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| By Nick Taylor-Vaisey, Caitlin Oprysko and Ari Hawkins |
Presented by The Motion Picture Association – Canada |
Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading the Ottawa Playbook. Let’s get to it. On POLITICO Canada’s agenda today: → DONALD TRUMP slaps tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. → Canada's premiers tap the services of a Trump-friendly GR firm. → A status report on Canada's G7 planning. |
 | DRIVING THE DAY | |
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives at the Grand Palais today for the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit. | AP |
TARIFF MAN — DONALD TRUMP followed through Monday on a commitment to slap 25 percent tariffs on all global steel and aluminum imports — Canada included. A White House official made the case for the measures on a call with reporters. “The Trump 2.0 tariffs are a direct response to the failed policies of the Biden administration, which allowed China, Russia and many of our allies like Canada, Mexico, Brazil and the EU to manipulate trade and cripple U.S. industry. These measures will revitalize domestic production and safeguard critical industries,” said the official, who was granted anonymity per the ground rules of the call. — Trudeau's first take: Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU's response during a scrum in Paris nodded to the frequency of questions about tariffs and retaliation. “As usual, we hope that it will not come to that,” he said, adding that he'll make the case to Americans that Canadian steel and aluminum imports create "thousands, if not millions" of jobs south of the border. The tariffs are scheduled to take effect March 12. — TV time: Ontario Premier DOUG FORD reiterated his dual good cop/bad cop routine for the CNBC audience on Monday afternoon. Ford insisted Trump's planned steel tariffs were bad for both sides of the border, and name-checked as a regular contact the CEO of steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs, the parent company of Canada-based Stelco. For what it's worth, Cleveland-Cliffs stock had a good day amid the tariff threat. → Also on cable news: NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH, who put Trump "on notice" during a CNN segment. If Trump forges ahead with across-the-board tariffs, Singh advocated for 100 percent counter-tariffs on Tesla stock that could get ELON MUSK's attention. — Meanwhile in Brussels: European Commission President URSULA VON DER LEYEN vowed today to take “firm and proportionate” measures. The “unjustified” 25 percent tariffs on steel, aluminum and reciprocal tariffs on other products “will not go unanswered,” she said in a statement. POLITICO’s KOEN VERHELST has details in the developing story. — In related reading: From the Globe’s JASON KIRBY: Five charts that explain Canada’s C$35-billion steel and aluminum trade with the U.S. |
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| A message from The Motion Picture Association – Canada: Canadians love streaming, but Ottawa's new rules could mean higher prices, fewer choices, and less global reach for our film and TV industry. We need a better approach—one that protects affordability, promotes competition, and creates real opportunities for Canadian talent. Let's give consumers the freedom to watch what they want, without unnecessary costs and restrictions. Click here to learn more. |
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| PAPER TRAIL | |
D.C. SHERPA — Canada's premiers are launching a Washington roadshow this week amid a fragile cross-border trade relationship that risks erupting into an all-out trade war.
In search of assistance, the premiers have tapped a North Carolina lobbying firm run by a friend of the Trump family to help make connections ahead of this week's meeting blitz. As our friends at POLITICO Influence first reported, the preems are the first foreign lobbying client of Checkmate Government Relations, which runs a newly opened D.C. office. — Premier pipeline: A press release claims premiers will meet with "key members of the new Administration, Congress and business leaders." They'll talk about "the economy, energy, critical mineral supply chains, border security and immigration." Territorial premiers are due at the Wilson Center's Canada Institute for a Thursday morning conversation about "vectors of alignment and prospects for collaboration between Canada and the United States in the critically important Arctic region." Some premiers are planning a return to Washington for the annual meeting of the National Governors Association, which runs Feb. 20-22. — Nuts and bolts: Checkmate registered last week to represent the Council of the Federation, according to DOJ filings that show managing partner CHES MCDOWELL is helping with strategic consulting and outreach to U.S. officials ahead of Wednesday's visit. McDowell is a hunting buddy of DONALD TRUMP JR. who accompanied the president's son on a falconry trip with RFK JR. last fall, according to social media posts. — The official word: The Council of the Federation tells Playbook this is a one-time contract limited to this week's trip. "Given the risks associated with potential tariffs, and the importance of the Canada-U.S. partnership, the hiring of this firm at this time is critical to support enhanced advocacy with representatives in the U.S.," read a statement. — Stepping stone: CHRIS LACIVITA JR., the son of Trump’s co-campaign manager and a spokesperson for Checkmate, declined to comment on its work for the premiers beyond federal filings — and didn’t rule out taking on more foreign clients in the future. "Given the vital importance of North Carolina on national elections and the firm’s existing relationships with members of the Trump administration, as well as prior D.C. work experience, it only makes sense Checkmate has expanded its federal portfolio and officially entered the K-Street game,” he said. |
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| Where the leaders are | |
— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in Paris and will attend the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit plenary session.
— Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE has not released his public itinerary. — Bloc Québécois Leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET has a date with the Council on Foreign Relations of Montreal. Blanchet will join a luncheon and make a speech about his vision for Quebec's economic future. — NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH has not shared his itinerary. — Green Party Leader ELIZABETH MAY has no public engagements on her schedule. |
| DULY NOTED | |
11:30 a.m. The U.S. Senate Finance Committee will consider the nomination of Trump’s choice to lead the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, JAMIESON GREER. He is widely expected to sail through. Watch here.
