Covid and political fatigue 5.0

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WELCOME TO OTTAWA PLAYBOOK. I’m your host, ZI-ANN LUM. International Trade Minister MARY NG heads to D.C., her second trip to the U.S. capital in two weeks, and she’s bringing some cross-party company. The window continues to shrink for committees to be struck to help pass legislation and announce new parliamentary secretaries — which could change the results of the House’s PMB lottery.

DRIVING THE DAY

WILL THIS DÉJÀ VU NEVER END — Ottawa is talking to the provinces about their capacity to expand testing for all travelers — from all countries — while scientists and public health officials continue investigating the Omicron variant. That includes land and air borders with the U.S., Public Safety Minister MARCO MENDICINO told reporters.

— American exceptionalism: Travelers from the U.S. are currently exempt from the new rule that requires all air travelers to be tested at the airport if they’re landing in Canada. For the many wrestling with a thick Covid fog, no this wasn’t common already. Case in point: The two Omicron cases in Ottawa were detected through random testing at the airport.

— Meanwhile in Washington: The Biden administration is talking about tightening restrictions for people flying into the United States. Additional quarantine measures are also said to be under consideration.

B.C.’S BIGGER PICTURE — It was 30 minutes into Tuesday’s QP before the first question about B.C. was brought up by NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS. While politicians trade barbs in Ottawa about Covid measures and inflation, another atmospheric river system is heading toward British Columbia, the third in a week. ARMEL CASTELLAN, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, told reporters Tuesday the province is experiencing its “wettest fall on record.”

— Communities continue watching radars: The first one brought heavy rain which produced severe flooding and landslides in parts of the province, damaging roadways and rail lines, devastating the low-lying agricultural region of Sumas Prairie east of Abbotsford. The Trans Mountain pipeline remains temporarily shut down. A break in heavy rain is expected Thursday and Friday.

COMMITTEE WATCH — We’ve hit the halfway point in the week and Government House Leader MARK HOLLAND has yet to offer any more details on how and when HoC committees will be struck, despite stating they’ll be up and running before the holiday break.

GRASS IS GREENER OUTSIDE THE BUBBLE — Ex-Green Party leader ANNAMIE PAUL divulged some new details on the “worst period” of her life during an event last night hosted by the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee.

Paul told “Curse of Politics” host — and noted friend of POLITICO — DAVID HERLE, that she’s taking some time to catch up on sleep and is temporarily lying low outside of Toronto where, as she put it, “it was just hard to get out as much incognito.”

— The most precious advice: Paul said she hasn’t considered joining another party. Right now, her focus is on taking the advice offered to her by Conservatives, Liberals and NDPers: “Try not to think too much right now. Just take some time. And, you know, watch some Netflix, read a book, take a walk and try not to think too much about what comes next.”

— “Baling wire and a hope and a prayer.” Herle praised Paul for her performance in the federal debates to which the former Green leader revealed she was left on her own to get ready for the high-stakes events. She said her husband stood in as Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU and her son playing the role of Bloc Québécois Leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET. “I didn’t have any professionals involved at all,” Paul said. “There was no budget given to me for that preparation at all.”

LEAVING LIZ. THE OTHER LIZ — Sorry, Prince Charles. It seems Canadians, at least those recently surveyed by the Angus Reid Institute, are not that into you. In light of Barbados officially parting with the British monarchy this week, the polling firm found a “significant decline” in support for Canada remaining a constitutional monarchy indefinitely. 55 percent said they’re happy with Queen Elizabeth, but that support dropped to 34 per cent when respondents were asked to envisage the Prince of Wales as her successor.

BACK TO D.C. — International Trade Minister Mary Ng heads to Washington today, leading a three-day trade mission with opposition MPs. The trip comes one day after Ng’s virtual meeting with U.S. Trade Representative KATHERINE TAI — and after the World Trade Organization postponed indefinitely its planned decision-making ministerial meeting this week in Geneva. Conservative MP RANDY HOBACK, NDP MP DANIEL BLAIKIE and Bloc Québécois SEBASTIEN LEMIRE will join Canada’s delegation.

Ng’s trip to D.C. is her second to the U.S. capital in two weeks. Her office told POLITICO the point of the trip is to push back on “harmful Buy America and EV provisions” proposed by Democrats. Ng is also expected to raise Canada’s concerns about the doubled softwood tariffs on Canadian lumber and the decision to stop the export of P.E.I. potatoes after the U.S. threatened to ban island spuds because potato wart was detected in two farms.

