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Politico
13 hours ago
- Business
- Politico
Let 'em cook
Presented by Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Welcome to Canada Playbook. In today's edition: → Inside the unfolding drama of Canada-U.S. trade talks. → STEPHEN HARPER offers cross-border advice. Also, he's writing a memoir. Trade war TALKING IN CIRCLES — Despite months of back and forth in rooms ranging from mountainous Kananaskis, Alberta, to steamy Washington, D.C., Canada has not managed to secure final terms of an economic and security deal with the U.S. President DONALD TRUMP said talks with MARK CARNEY's government are 'not really a negotiation.' It's a point some Canadian officials agree with. Playbook spoke to four senior officials familiar with negotiations from various federal and provincial perspectives. They were granted anonymity to discuss private talks. Behind closed doors, Canadian and U.S. officials have spent months circling the same unresolved issues, with Trump's team sidestepping specifics, a senior Canadian government official tells Playbook. — Face-to-face meetings: Officials describe the meetings between Canadian officials — Trade Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC and Ambassador KIRSTEN HILLMAN — and U.S. officials, Commerce Secretary HOWARD LUTNICK and Treasury Secretary SCOTT BESSENT, as chaotic and one-sided, with the Americans recycling grievances and offering no clear path forward. Lutnick or Bessent often riff off Trump's greatest hits, raising security issues at the U.S. border, complaining about fentanyl smuggling and asking why Canada treats the U.S. unfairly. Trump's team swerves to a new topic every time they meet, the senior federal government official said. LeBlanc mainly listens, the same official told Playbook. — Defending the talks: 'The way this has worked with our trading partners who have secured deals, or are making progress towards one, is that they came to us with deal offers, that were then refined and negotiated further,' a White House official said in a statement. — What Canada wants: Carney has conceded any deal with Trump is likely to include some level of tariffs. Now the Liberal government wants stability, especially around tariffs invoked using Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. — Feeling the pain: The trade war is pummelling Canada's auto, steel, aluminum and forestry industries and leading to a decline in investment. The Carney government wants those tariffs eliminated, or lowered to a fixed level that doesn't fluctuate, the senior government official said. 'If we know what world we're going into, then we can have better plans and policies to attract investment.' — Sharing notes: Japan, the European Union and Mexico have traded notes with Canada on the unconventional negotiations, discussing what it's like to deal with Trump's administration. — List of demands: One Mexican business official said the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative presented a list of demands that includes issues surrounding intellectual property and energy. Canada has not received such a list, a senior Canadian government official said. Read more from MICKEY DJURIC and POLITICO's trade team in Washington. PROZONE Our latest policy newsletter for POLITICO Pro subscribers: Trade war watch. From Pro reporters DANIEL DESROCHERS, BEN LEFEBVRE and DOUG PALMER: Trump got his tariff hike. The rest remains murky. More trade headlines for our paid subscribers: — White House trade deal with Europe runs into energy market realities. — French PM slams EU-US trade deal as 'submission' to Trump. — The winners (there are some) and losers from the EU's trade deal with Trump. — EU to lower car tariffs to zero percent in trade deal. — Trump says US will 'look at' blanket 10 percent tariff on UK goods. Caught our ear HARPER THE ANALYST — Somebody who works somewhere in the Carney government recently asked former Prime Minister Stephen Harper for advice on Trump. Harper was a keynote speaker Monday morning at the Council of State Governments' Midwestern Legislative Conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He wasn't more specific about who reached out, but acknowledged his advice wasn't what it would've been in 2024. (We've asked Carney's office to confirm any conversations.) 'I would have said, a year ago, this is a real opportunity for Canada to really deepen its economic and security partnership with the United States,' he told the audience of lawmakers gathered in the Prairie city. → Diversity now: 'My advice was the opposite,' he said. 'We've gotta get something short term worked out with the Trump administration, but this really is a wakeup call for this country to truly diversify its trade export markets.' (Cue applause.) → Sovereignty play: The former PM was all for boosting defense spending. His advice to Carney: 'Let's make sure we spend a lot more on defense, so that we can be independently responsible for our own land, seas and skies, independent of the United States.' (Cue more applause.) → Spread the word: 'This is the advice that every allied capital is getting from everybody like me they talk to,' Harper said. — On Trump: Harper, who reminded the crowd his academic specialty covered fiscal policy and economic history, offered a blunt review of Trump's 'Tariff Man' approach to trade. 'Comprehensive protectionism, the idea of using tariff barriers to raise revenue and comprehensively relocate industries … this is a failed economic policy where it has been tried,' he said. — Veiled shot: Asked about his frequent trips to India by moderator VICTOR THOMAS, president and CEO of the Canada-India Business Council, Harper cracked a joke at his successor's expense. 