Life of the party

Dec 18, 2024

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By Mickey Djuric and Nick Taylor-Vaisey

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In today's edition:

→ The House is all seized up. Let’s count the ways.

→ A former Cabmin urges Trudeau to move along.

→ Plus, a question about the House sitting calendar.

Talk of the town

STAR OF THE PARTY — There was a lineup to get to CHRYSTIA FREELAND last night at the Liberals’ caucus holiday party. At times it was longer than the lineup for the PM — and outlasted him by an hour, too.

Ministers JONATHAN WILKINSON and DAN VANDAL, as well as Sen. HASSAN YUSSUFF, were among those to greet the now former DPM.

When the room stood to applaud the prime minister, Freeland stood, too — though her husband refrained from clapping.

Freeland even cracked a smile during Trudeau’s speech when he mentioned that “like most families, sometimes we have fights around the holidays.”

— Seating chart: Freeland was joined at her table by auto parts hype man FLAVIO VOLPE, Liberal MP RYAN TURNBULL and members of her former finance team, including SHANNON ZIMMERMAN, ADAM GRECH and GIANLUCA TATONE.

Former Nova Scotia Premier STEPHEN MCNEIL and Yukon Premier RANJ PILLAI also attended the shindig.

The elephant in the room was widely ignored. Many commended Freeland’s move; others wondered if they’ll have a job in six months.

You read POLITICO for trusted reporting. Now follow every twist of the lame duck session with Inside Congress. We track the committee meetings, hallway conversations, and leadership signals that show where crucial year-end deals are heading. Subscribe now.

DRIVING THE DAY

HOME TIME — JUSTIN TRUDEAU wakes up today as prime minister. For now.

Trudeau has endured a bruising fall. His MPs are now chattier about calling for his resignation. He can force very little legislation through Parliament thanks to Tory procedural maneuvering. NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH hasn't bailed entirely (yet), but he wants Trudeau to quit. And the PM's Cabinet is leaner than ever.

A few days of serene strolls up at snowy Harrington Lake might offer some clarity.

— Status quo, sorta: Trudeau hasn't hit the parliamentary pause button known as prorogation, a blunt tool to delay House confidence votes. That never seemed all that likely. As of this morning, he hasn't walked away from the job. But more Liberals than ever say they’ve lost confidence in the man at the top.

What feeds the sour mood? Let’s explore.

→ Bills, bills, bills: Even by minority parliament standards, the House has seized up. Five bills have received royal assent since September, including high-profile pharmacare legislation and the GST "holiday" that has met mixed reviews. A supply bill that will unlock billions in federal spending is likely to become law before long.

But the tax break and supply bill required heavy lifting. And it's unclear how much Liberals can depend on New Democrats and speaker rulings in 2025. For now, the government can make little progress on online harms, digital privacy and AI.

— The inevitable shuffle: It's almost a punchline at this point.

ANITA ANAND has for months juggled a bulky transport portfolio and the integral Treasury Board that manages federal expenditures. GINETTE PETITPAS TAYLOR is carrying a hefty employment file alongside veterans affairs — not a department that can get away with a part-time minister. Ask a stakeholder; they're frustrated.

DOMINIC LEBLANC enters the holiday break as minister of finance, public safety and intergovernmental affairs. His comms team serves triple duty.

Cabinet will also need someone to oversee the high-stakes housing file once SEAN FRASER exits the front bench after the shuffle. Sources tell Playbook the PMO has approached NATE ERSKINE-SMITH to fill the role. He’s said to be mulling his decision.

→ Rideau Hall is calling: Monday's hasty swearing-in for LeBlanc plugged an immediate gap following Freeland’s stunning resignation. But that's a stopgap.

Cabinet committees are just one example of the need to spruce up the team. Freeland's Deputy PM website awkwardly forwards to the PM's site. But as of this morning, the former minister is still listed on Cabinet committee membership lists.

Freeland chaired the timely Canada-U.S. committee; vice-chaired the high-powered agenda, results and communications table; sat on the Treasury Board, National Security Council, and working group on regulatory efficiency for clean growth projects; and chaired the working group on the middle class, economy and housing.

Cabinet committees aren't frivolous tables. They power the business of government.

— See you in 40 days: As the fishbowl learned this week, a lot can happen in 24 hours. When we gather again on Jan. 27, this government might have a whole new look.

— Latest rumor: Cabinet shuffle is happening Thursday. We’ll believe it when we see it.

Where the leaders are

— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in the National Capital Region with no public events on his itinerary.

— Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE, Bloc Québécois Leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET and NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH have not released their public itineraries.

— Green Party Leader ELIZABETH MAY is in B.C.

DULY NOTED

— National Defense Minister BILL BLAIR will visit Canadian Armed Forces members deployed to Latvia and Poland.

For your radar

CONVERSATION STARTER — Former Liberal Environment Minister CATHERINE MCKENNA said Tuesday that every Liberal MP ought to be calling on Trudeau to resign.

“No he doesn’t get to spend Christmas thinking about his future,” she said. “The surest way to elect a Conservative majority & lose all the progress we’ve made is for him to stay,” she shared on social media.