— Here in Ottawa: A “take-note” debate will happen today on the issue of softwood lumber, a perennial U.S. trade irritant, after MPs passed a motion calling for it late Tuesday.

— En route to Ottawa: DAVID COHEN was sworn in as U.S. ambassador to Canada on Tuesday during a ceremony overseen by Vice President KAMALA HARRIS. “And so it begins!” she said. MARYSCOTT GREENWOOD tells Playbook he’ll be in Ottawa “very soon.” ANDY BLATCHFORDhas the skinny for POLITICO Pro subscribers.

SARAI LOCKS PMB LOTTO’S TOP SLOT — Even with Covid-19 restrictions in place, Tuesday’s private member’s bill lottery in a basement committee room in West Block was one of the best attended House of Commons Speaker ANTHONY ROTA has ever seen.

The random draw happens once at the beginning of each new session. In an era of federal politics where decision-making is increasingly centralized, the lottery is an opportunity for backbench MPs to get a shot at getting their own bill passed into law, moving on its own timeline separate from the government’s legislative track.

Playbook was in the room when the glass jar of white plastic chips, each featuring an MP’s name, was ceremoniously shaken and dumped into a wooden ballot box.

The first name selected by Rota? Liberal MP RANDEEP SARAI. Conservative MP KYLE SEEBACK was next. Liberal MP JAIME BATTISTE’s name rounded off the top 3.

PMBs are an opportunity for backbench MPs to change laws. Those who make the top 30 list have a higher chance of getting their bills passed.

— Notes from the ceremony: The names drawn and read by Rota were passed to Deputy Clerk ERIC JANSE, who passed the chip to a member of the House administration tasked with threading the discs on a green wire to keep the order of precedence. When Deputy Speaker CHRIS D’ETREMONT took over for Rota, a lone voice from a gaggle of Tory MPs at the back of the room shouted “Remember your friends, Chris.”

Though every MP’s name is thrown in the lottery, the speaker, deputy speaker, cabinet ministers and parliamentary secretaries are ineligible to participate in private member’s business — so their names get booted to an “ineligible members” list if drawn.

Liberal MP SHERRY ROMANADO was one of the 45+ MPs and staff who showed up to the draw. When her name was drawn and announced to the room, Conservative MP JOHN BARLOW jokingly heckled “Til you’re a PS — then it’s over!” We’re still waiting for the prime minister’s office to announce its list of new parliamentary secretaries.

— Cross-party support: When Barlow’s name was called, the Foothills MP threw his fist in the air and let out a chippy “Bingo! Yesss.” His enthusiasm earned a supportive “You’re going the distance!” from passerby NDP MP ALISTAIR MACGREGOR as he was leaving the room.

CONTROVERSIAL DEBUT — Embattled Toronto indy MP KEVIN VUONG stood up from his back-corner seat in the House of Commons yesterday to ask for an update to the government’s anti-racism strategy. Vuong’s intervention didn’t exactly get an excited reaction inside the chamber. From your Playbooker’s perch in the gallery above, Vuong got a couple claps from Liberal MP ROB OLIPHANT and that was it.

The ex-Liberal candidate fell from the party’s graces during the last stretch of the election after the Toronto Star revealed sex assault charges were withdrawn against him in 2019. He has ignored high-profile calls for his resignation. Other than popping up to chat with Newstalk 1010 last month, the rookie Spadina–Fort York MP has kept a low profile since election day.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU will speak with Kenyan President UHURU KENYATTA before heading to caucus at 10 a.m. He’ll be at QP. Later in the evening, he will attend a virtual candle lighting ceremony in celebration of Hanukkah.

Bloc Leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET will hold a press conference at 9 a.m. in West Block.

Deputy Prime Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND will be at caucus this morning and question period in the afternoon. A virtual chat with Manitoba Premier HEATHER STEFANSON is on her agenda and in the evening she’ll virtually be at a candle-lighting ceremony to mark the 4th night of Hanukkah.

NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH will meet members of his federal caucus then hold a media availability at 12 p.m. in West Block.

Parliamentary Budget Officer YVES GIROUX will release a new report at 9 a.m.: “Clean water for First Nations: Is the government spending enough?’'

MEDIA ROOM

— From the Senate: In memoriam: Senator Josée Forest-Niesing.