'I like to say I went there partly because in India, I was admired for my sense of fashion,' he said to laughter. 'Canadians will know what that's about.' (For those who don't know: Former PM JUSTIN TRUDEAU made unflattering international headlines for his sartorial choices during a fraught 2018 visit. Maclean's dubbed him 'The Mr. Dressup prime minister.') — On Modi: Amid bilateral unpleasantness that appears ready for a reset, Harper made his case for closer Canada-India ties. 'India is one of the rare democratic countries these days that has, whether you like Modi or do not like Modi, a leader who is in a strong political position and moving his country forward in a very clear direction.' Thomas didn't ask about India's alleged role in the recent bilateral deep freeze. — For your bookshelf: Harper told the crowd he just completed the first draft of his memoir. But he immediately tempered expectations: 'I have to be honest. All the best stories can't go in. They really can't.' — 12 words of bliss: Life after politics has its perks, said Harper, who runs a global consultancy and chairs an international federation of conservative parties. The former PM put it succinctly: 'I have a lot less stress. I make a lot more money.' THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — Prime Minister MARK CARNEY has no public events on his itinerary. — U.S. Ambassador to Canada PETE HOEKSTRA delivers a lunchtime keynote at the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. Hoekstra is set to explore 'the evolving trade landscape, shared security priorities, and the global economic forces reshaping our cross-border relationship.' Want more POLITICO? Download our mobile app to save stories, get notifications on U.S.-Canada relations, and more. In iOS or Android . MORNING MUST-CLICKS — President Trump said Monday that he will work with European allies to 'set up food centers' in Gaza, POLITICO's MYAH WARD reports. — From our colleagues in Brussels: Under-fire EU says trade deal with Trump was best it could do. And also: EU admits it can't guarantee $600B promise to Trump. — JACK DETSCH, PAUL MCLEARY and FELICIA SCHWARTZ report on the repercussions of the 'think tank ban,' which prevents employees from taking part in such events as the Halifax International Security Forum. — 'Poilievre looks as if he's frightened of his own base,' PressProgress editor LUKE LEBRUN writes in a Star column. 'This dynamic is key to understanding why he keeps pandering to this constituency even when it comes at the cost of hurting his party's chances among mainstream voters or, evidently, undermining trust in our institutions.' — DARREN MAJOR of CBC News has the latest from Elections Canada, which now says voters will need to write in their desired candidate when they vote in the Battle River-Crowfoot by-election. — The Globe reports: Toronto has spent more than half the summer so far under heat warnings. LOBBY WATCH A daily check-in on federal lobbyist registrations and notable meetings around town: — Sussex Strategy's DAN LOVELL logged a Monday meeting with Energy Minister TIM HODGSON and WALE OYEBANJO, senior policy and major projects adviser in the minister's office. — TACTIX's ERIN GORMAN and JEAN-MICHEL LAURIN registered to lobby on behalf of Merck Canada. Top priority: 'Exploring funding opportunities for a biopharmaceutical technology startup accelerator initiative.' — Strategies North Advisory's AUSTIN GLOVER logged recent meetings on behalf of Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council, a group of First Nations in northern Alberta advocating for 'critical infrastructure on-reserve, such as educational and community facilities.' Glover posted meetings with bureaucrats at Public Safety Canada and policy advisers in Health Minister MARJORIE MICHEL's office. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to former Cabmin MARCI IEN, Bloomberg's LAURA DHILLON KANE and former MP DAVID DE BURGH GRAHAM. Noted: Auto theft in Canada declined by 19 percent in the first half of this year, compared to the first six months of 2024, according to a report from the insurance industry organization Équité Association. PAUL DANS, one of the chief authors of the controversial Project 2025, is launching a GOP primary challenge against Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.), with a formal announcement expected Wednesday, AP reports. Movers and shakers: Rubicon Strategy added DAVID KNIGHT LEGG as a senior adviser … EMILY GRANT was promoted to senior advance in the PMO … TD Bank names JOHN MACINTYRE as new board chair. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way. TRIVIA Monday's answer: CAMILLA, the queen consort, was photographed reading 'The Grey Wolf' by Canadian author LOUISE PENNY. Props to MALCOLM MCKAY, JENN KEAY, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, BARBARA GRANTHAM, RAYLENE LANG, GREG MACEACHERN, GANGA WIGNARAJAH, JOHN MATHESON, PATRICK JUNEAU, DALE BARBOUR, A. PETRIC, SHAUGHN MCARTHUR, ELIZABETH BURN, BARBARA SULLIVAN, JOANNA PLATER, JOHN PEPPER, MAUREEN MACGILLIVRAY, BOB GORDON, RAY DEL BIANCO, MARC SHAW, DARRYL DAMUDE, CAMERON BISHOP and MARC HUMBERT. Today's question: Prince CHARLES and Lady DIANA SPENCER wed on this date in 1981. What did Canada present to the couple as wedding gifts? Answers to canadaplaybook@ . Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
Politico
