are still humming along, but bills are stalled in the House. — In a dream world: Government House Leader KARINA GOULD outlined her preferred agenda in a spicy weekly statement last Thursday. → C-71, which amends citizenship rules. → C-66, which reforms the military justice system. → C-63, which aims to regulate online activity. Gould took a swipe at PIERRE POILIEVRE's choice not to apply for security clearance. In lieu of any debate on government bills, expect the Liberal benches to claim the Conservative leader "clearly has something to hide." SASKATCHEWAN VOTES — Is Saskatchewan in store for an electoral upset? CARLA BECK 's New Democrats came out on top in three opinion polls as the campaign entered its final days. An Insightrix Research poll measured a 5-point lead last week. Mainstreet tracked a 4-point advantage. Liaison Strategies pegged the lead at 3 points. Beck's team holds the advantage in Regina and Saskatoon, but SCOTT MOE's Sask Party leads elsewhere in the province. "It's possible that the NDP may win the popular vote on Monday night but that the Saskatchewan Party wins the most number of seats," Liaison wrote. "It really will come down to how the vote splits outside the major urban centers." — Counterpoint: Cardinal Research gives Moe a 6-point lead. — Where to watch: Playbook got on the horn with DALE RICHARDSON, a principal at Earnscliffe Strategies in Regina who spent five years as a Sask Party staffer. Moe and co. are likely to dominate rural ridings. Richardson is watching a handful of seats in Regina, where he says three Sask Party wins would likely indicate a comfortable majority win. In the province's largest city, Richardson is looking at a clutch of close ridings, including Saskatoon Chief Mistawasis and Saskatoon Southeast. — An uphill battle: New Democrats would have to win almost every seat in the two largest cities, as well as make inroads in smaller centers. The magic number of seats for a majority is 31. 338Canada's latest projection gives Moe a slim majority win with 32. — In election news from B.C.: NDP widens lead in tight B.C. election races, ASHLEY JOANNOU of CP reports. “The final tally will then be completed on Monday with the counting of more than 22,000 absentee and special ballots,” she reports. | 