— Timely question from The Star’s SUSAN DELACOURT: “What does the political class have left in its arsenal — after nearly two years of this pandemic — to head off what could be the biggest wave yet of COVID-19 fatigue?” THE BRIDGE also features conversation on how political leaders could respond (but almost certainly won’t).

— Another timely query from Global’s AMANDA CONNOLLY and ALEX BOUTILIER: Canada’s Huawei decision was ‘picking up momentum’ 2 years ago. So what is happening?

— On THE BIG STORY podcast this morning: How bad is it in B.C. right now? How much worse could it get?

— Maclean’s STEPHEN MAHER writes about the changing political, and physical, environments around opposition to carbon taxes. See also CHRIS TURNER’s Twitter thread.

— Sen. PAMELA WALLIN talks with DARRELL BRICKER about 2021 in opinion polls.

— JESSE BROWN returns to THE BIG STORY podcast with updates on the WE Charity story. Oh, and the latest edition of THE BACKBENCH is here.

— In case you missed it, Tuesday’s episode of THE DAILYfeatured APOORVA MANDAVILLI on what is known so far about the Omicron variant. THE DECIBEL featured IVAN SEMENIUK on the same.

PROZONE

If you’re a Pro subscriber, don’t miss ANDY BLATCHFORD’s Canada PM newsletter.

In other news for Pros:
— House Democrats grow antsy to pass shutdown fix ahead of Friday cliff.
— ‘Not a moment too soon.’ Cohen sworn in as U.S. ambassador to Canada.
— Ng to return to Washington to press on trade issues.
— Omicron looms over Canada’s economic rebound.
— Trudeau: Canada ‘absolutely’ considering more health measures at border.
— Michigan’s Whitmer drops Line 5 federal case in favor of state action.

PLAYBOOKERS

Movers and shakers: Northern Affairs Minister DAN VANDAL has a new chief of staff: JEFF VALOIS, who started on the Hill in 2008 as a staffer for then-MP MARIO SILVA. Valois rose through the ranks, serving on the senior staff of Indigenous services ministers SEAMUS O’REGAN and MARC MILLER — before a stint as Ontario adviser in the PMO.

CARLENE VARIYAN has joined Summa Strategies as associate vice-president. Variyan’s CV is packed with Hill experience. She was chief of staff to JIM CARR, deputy chief of staff to SEAMUS O’REGAN, d-comm to RALPH GOODALE and PATTY HAJDU, and director of parliamentary affairs to BILL MORNEAU.

DANIEL LAUZON, most recently chief of staff to foreign minister MARC GARNEAU but a longtime senior Liberal on the Hill, is leaving after six years in government: “We don’t often get a chance to reflect on what’s next,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “Too often these decisions get made for us.”

IRWIN COTLER has been reappointed special envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism. … CAMERON BAILEY is the new CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival.

On Thursday, Governor General MARY SIMON will receive credentials from ANIZAN SITI HAJJAR ADNIN of Malaysia, ANDREJ GREGOR RODE of Slovenia, ANSELM RANSFORD ADZETE SOWAH of Ghana, and IVAN JURKOVIC, Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See.

Spotted: CATHERINE CLARK in Paris. … ANDREW MACDOUGALL: Denied. … CTV News Atlantic legend STEVE MURPHY: Signed off.

Birthdays: Conservative MP DAN ALBAS is 45 today. HBD!

ASK US ANYTHING

What are you hearing that you need Playbook to know? Any questions about the next session of Parliament? Send it all our way.

Trivia

Tuesday’s answer: The longest parliamentary session in Canadian history was not so long ago. In 2015, JUSTIN TRUDEAU promised never to prorogue Parliament — and kept that pledge until the 2019 election. The first and only session of the 42nd Parliament lasted 1,378 days. (Trudeau did embrace prorogation in 2020 at the height of the We Charity scandal.)

Trivia buffs will note that the younger Trudeau doesn’t hold the record for most sittings in a session. The 2015-2019 run comprised only 442 sittings. PIERRE TRUDEAU’s action-packed 32nd Parliament, the first session of which stretched 1,325 days, featured a record-setting 591 sitting days.

Either way, Trudeaus are at the top of this particular longevity heap.

Wednesday’s question: Who is the bar in Ottawa’s Fairmont Chateau Laurier named after?

Send your answers to [email protected]

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