2 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Tariff roulette
Presented by Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Welcome to a week that could define Canada's economic future — or deepen its trade crisis. In today's edition of Canada Playbook: → As Canada hopes for an August deal, Trump is chasing trade wins elsewhere. → A midsummer dollop of news on interest rates and economic growth. → Why EU Ambassador GENEVIÈVE TUTS is hawkish on transatlantic bonds. Trade war SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER — Aug. 1 approaches, the day Canada and the U.S. are expected to strike a new economic and security deal — or not. Prime Minister MARK CARNEY and President DONALD TRUMP have recently sought to temper expectations. — He's just not that into you: The White House has informed Canada that it is not the priority at the moment, Playbook has learned. Trump, who is in Europe, is focused on securing agreements with other countries, like India. — Get in line: In Scotland on Sunday, Trump struck a trade deal with the European Union, locking in a 15 percent tariff. It follows his deal with Japan last week, though there are questions about that one. → Trump's Canada take: 'We haven't really had a lot of luck with Canada,' the president told reporters outside the White House on Friday. 'I think Canada could be one where they'll just pay tariffs, not really a negotiation,' he said. — State of play: The president is unpredictable, and Canadian officials don't often know what he's going to do until he does it. — For example: Trump caught Canada off guard when he paused negotiations over the digital services tax. He blindsided them again when he sent Carney a letter to say tariffs on Canadian goods would increase to 35 percent on Aug. 1. — The devil in the details: The White House is playing coy about whether the 35 percent tariff would exempt goods that comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. While the U.S. has suggested that would be the case, the decision ultimately lies with Trump. Canada will view the lack of an exemption as a serious setback at the table. → Why it matters: That exemption would mean most Canadian businesses would retain tariff-free access to the U.S. market. 'The vast majority of Canadian goods and services are tariff-free,' Carney told reporters last week in Hamilton, Ontario. — In related news: The Globe's JASON KIRBY and MARK RENDELL explain why in a world of tariff pain, USMCA gives Canada an edge — for now. — But, but, but: Trump's tariffs are hammering four Canadian sectors: steel, aluminum, autos and lumber. Another could soon be hit: Trump said a new 50 percent tariff on imported copper will take effect Aug. 1. — Where we go from here: Canada is looking for certainty, so it can provide relief for impacted sectors and stability to investors. So far, officials have been dodging questions about further retaliation, but the Liberal government previously promised to match Trump's tariffs on aluminum if they don't reach a deal. — Worth noting: The Globe's NOJOUD AL MALLEES reports that the government collected about C$1.5 billion more in import duties in April and May over the same period last year, a 180 percent increase thanks to countertariffs. — Trump insists: He will negotiate with 'three or four other countries' before Aug. 1. Others will have just his letter. 'Most of the others are going to be a certain tariff and we're going to keep it as low as we can. They're generally smaller countries or countries we don't do much business with, but they've already received, to a large extent, they've received a letter,' Trump said Sunday. → Coming up: Trump said countries that don't get a deal will receive a confirmation letter this week. Commerce Secretary HOWARD LUTNICK said other countries can keep talking to Trump beyond that date. 'I mean, he's always willing to listen. And between now and then, I think the president's going to talk to a lot of people. Whether they can make him happy is another question,' Lutnick said on 'Fox News Sunday.' Negotiators on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border will keep talking. — In related reading from POLITICO: 'Donaldddddd': Foreign leaders schmooze Trump on his personal cell. THREE THINGS WE'RE WATCHING ECONOMIC INDICATORS This week's data could reinforce fears Canada is tipping into recession: — On Wednesday, interest rates: Most bank economists think TIFF MACKLEM will hold the Bank of Canada's policy rate steady at 2.75 percent. Macklem also stood pat in June and April announcements after seven consecutive cuts dating to 2024. 'At this point, there is a bit less than a 50% chance of even one cut priced in for the rest of 2025,' BMO's DOUG PORTER wrote in a lookahead note. In their own note, RBC's CLAIRE FAN and ABBEY XU sized up the impact of stubbornly high core inflation measures, a 'weakening but relatively resilient economic backdrop' and the potential for increased federal spending amid the threat of permanent tariffs. Their conclusion: 'We do not expect the [bank] will cut again in this cycle.' — On Thursday, GDP data: Most bank economists are projecting a slight turn to the negative for month-over-month May numbers. Porter raised the specter of an economy that shrinks in the second quarter of 2025. A decline in consecutive quarters meets the technical definition of recession. (But remember: Q1 GDP grew by 2.2 percent — exceeding expectations.) THE EPSTEIN CRISIS Scandal dominates U.S. newscycles as fallout continues: The president failed to move the news cycle past JEFFREY EPSTEIN last week, and the narrative shows no sign of fading. — In related reading: ANKUSH KHARDORI, a senior writer for POLITICO Magazine and a former federal prosecutor at the Department of Justice, annotates shifts in the Trump administration's rhetoric in response to the scandal. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO GAZA Canada continues to recalibrate its foreign policy: Foreign Affairs Minister ANITA ANAND is in New York today for a United Nations conference on achieving a Palestinian state, The Star reports. Prime Minister MARK CARNEY has called Israel's 'denial of humanitarian aid' in Gaza 'a violation of international law.' The PM has stopped short of following France, which will recognize a Palestinian state in September, the first G7 nation to do so. Trump is also due to meet with British PM KEIR STARMER today to talk about the need for a ceasefire in Gaza. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — PM Carney will make an affordability announcement in Prince County, Prince Edward Island at 9:30 a.m. — Former PM STEPHEN HARPER will deliver a keynote at the Midwestern Legislative Conference annual meeting in Saskatoon at 9:30 a.m. local time. Topic: The importance and future of the Canada-U.S. relationship. PLAYBOOK'S ONE-ON-ONE 'NOT JUST … BLAH BLAH BLAH' — As the PM talks a big game about reducing Canada's dependence on the United States, the European Union's top envoy in Canada insists transatlantic bonds are tightening between Ottawa and Brussels. 'Something is happening now, very concretely, not just political blah blah blah,' GENEVIÈVE TUTS told Playbook in an interview in her office on Friday. — Seriously: Tuts described June's EU-Canada summit as 'not just symbolic,' but a 'crucial' and 'historic' moment for the longtime allies in the face of geopolitical uncertainty and global tariff tension. 'I felt a real commitment to deliver on very concrete topics.' — Once more, with feeling: 'This was not a show,' said Tuts, whose note-taking tic — we all have one — is repeatedly drawing circles around her scribbles. 'This was a strong willingness, and this was sincere.' — More trade, please: Tuts was hawkish on expanding business takeup on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement — Canada's free-trade deal with the EU first applied provisionally in 2017. 'It's good, but we could go from good to great,' she says. The 'main challenge' is making sure businesses that do trade are aware of CETA, Tuts said. She points to a new EU-Canada industrial policy dialogue, as well as nascent negotiations on a digital trade agreement, as opportunities to get the word out. → There's an app for that: Tuts nodded to creative solutions to 'matchmaking' companies on opposite sides of the Atlantic. 'I had a discussion in Brussels with one of my colleagues who was even talking about having an app, a sort of Tinder CETA, to organize this matchmaking process,' Tuts said. — Let's talk: Our colleagues in Europe have reported on formal talks between the European Commission and Canada, as well as Japan, to coordinate responses to Trump tariffs. → Well, d'uh: Tuts described those conversations as a no-brainer. 'This is not surprising that people facing the same challenges, people who are allies and friends, talk to each other,' she told us. 'The relationship between President von der Leyen and Prime Minister Carney is very good. They know each other. They speak the same language. They understand each other. And they talk to each other on a regular basis.' — ICYMI: HBD +2 to Tuts, who celebrated Saturday. MORNING MUST-CLICKS — 'There's no shortage of people in Ottawa trying to think big thoughts. I think if there's a problem it's at the service delivery,' author and scholar DONALD J. SAVOIE tells AMNA AHMAD in a National Post Q&A. — From AARON WHERRY over the weekend: Can Mark Carney move fast and not break things? — The NDP has released the rules for its leadership race. Via DAVID BAXTER of The Canadian Press: 'They're telling candidates they must gather specific numbers of signatures from supporters in diverse regional, racial and LGBTQ+ groups.' — Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President NATAN OBED told the Globe's EMILY HAWS that in the next decade Inuit are looking to build 79 projects, totaling about C$30 billion. — The PM sat with APTN's DENNIS WARD for a one-on-one interview. — In his latest missive, PAUL WELLS observes 'there is a notable droop to the once proudly waving Canadian elbow.' LOBBY WATCH Our daily check-in on federal lobbyist registrations and notable meetings around town: — Westport Fuel Systems, a fuel delivery component supplier, posted a July 24 meeting with PMO policy coordinator JOSHUA SWIFT. The company is advocating for federal programs that 'encourage the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles — specifically vehicles that use natural gas and/or hydrogen as a primary fuel.' PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to MARCO MENDICINO, former Cabmin who served briefly as Carney's chief of staff. Greetings also to Sandstone Group senior associate, longtime Liberal staffer and Playbook trivia regular GEORGE YOUNG. Birthdays, gatherings, social notices for this community: Send them our way. Movers and shakers: NATAN OBED told the Globe he'll be seeking reelection as president at the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami's annual general meeting in September. Alberta MP HEATHER MCPHERSON says she is 'considering' entering the NDP leadership race. 