MPs were asked for their thoughts on the subject as they headed into their winter holidays. Here’s a sample of what they told reporters on the Hill:

KEVIN LAMOUREUX, parlsec to the leader of the government in the House of Commons: “At the end of the day, you know, his issues with regards to the Liberal caucus, he will work them through, and — and for us, we’ve got to continue to focus in terms of what’s in the best interests of Canadians.”

Liberal MP KEN HARDIE: “It is what it is. … It’s a process that we’re going through.”

Northern Affairs Minister DAN VANDAL: “The prime minister needs to take some time and we need to give him time and space to make sure we move forward with what’s right, what’s good for Canadians, the country, and — and — and the party.”

Liberal MP ADAM VAN KOEVERDEN: “What Canada really needs to do right now is buckle on together, come together as a country and recognize that we’re going to deal with some challenges in early 2025 with respect to — to Trump’s plans and his consideration of — of large tariffs. … So I’m glad the prime minister is willing to be pensive and consider all options going forward, because that’s the type of thoughtful response to that threat that we need.”

Natural Resources Minister JONATHAN WILKINSON told The Canadian Press: "I think we all need to give him a little time to reflect, and I respect that fact that he's going to take some time to reflect."

POLITICO Pro's unique analysis combines exclusive transition intelligence and data visualization to help you understand not just what's changing, but why it matters for your organization. Explore how POLITICO Pro will make a difference for you.

MEDIA ROOM

— From MIKE BLANCHFIELD and SUE ALLAN: How Trump divided Trudeau and Freeland.

— POLITICO editor-at-large MATT KAMINSKI also weighed in on CHRYSTIA FREELAND’s resignation.

— JUSTIN LING writes on Trudeau in the Star: “Why won’t his cowardly MPs put him out of his misery?”

— TASHA KHEIRIDDIN writes that CHRYSTIA FREELAND has proven herself a person of principle and political savvy.

— SEAN SPEER writes of SEAN FRASER: “His resignation from politics is marked by arguably the worst ministerial record in modern Canadian history.”

TRUMPQUAKE

WAR OF WORDS — The House of Commons won’t meet again until after DONALD TRUMP’s inauguration. What could go wrong?

As we told you Tuesday, Trump has weighed in on Ottawa Cabinet drama. “Her behavior was totally toxic,” he shared on Truth Social. “She will not be missed!!!!”

We talked to Canada-U.S. observers about Freeland’s exit and the late-night sendoff. Here are a couple of replies that stood out:

— EDWARD ALDEN, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations:

“Trump hates Freeland because she out-negotiated him and Lighthizer. In the USMCA talks, the U.S. wanted an end to dispute settlement, a U.S.-only content requirement for cars, a five-year sunset clause, and a big opening in Canada’s dairy market. She held out and the Trump administration caved on every one. No wonder Trump is happy to see her go.”

— LOUISE BLAIS, former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations:

“Although Donald Trump could not resist posting about Chrystia Freeland's dramatic departure from Cabinet, ultimately, the person who always matters most for any American president is the prime minister.”

PROZONE

For POLITICO subscribers, our latest policy newsletter by MIKE BLANCHFIELD and MICKEY DJURIC: Ottawa engages Trump’s ‘border czar.’

And the latest headlines:

— POLITICO Pro Q&A: The scientist ready to take on Trump again.

— The ‘really sticky’ situation facing the public health establishment: RFK Jr.

— TikTok asks U.S. Supreme Court to delay ban.

— Why Biden might defy Trump with stronger climate goals.

— EU climate strategy risks Yellow Vests-style backlash, ex-official warns.

PLAYBOOKERS

Birthdays: HBD to former MP SYLVIE BOUCHER.

Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it our way.

Spotted: Conservative MP SCOTT REID, working “middle-aged Swifty” into his adaptation of “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”

Conservative House Leader ANDREW SCHEER in the House, describing Tuesday as a “gong show at the bottom of a dumpster fire, wrapped up in a cluster.”

Movers and shakers: SIMON LAFORTUNE is joining the media relations team in the Prime Minister’s Office. JENNA GHASSABEH has been promoted to lead press secretary there.

MARK CAMERON joins the Public Policy Forum as a fellow who will oversee the think tank's Canada-U.S. project: "Matter More."

Media mentions: NOJOUD AL MALLEES is joining The Globe's economics team.

ON THE HILL

Find the latest House meetings here. The Senate schedule is here.

11 a.m. Deputy Finance Minister CHRIS FORBES, Auditor General KAREN HOGAN and officials from the Treasury Board Secretariat will be at the House public accounts committee to take questions on the 2024 public accounts.

TRIVIA

Tuesday’s answer: “And then there are those unique nations who shape their destinies by choice …” That was GEORGE H.W. BUSH on Dec. 17, 1992, as he signed the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Props to DARRYL DAMUDE, RAY DEL BIANCO, MARCEL MARCOTTE, JOHN ECKER, DARREN MAJOR, STEPHEN HAAS, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, MALCOLM MCKAY, LAURA JARVIS, GANGA WIGNARAJAH, LAURE HOURDEBAIGT, DARRELL PACK and LAURIE KEMPTON.

Wednesday’s question: In what year did the House of Commons adopt a fixed sitting calendar? (Prior to this year, there were no written rules identifying when the House would not sit.)

Answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com

Writing tomorrow's Playbook: NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY.

Playbook wouldn’t happen without: POLITICO Canada editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and Luiza Ch. Savage.

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