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| TRUMPQUAKE | |
ETHICS VACANCY — Trump removed DAVID HUITEMA as director of the Office of Government Ethics — an office tasked with ensuring government workers comply with conflict of interest and ethics requirements.
Huitema was confirmed by a 50-46 Senate vote last year for a five-year term. His dismissal was announced in one sentence on the OGE website. The removal is likely to draw criticism, especially from Democrats who have been sounding the alarm about Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency’s sweeping cuts across federal agencies. |
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| A message from The Motion Picture Association – Canada:  
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| LEADERSHIP RACE | |
VOTING RULES — Liberal Party President SACHIT MEHRA posted a link Monday evening for the leadership race's voter verification rules and voting timelines. The main points:
→ Registered Liberals can start the verification process on Feb. 20. They'll have until March 7 at 5 p.m. ET to verify their identity and address with Canada Post, and attest to their eligibility in writing or electronically. → An advanced voting period will open on Feb. 26 at 8 a.m. ET and run until the opening of the leadership vote on March 9. Voting will close that day at 3 p.m. — Drumroll, please: "The results will be announced March 9, 2025 at a time and location to be determined by the Leadership Vote Committee." |
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| NOMINATION WATCH | |
As a federal election nears, we're tracking the number of nominated candidates in each major party — and noting significant names as they emerge. A full slate is 343 candidates. Last week's numbers are in parentheses. — Conservative: n/a (226) — Liberal: 145 (143) — NDP: 133 (124) — Green: 95 (82) — Bloc Québécois: 4 (2) → Worth noting: Trade Minister MARY NG won't seek another term in office. Justice Minister ARIF VIRANI also announced he's not running again … Liberal MP MIKE KELLOWAY will seek the party nomination in Sydney-Glace Bay, Nova Scotia — the same seat where fellow MP JAIME BATTISTE wants the nod. We didn't hear back from the Conservatives this week. But JL DECOSTA, director of parliamentary affairs to Conservative MP MARTIN SHIELDS, is seeking the party nomination in Bow River, Alberta — the same riding where his boss isn't running again.
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| MEDIA ROOM | |
— MURRAY BREWSTER of CBC News reports on the first phase of the Conservatives’ Arctic defense plan.
— Based on leaked tape from Trudeau’s meeting with business leaders on Friday, MURAD HEMMADI of The Logic reports that the PM said the Trump and his team are “prolific users” of disinformation. — Relay pollster KYLA RONELLENFITSCH wonders if the Ontario election is “even more of a blowout than it seems.” Her metric of the day: Motivated voters. — PAUL WELLS reposts a recent L'actualité essay about PIERRE POILIEVRE en anglais. Wells reports that STEPHEN HARPER “has not been shy about telling Poilievre to be more aggressive than he was.” |
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| A message from The Motion Picture Association – Canada: Canadians love to stream TV shows and movies, and want the benefits of lots of choice, healthy competition and affordable prices. But Ottawa's new streaming regulations and taxes and could drive up prices, make it harder for people to find and choose the content they want to watch, and limit opportunity for Canadian film and TV workers to make content that will be seen around the world. There's a better way - give consumers more freedom to choose what they want to watch, promote more competition, and more opportunities for Canadian workers. Click here to learn more. |
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| PROZONE | |
For POLITICO subscribers, our latest policy newsletter by MIKE BLANCHFIELD.
The latest headlines for Pro subscribers: — Musk’s shadow hangs over Macron’s AI summit. — European carmakers in crossfire of US-EU trade war. — Britain to ‘wait and see’ on Trump’s tariff threat. — Trump could remake USAID to promote fossil fuels. — Judge rebukes Trump admin for withholding climate funds. |
| PLAYBOOKERS | |
Birthdays: HBD to Compass Rose's LUCY VAN OLDENBARNEVELD and the Globe's SHANNON PROUDFOOT. Greetings also to Ontario PC MPP MICHAEL TIBOLLO.
HBD + 1 to Liberal MP FILOMENA TASSI, former Governor General ADRIENNE CLARKSON, former Supreme Court Justice LOUISE ARBOUR. Spotted: Finance Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC, chatting on his cell with U.S. Treasury Secretary SCOTT BESSENT … Ontario Liberal Leader BONNIE CROMBIE, challenging Premier DOUG FORD to a pushups contest … Liberal leadership contender RUBY DHALLA, musing about "reviewing" Canada's "participation in NATO." Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way. Media mentions: MEREDITH SHAW and SID SEIXEIRO are no longer co-hosts on Citytv's “Breakfast Television.” EMMA LOOP just started work at CBC News Windsor. |
| TRIVIA | |
Monday’s answer: BALTEJ DHILLON was the first Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer to wear a turban.
Props to SURAJREET SINGH, JOHN MERRIMAN, MALCOLM MCKAY, MURRAY WILSON, JONATHAN MOSER, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, DARREN MAJOR, AMY SCANLON BOUGHNER, CHRIS RANDS, WAYNE EASTER, BILL WATSON, JOANNA PLATER, PATRICK DION, PATRICk ST-JACQUES, BILL GARVIN, RAY DEL BIANCO, MARCEL MARCOTTE and MELISSA COTTON. Today’s question: The Diamond Jubilee portrait of Queen Elizabeth II now graces the Senate foyer. Who painted it? For bonus marks: How much does it weigh? Answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com . Wednesday's Playbook will be written by NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY. 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.
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