'I've certainly had lots of folks ask me to.' ANDREW WING is now the executive assistant to Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister REBECCA CHARTRAND. Spotted: Retired teacher YOLAINE MUNTER, mother to Canadian Medical Association CEO ALEX MUNTER, scoring a shoutout from GABRIELA DABROWSKI as the Ottawa-born tennis star received a key to the city. 'There's no greater thrill for my mom Yolaine than to celebrate the success of former students,' Munter posted on social media. A visiting teenager, telling Playbook on Friday that he'd dreamed for years of visiting the House of Commons — and, when he finally took a tour, was overwhelmed enough that he nearly fainted on entering the chamber. Noted: AILISH CAMPBELL has wrapped up her time as Canada's EU ambassador. Manitoba Premier WAB KINEW has called a by-election in Spruce Woods for Aug. 26. Elections Canada deregistered the Edmonton Riverbend Green Party Association, effective July 31. Via DARREN MAJOR of CBC News: As of Sunday evening, 209 candidates had registered to run in the Battle River-Crowfoot by-election. BRUCE ANDERSON has returned to 'Good Talk' after stepping away from the pod during the federal election campaign. The Canadian Coast Guard isn't monitoring that Chinese research vessel, but the U.S. Coast Guard did. PROZONE For Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter. In other news for Pro readers: — Commerce triples anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber. — Tesla barred from offering autonomous rides in California. — USDA chief says potentially half of its DC staff may not relocate for reorganization. — EU plan to offshore climate action not grounded in analysis, commission admits. — Whale entanglements decline but still threaten survival. TRIVIA Friday's answer: In 2013, HULK HOGAN arm-wrestled then-Mayor ROB FORD to help promote the Fan Expo convention in Toronto. The other 1980s wrestler who challenged Ford to an arm wrestling match — but never got one — was the IRON SHEIK. (Thanks to DARREN MAJOR for the submission.) Props to PATRICK DION, DAVID GRANOVSKY, RAY DEL BIANCO, JEFFREY VALOIS, BOB GORDON, DARRYL DAMUDE, JOHN PEPPER, DAVE PENNER, AIDEN MUSCOVITCH, ELIZABETH BURN, CAMERON PENNER, MALCOLM MCKAY, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, AXEL RIOUX and ADAM SMITH. Today's question: In celebration of the birthday of CAMILLA, the royal family shared a portrait of the queen consort. What Canadian novel was she deep into reading in the photo? Send your answer to canadaplaybook@ Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
Politico
5 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Deadline vs. deal
Presented by Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Canada Playbook. Happy Friday! In today's edition: → Canada's quiet push to shape Trump's next trade deal. → The U.S. billionaire fighting to save 400 B.C. ostriches. → Pentagon ghosts the Halifax International Security Forum. MORNING MONEY: CAPITAL RISK — POLITICO's flagship financial newsletter has a new Friday edition built for the economic era we're living in: one shaped by political volatility, disruption and a wave of policy decisions with sector-wide consequences. Each week, Morning Money: Capital Risk brings sharp reporting and analysis on how political risk is moving markets and how investors are adapting. Want to know how health care regulation, tariffs or court rulings could ripple through the economy? Start here. Trade war HIGH-PRESSURE SYSTEM — Canada-U.S. Trade Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC says he'll be back in Washington next week as 'complex negotiations' toward a new trade and security deal inch toward that Aug. 1 deadline. LeBlanc had a 'productive, cordial meeting' with U.S. Commerce Secretary HOWARD LUTNICK in D.C. on Wednesday night. — Like the PM: The minister is emphasizing that Canada plans to 'take the time necessary to get the best deal.' — Rinse and repeat: Canada's Ambassador to the U.S., KIRSTEN HILLMAN, told reporters Thursday that negotiations will continue 'until the deal is the right deal.' — Deadline pressure: DONALD TRUMP has set an Aug. 1 deadline for reaching agreements or setting steep new tariffs on more than 100 countries. The president said all the reciprocal tariffs coming Aug. 1 will range from 15 percent to 50 percent, Bloomberg reports. — On Capitol Hill: Trade reporter DANIEL DESROCHERS reports Republican lawmakers are sounding upbeat after back-to-back meetings with U.S. Trade Representative JAMIESON GREER, praising the agreements the administration has notched and projecting optimism that there's more to come. — Not everyone's cheering: Desrochers and CHRIS MARQUETTE report that Trump's 'massive' deal with Japan is giving U.S. automakers heartburn. — Over in Europe: The European Union is eyeing a Japan-style deal that sets a 15 percent U.S. baseline tariff — but is ready to retaliate if no agreement can be reached by the Aug. 1 deadline, POLITICO's KOEN VERHELST, ANTONIA ZIMMERMANN and NETTE NÖSTLINGER report. CONVERSATION STARTER CHECK-IN WITH TRUMP 1.0 — WILBUR ROSS, who served as U.S. Commerce secretary from 2017 to 2021 and was a key figure in the Trump administration's first-term trade agenda, told POLITICO's ARI HAWKINS that his former boss is now acting with even greater brashness to impose an agenda that hammers American adversaries. This exchange stood out from where we sit. Here's Ross in his own words: What do you think is Trump's biggest achievement overall in the trade arena since taking office? 'The biggest achievement is not having a trade war. 