| | | | |  | | By Kyle Duggan and Mickey Djuric | | Presented by |  | | | Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Ottawa Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. It’s Friday! Let’s get to it: → NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH talks to Playbook on everything from rejoining TikTok to where he stands on the timing of the next election. → The appointments record PMJT could break by the next election. → A quick look at party fundraising hauls.
|  | PLAYBOOK'S ONE-ON-ONE | | | | 
"I had to stand up for myself as a kid, and that stuck with me,” says NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. | AFP via Getty Images | MISTER LEVERAGE — With Conservatives and Bloc Québécois plotting to take down the government, the spotlight has shifted to NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH and his party’s next moves. Playbook sat down with him this week to get his thoughts on this sitting, and why Canada isn’t ready for an election. — Memeified: Singh didn’t realize his confrontation with a heckler who called him a “corrupted bastard” was widely viewed until friends of his who don’t follow politics started texting him. “When they started messaging ‘I saw the video,’ I was like, ‘Oh this has definitely gone pretty viral.’ These are not folks that pay attention.” — Say it to my face: Singh never expected his heckler to cower so quickly. “I grew up a little tough. I had to stand up for myself as a kid, and that stuck with me,” Singh said. “I did not see that coming though, that quick crumbling.” — TikTok: The NDP leader wants to return to the social media app before the next election, despite it being banned from government-issued devices because of national security concerns. The struggle, he said, is finding a safe way to upload content on a regular basis, as opposed to one or two videos. “CSIS gave us a recommendation of how it should be done properly, or one of the national security folks, when we asked,” Singh said. “They gave us their recommendation that we’re trying to follow.” — No regrets: The NDP and Liberal leaders no longer talk, but Singh wouldn’t change a thing about ending the 2-year-old supply and confidence pact, despite how much it “bugged” his former political partner. “I wanted to make it really clear that this was done, and I didn’t want to open the door to a conversation,” he said. “I wanted it to be firm and final.” — He’s also adamant: “[Trudeau] knew that at some point this was going to happen,” Singh said. “They were unwilling to do what we were pushing for. They should have known this is where it was headed.” — All negotiations must come to an end: The leader denies claims by Deputy Prime Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND that her party is in talks with the NDP. “There’s none. I don’t know where that’s coming from. We have had no communications. The stuff we care about is out there publicly, but we have not had any negotiations. That is not happening.” — Won’t help settle House stalemate: The New Democrats will not vote with Liberals to end a monthlong debate powered by Conservatives who want the government to hand over documents related to a conflict-of-interest scandal. “We’re not going to in any way allow them to avoid accountability,” said Singh, whose party also wants the docs. — Fall Economic Statement: “Liberals should be worried when they present a confidence motion like a Fall Economic Statement. It’s not granted [that] we're going to vote for it," Singh said. "We’re going to look at it very carefully and see if it has things that give people a bit of a break. That’s key.” Worth noting: MPs would only vote on legislative measures that follow the FES. — Election timing: Singh believes Canada’s electoral system needs to be safeguarded from bad actors before Canadians head to the polls. He wants the foreign interference inquiry wrapped up and new measures put in place: “If there’s recommendations from the commissioner, we should know what they are now before an election, and we should put in place some of those protections.” — India: Singh will neither confirm nor deny if he believes he has been a target of the Indian government amid stunning allegations of foreign interference. But he says his team accepts all security recommendations from the RCMP, and that he feels a burden to help his constituents. “During the recent spat of violence in the past year, I got calls from people that were extorted, that have been threatened and I was really worried for them, like really worried. Now knowing all those threats, increased violence came — according to the RCMP — from the Indian government direction is something I feel in a very visceral way.” An extended version of the interview can be read here. | | | | A message from Canadian Chamber of Commerce: Artificial intelligence is at the forefront of our evolving business landscape. Discover how Canadian businesses are leveraging the power of AI to drive innovation, enhance productivity and stay ahead in a competitive market. The future of work is here. Learn more. | | | | | Where the leaders are | |
— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in southwestern Ontario where he will participate in a Diwali celebration with members of the Hindu community. He will also meet with members of the agriculture industry.
— Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND is in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. She'll attend a party fundraiser over breakfast with Liberal MP TERRY SHEEHAN. Later, she will meet with leaders in the steel industry. At 10:30 a.m., she will tour a housing development for veterans and deliver remarks. She also has a visit to a dental clinic on her itinerary. — Playbook doesn’t have lines of sight into the opaque Friday itineraries of Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE and Bloc Leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET. — NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH is in Halifax and alongside Nova Scotia NDP leader CLAUDIA CHENDER will meet with Muslim community members at Friday prayers. Later he’s canvassing for the provincial party in Halifax Chebucto. — Green Leader ELIZABETH MAY attends Parliament virtually. | | | DULY NOTED | | | — Alberta’s UCP annual general meeting kicks off today. 2:45 p.m. Defense Minister BILL BLAIR and Foreign Minister MÉLANIE JOLY meet with South Korea’s Foreign Minister CHO TAE-YUL and Defence Minister KIM YONG-HYUN in Ottawa and hold a media availability. 9 p.m. (7 p.m. MT) Employment Minister RANDY BOISSONNAULT hosts an Edmonton Centre Circle party fundraiser.
| | For your radar | |
SENATE MILESTONE — JUSTIN TRUDEAU can thank STEPHEN HARPER for this one. At least in part.
Trudeau is on track to appoint more senators to the upper chamber than Canada’s first prime minister, JOHN A. MACDONALD, who has made the second-most appointments of any PM. That assumes Trudeau survives his party caucus’s internal turmoil and various degrees of pining for a change in leadership, along with any upcoming confidence votes — and actually fills the vacancies. — The math: PMJT has appointed 88 senators so far, according to the Library of Parliament database. There are six current vacancies, including for Nunavut, which has been senator-less for almost a year now since DENNIS PATTERSON retired last December. Several more are retiring this year, including Sen. RATNA OMIDVAR on Tuesday, when she turns 75. Sens. STEPHEN GREENE and BRENT COTTER retire in December. — The next rung up: Macdonald appointed 92 over his nearly two decades in office. WILFRID LAURIER named 81, and Harper 59. But it’s very unlikely that Trudeau would be able to make a run at the all-time record holder, WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE KING and his 103 appointments, by the next election. — The big boost: When Harper left office, some 22 vacancies dotted the Red Chamber due to his refusal to appoint senators in the wake of a major expense scandal and a bid for reforms. Trudeau’s solution, an appointment process for “independent” senators, has come under increasing fire thanks to a run of recent appointees with ties to the Liberals. | | | | A message from Canadian Chamber of Commerce:   | | | | | PAPER TRAIL | |
$$$$ — It’s a familiar trend that’s locked in just as tight as the polls. Maybe tighter.
For the third quarter in a row, the Conservative Party has eclipsed what it raised last year, keeping it on track for another record-breaker when it closes out 2024. Data submitted to Elections Canada shows the party raised C$8,449,287.50 from 45,441 donors in Q3, which came to a close at the end of September. That crushed the other parties' combined hauls over the same period, and marked the Conservatives’ best third-quarter results since 2021. The Liberals raised a comparatively anemic C$3,321,633.53 from 28,445 donors. The NDP brought in C$1,271,462.54 from 14,082. — Womp, womp: So much for the break-up bump in fundraising. In early September, NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH announced he tore up the supply-and-confidence deal that guaranteed support to the Liberals. Both parties claimed an instant uptick in fundraising. But closing out the quarter, they’ve raised more or less what they pulled in a year earlier. — Compare, contrast: So far this year, the Big Blue Machine has raised C$28.9 million, far outpacing the Liberals’ C$10.1 million and the NDP’s C$3.9 million. Every non-Conservative Party raised a combined C$16.4 million. — Not so spooky: A Conservative Halloween-themed fundraising email warned supporters (aka “TOP Canadian patriots”) that the “Liberals are raising big money.” The Liberals might wish that were so, especially because they’re readying to launch an anti-PIERRE POILIEVRE campaign — but their quarterly haul is not very scary in comparison. The Liberals posted a new digital ad Thursday on social media that starts by touting their various new health programs — drug and dental coverage — and ends by saying Poilievre would cut new programing and “remove health care services from millions of Canadians.” Now the hard part: backing that up with enough cash to sustain a useful air war. — Food for thought…or not: If the Liberals are looking to the current U.S. election cycle for ways to improve their lagging fundraising strategy, their options would be, as KASE WICKMAN puts it in Vanity Fair, either the KAMALA HARRIS camp’s pitches that read like they’re texts from a drunk ex … or the DONALD TRUMP campaign’s emails that closely resemble spam. “If a human being was sending me these messages, I’d ask them if they were OK, gently remind them that even though we broke up, I still care about them and want what’s best for them, and that I’m happy to lead them to the help they need.”
| | WHO'S UP, WHO'S DOWN | |
Up: JUSTIN TRUDEAU, surviving another caucus meeting amid calls for a secret ballot that never materialized, and as JAGMEET SINGH says he isn’t about to vote down the government.
Down: Pollsters in Saskatchewan with a collective miss this week, overestimating the NDP lead. | | | MEDIA ROOM | | |
— From DAVE COURNOYER’s Substack: “Can DANIELLE SMITH survive the UCP political circus in Red Deer?”