'Think about it — Trump has changed the rules of the game. Let's say SCOTT [BESSENT] is right that [the U.S. is drawing in] $300 billion a year. What president has ever extracted [that value] from foreign countries? 'And it's not just directly through trade. 'Look at the deal he made with the NATO countries on Ukraine. Here, we get credit for selling them some of the most advanced weapons in the world — and yet it's not costing us anything. 'The other fascinating thing is that countries are now thrilled to end up paying us a 15 percent tariff. Think about it — when Trump made his first announcement, if he had said, 'We're going to insist on 15 percent from everybody,' the world would have been in an uproar. Now people say, 'Oh, only 15 percent? Thank you very much, Mr. President.'' Pro subscribers can read the interview here. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — PM Carney has no public events on his schedule. TALK OF THE TOWN BIRDS OF A FEATHER — U.S. billionaire and Republican megadonor JOHN CATSIMATIDIS is personally appealing to Prime Minister MARK CARNEY to spare a flock of about 400 British Columbia ostriches from government-ordered slaughter following exposure to avian flu. Catsimatidis, a longtime friend of President DONALD TRUMP, wrote to the PM, asking him to save the ostriches — or else ship them to the United States. He's also reached out to Alberta Premier DANIELLE SMITH, Ontario Premier DOUG FORD and former Prime Minister STEPHEN HARPER. 'I spoke to Donald Trump about it,' Catsimatidis said. 'He knows about it.' — State of play: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has offered to test the ostriches after they survived a bird flu outbreak on a British Columbia farm. And MEHMET OZ, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, has said he'll house the ostriches on his Florida ranch. The challenge to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency cull order is now before the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa. A decision is expected this month. 'Look, we're not here to fight. We think they're iconic animals. We think that there's a benefit to saving their lives,' Catsimatidis told Playbook. 'In America, we all have a heart, and the president even pardons turkey on Thanksgiving Day in the United States. So I just want the prime minister to have a heart and do the right thing,' he added. — Crickets: The Prime Minister's Office has declined a chance to weigh in. In Muskoka, Ontario, earlier this week, the PM said he wasn't going to comment. — No signs of budging: Behind the scenes, Liberal officials cite long-standing policies that call for a cull of birds exposed to avian flu, a health and safety concern in Canada. — Phone a friend: Catsimatidis, a known animal lover, continues to sound the alarm over the issue to top U.S. figures including Dr. Oz and Health and Human Services Secretary ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. — Flock together: Both Smith and Ford said this week in Huntsville that they believe the birds should be saved. 'If we can find a better way than doing mass culls in any situation like this, I think it's probably worth it to try to find a better way to do it,' Smith said. Ford said he's spoken to Catsimatidis many times about the ostriches. 'I'm an animal lover and I wanna do everything I can to help them,' the premier said this week. WHO'S UP, WHO'S DOWN Up: Anger levels in the West Wing. Down: Expectations for Aug. 1. Want more POLITICO? Download our mobile app to save stories, get notifications on U.S.-Canada relations, and more. In iOS or Android . For your radar HALIFAX HIT — The Pentagon has suspended participation in all think tank and research events, POLITICO's JACK DETSCH reported Thursday, citing an email sent to staff. The Pentagon's public affairs office is also reviewing attendance policy at major security conferences — and it explicitly banned attendance at the Halifax International Security Forum, the annual confab in Nova Scotia that gathers senior military brass, Western politicians, academics and journalists. It's unclear why that forum was singled out, Detsch reported. Canada's defense minister typically plays a major role in Halifax, taking bilateral meetings with counterparts and leading onstage discussions. DAVID MCGUINTY's office declined comment Thursday. — Canadian response: The Ottawa-based Canadian Global Affairs Institute convenes conferences on defense and security — with Americans on the agenda. CGAI president DAVID PERRY called a reduced U.S. footprint 'a shame' in such an uncertain geopolitical moment. 'The U.S. remains the lead Western security and defense ally, and particularly as America goes through a significant evolution of its global defense posture, it's more important than ever for the rest of the Western alliance to understand what the Americans are thinking,' Perry told POLITICO. MORNING MUST-CLICKS — OLLIE WILLIAMS of Cabin Radio has a report on Carney's visit to Inuvik. CBC News has more on Carney's meeting with NATAN OBED, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and other Inuit leaders. — The PM is calling for Israel to relinquish control of aid delivery to Gaza. The Globe's STEVE CHASE has the story. — FAKIHA BAIG of The Canadian Press weighs in on the upcoming federal by-election in Battle River-Crowfoot. — POLITICO's CAITLIN OPRYSKO reports that the first six months of Trump's term have produced a cash cow of historic magnitude for the lobbying industry in Washington. — CALDER MCHUGH writes on Trump's 'South Park' problem. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to journo PAUL PARK, senior producer of CBC's 'The House' JENNIFER CHEVALIER, former P.E.I. premier and retired Sen. CATHERINE CALLBECK, former Montreal Mayor DENIS CODERRE, B.C. Cabmin BOWINN MA (40!) and MADISON KUCHAR of McMillan Vantage. Saturday: Hill journo PAUL WELLS, Bloomberg's RANDY THANTHONG-KNIGHT, the Canada West Foundation's GARY MAR, Bluesky's JANICE NICHOLSON, Navigator's COLIN MACDONALD and Maple Leaf Strategies' DIMITRI PANTAZOPOULOS. Sunday: Former Cabmins PETER KENT and BEV ODA, retired Sens. CAROLYN STEWART OLSEN and CLAUDETTE TARDIF, and former MPs COLIN FRASER and SHAWN MURPHY. Also celebrating: JULIE CHAISSON, executive director of the Nova Scotia PC caucus office. Movers and shakers: VIRGINIA MEARNS is Canada's new Arctic ambassador. Mearns was formerly senior director of Inuit relations at the Qikiqtani Inuit Association. Send Playbookers tips to canadaplaybook@ LOBBY WATCH — Troilus Gold Corporation logged recent meetings with Prime Minister MARK CARNEY, Energy Minister TIM HODGSON, Environment Minister JULIE DABRUSIN, Industry Minister MÉLANIE JOLY, Finance Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE, Quebec Lieutenant STEVEN GUILBEAULT and Canada-U.S. Trade Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC. — Mattamy Homes posted a June 27 meeting with Housing Minister GREGOR ROBERTSON and senior staff from his office; Deputy Minister PAUL HALUCHA; and KYLE FOX, deputy policy director to Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne. — McKesson Canada, a network of pharmacies that includes Guardian, I.D.A. and The Medicine Shoppe brands, posted a July 17 meeting with ANIE PERRAULT, acting chair of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. Earlier this month, The Globe and Mail reported on the federal regulator's new guidelines for monitoring drug prices. — Calian Group logged a July 23 meeting with Lt.-Gen. MICHAEL WRIGHT, commander of the Canadian Army. Top priority: 'Canada's plans to increase defence spending, and supporting defence / national security capability development.' PROZONE For Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter. From Pro trade reporter DOUG PALMER: As Trump raises tariffs, companies find ways to cheat — and risk getting caught. In other Pro headlines: — UN court declares countries must tackle climate change. — White House gives Chevron green light to resume oil production in Venezuela. — What clean energy bosses say about Trump's attacks on renewables. — Trump's AI plan meets a stressed American electric grid. — With US out of picture, EU tries to fill the climate void with China. — Trump's minerals adviser moves to inner White House circle. TRIVIA Thursday's answer: On July 24, 1984, then-federal party leaders JOHN TURNER, BRIAN MULRONEY and ED BROADBENT met in the first televised election debate held solely in French. Props to JOHN MERRIMAN, JOHN PEPPER, SHAUGHN MCARTHUR, ELIZABETH BURN, JOANNA PLATER, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, ANDREW SZENDE. Friday's question (via reader DARREN MAJOR): In 2013, HULK HOGAN arm-wrestled then-Mayor ROB FORD to help promote the Fan Expo convention in Toronto. What other 1980s wrestler challenged Ford to an arm wrestling match — but never got one? Think you know your 1980s wrestlers? Hit us back: canadaplaybook@
Politico
7 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Not-so-great expectations
Presented by Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Canada Playbook. In today's edition: → Canada-U.S. Trade Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC heads back to D.C. → The future implications of public service cuts. → Canada keeps watch on a Chinese research vessel. Trade war HUNTSVILLE LEVEL SET — Negotiating with DONALD TRUMP is proving harder than it looks, no matter how many Canadian lawmakers have read 'The Art of the Deal.' — Tuesday morning: Premiers met with Prime Minister MARK CARNEY, eager for signs of progress. — Tuesday afternoon: The leaders emerged from the update resigned that a deal may not arrive by the end of the month. Trump has said that on Aug. 1, he plans to raise tariffs on Canadian imports to 35 percent. Whether they will apply to goods that do not comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement remains to be seen. 'Of course we would like to have the ideal deal, as fast as possible. But what can we get?' Quebec Premier FRANÇOIS LEGAULT said after the meeting. 'You almost need to ask Donald Trump and I'm not even sure he knows himself what he wants.' — The expectation manager: Carney, who ran for office on his economic bona fides, said he wants the best deal for Canada — and won't settle for an agreement 'at any cost.' 'They're complex negotiations, and we'll use all the time that's necessary,' he added. — Put another way: Toronto Star columnist MARTIN REGG COHN writes from Huntsville: 'When in doubt, manage expectations. Manage the premiers. Manage the media. Manage the country.' — Can't stop, won't stop: A team of Canadian negotiators is headed to Washington today, including Canada-U.S. Trade Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC and Carney's chief of staff, MARC-ANDRÉ BLANCHARD. — Hurry up and wait: 'We want a good deal, not a fast deal. And we don't want to make a fast deal at the expense of a good deal. That's the realization we've come to,' New Brunswick Premier SUSAN HOLT said after the briefing with the PM. — Regardless: If Team Canada appeared united, the night before probably helped. — All steak, no sizzle: Ontario Premier DOUG FORD hosted a barbecue at his Muskoka cottage on Monday night, where the group chowed down on steak, chicken and seasonal vegetables, and enjoyed plenty of libations. Premiers quipped that it was nice to mingle without cameras rolling and the media nearby. Ford organized a birthday cake for British Columbia Premier DAVID EBY, who turned 49 on Monday. — Extra room: The prime minister slept at Ford's cottage, in a guest house. The two stayed up until 12:30 a.m., chatting in front of the fireplace and 'solving all the world's problems,' Ford said. 