— The Globe’s ALANNA SMITH and TEMUR DURRANI have this report on the three bills Smith is putting forward targeting trans rights in Alberta. — PHILIPPE J. FOURNIER and ÉRIC GRENIER talk about the Saskatchewan polling “catastrophe” on "The Numbers" pod. — MARCO VIGLIOTTI at iPolitics has this look at the latest round of labor strife the federal Liberals are facing down. — AMANDA COLETTA writes in The Washington Post about what’s keeping Canadians up at night this U.S. election cycle. — RICHARD WARNICA has this meditation in the Star on DONALD TRUMP rallies, after covering him for nearly nine years. | | | | A message from Canadian Chamber of Commerce: Artificial Intelligence is transforming how businesses operate and innovate. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Future of Artificial Intelligence Council is at the forefront of the latest trends and practical applications of AI in Canadian business. Whether you're looking to streamline processes, improve customer experience or unlock new growth opportunities, the technology is available. Stay informed on how AI is shaping the future and giving Canadian companies a competitive edge. Discover more here. | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | |
Birthdays: HBD to Sen. COLIN DEACON, Alberta NDP MLA CHRISTINA GRAY and former MP SANA HASSAINIA.
Saturday: Former MPs WENDY LILL, LUC MALO and retired senator and marathoner PAUL E. MCINTYRE. Bluesky Strategy VP GEOFF TURNER also celebrates. Sunday: Minister of Indigenous Services PATTY HAJDU, Liberal MP ALEXANDRA MENDÈS, and former NDP MP CHARMAINE BORG. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send deets. Spotted: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation's KRIS SIMS, dressed up for Halloween in witchy garb with a scary federal debt clock. DIAMOND ISINGER, dressed as the aggressive political signs that CHIP WILSON put up outside his mansion. ANNA MEHLER PAPERNY,wearing shorts and noting we’re all dressed up as climate change this year (remember all those Halloweens of yesteryear spent in snowsuits?). Saskatchewan Premier SCOTT MOE, convening his revamped caucus. Auto parts exec FLAVIO VOLPE, meeting Mexican Undersecretary for International Trade LUIS ROSENDO GUTIERREZ ROMANO in Toronto. British diplomat ANTONY STOKES, reviewing "The Diplomat" — and retired Canadian dip, MICHAEL DANAGHER, adding his two cents : "Accuracy as far as the scenery. Contrived characters. Still, much better than the silly British series of the same name. But not as relatable as The Ambassadors." Noted: A long list of children's advocacy groups, medical associations and digital tech organizations are urging MPs to debate and amend the government's online harms law . The co-signers of a letter sent Thursday want lawmakers to "work together to move [Bill C-63] to committee where it can be openly studied so that Canada may hold accountable social media companies and keep our children safe online." — Among the 30 signatories: Amanda Todd Legacy Society; Canadian Paediatric Society; Canadian Medical Association; McGill University's Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy; Check My Ads; Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario; The Hospital for Sick Children; Reset Tech; and Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund. Movers and shakers: NICK SCHIAVO is leaving the Council of Canadian Innovators this week. Part of his parting message: "Innovation isn’t just a buzzword—it's about finding new ways to solve real problems for real people." RIAZ J. KARA is the Public Policy Forum's new VP of policy. CONNOR FRASER has joined the race for the Conservative nomination in Burlington, Ont. Information Commissioner CAROLINE MAYNARD and Lobbying Commissioner NANCY BÉLANGER have been nominated for second terms, with committee hearings on their nominations scheduled for next week. Media mentions: RYAN TUMILTY is starting a new job at the Toronto Star's Hill bureau … NICK MURRAY is leaving CBC News to join The Canadian Press. | | PROZONE | |
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| | | TRIVIA | | |
Thursday’s answer: The first Bloc Québécois candidate elected to Parliament was GILLES DUCEPPE.
Props to FELIX BERNIER, COLIN MCKONE, ATUL SHARMA, DOUG RICE, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, SARA MAY, STEVEN HOGUE, ALYSON FAIR, MATTHEW CONWAY, NANCI WAUGH, PATRICK ST-JACQUES, JOANNA PLATER, ALEX STEINHOUSE, BRANDON RABIDEAU, JOHN ECKER, JOHN MERRIMAN, TIM MCCALLUM, MARCEL MARCOTTE Friday’s question: When former PM STEPHEN HARPER told then-President BARACK OBAMA in 2009, “Barack, I’m sending … probably the most capable guy that I’ve got” to talk climate change, to whom was he referring? Answer to ottawaplaybook@politico.com Writing Monday’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. | | | | 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 | | | | |