'The prime minister is the most humble person you'd ever want to meet,' he added. — Skipping town: The PM did not stick around for a Tuesday night gala hosted by Ford, who will pass the Council of the Federation chair role to Prince Edward Island Premier ROB LANTZ. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — The PM will visit his birthplace: Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. He's touring the community alongside Premier R.J. SIMPSON. The PM will meet with families to discuss affordability challenges and talk to Indigenous leaders about wildfires. In the evening, he'll travel to Inuvik to meet with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President NATAN OBED and Inuvialuit Regional Corporation CEO DUANE NINGAQSIQ SMITH. — It's the final day of the premiers' confab. CP's LIAM CASEY reports internal trade, public safety and health care on the agenda. — The sentencing hearing for 'Freedom Convoy' leaders TAMARA LICH and CHRIS BARBER begins this morning. Want more POLITICO? Download our mobile app to save stories, get notifications on U.S.-Canada relations, and more. In iOS or Android . For your radar CUTS BOTH WAYS — As virtually every cross-border conversation these days seems to hinge on Canada-U.S. negotiations, CHRISTOPHER SANDS worries about the bureaucrats who keep the broader relationship ticking. Job cuts are a reality in Washington as Canadian public servants get anxious about the impact of planned spending reductions. Sands, director of the Hopkins Center for Canadian Studies, gamed out all the uncertainty in a Substack post. He let Playbook in on why he wrote it: 'To try to alert people about the danger. … No one has been talking about the future implications.' — Anybody there? Canadians who need answers on shared priorities already compete with other countries for Americans' time, Sands writes. — Prepare for longer lines: 'Shrinking the federal workforce risks triggering a chain reaction of triage across all levels of government, keeping Canada waiting on hold.' — Meeting strategy: Americans are already outnumbered at bilateral meetings by Canadians who sometimes represent multiple departments from two levels of government. Sands wrote that the Americans in the room are 'tempted to 'play the clock' in meetings. Everyone speaks until time runs out and before anyone can assign homework or ask for a decision. That strategy results in more meetings — and more friction.' He tells Playbook: 'I don't think many Canadian officials appreciate the U.S. tactics of stalling by letting the Canadians talk.' — Warning sign: Canadians, too, can delay progress by using meetings to settle internal squabbles. Sands wrote: 'Some future U.S. officials may conclude 'the juice isn't worth the squeeze' — that working with Canada costs more effort than it's worth.' We asked Sands if Canadians understand the risk of time-crunched Americans prioritizing other files. 'Occasionally, you get someone to nervously acknowledge the point, but then there is always a less frightening explanation they will adopt,' he tells us. — The pessimistic scenario: 'The U.S.-Canada relationship could easily devolve into a series of awkward first encounters with new staff, no historical perspective, inadequate institutional support from within government and too little outside the government from universities and think tanks,' Sands wrote. Unless it doesn't: 'There's still time to act. To build capacity. To preserve knowledge. To invest in people and institutions who understand the relationship and can carry it forward.' For your radar KEEPING AN EYE OUT — As we noted for Pros yesterday, and CBC's Murray Brewster reported, a Canadian military aircraft has been monitoring a Chinese research vessel operating in Arctic waters outside Canadian territorial waters. The Canadian Armed Forces confirmed to POLITICO on Monday that a CP-140 maritime patrol aircraft recently dispatched to Anchorage, Alaska, has kept an eye on the polar icebreaker known as Xue Long 2. — Why send a plane? 'Competitors are exploring Arctic waters and the seafloor, probing our infrastructure, and collecting intelligence using dual-purpose research vessels and surveillance platforms,' the DND statement read. — Duration of operations: The Canadian military 'will continue to actively monitor the Xue Long 2 so long as it continues to operate near Canadian territorial waters.' — Eyes on the trackers: STEFFAN WATKINS, an Ottawa-based research consultant who tracks the movements of military aircraft and vessels, published the Chinese ship's whereabouts in a weekly report — and noted the CP-140's flights out of Anchorage. — Two years running: When Xue Long 2 sailed a similar path last year through the Bering Strait and into Arctic waters, the Royal Canadian Navy sent a frigate to shadow the Chinese vessel. A CP-140 conducted similar patrols at the time, Brewster and others reported. MORNING MUST-CLICKS — Industry Minister MÉLANIE JOLY told The Globe and Mail the government is in active discussions with automakers about EV sales mandates. — In the Financial Post, GABRIEL FRIEDMAN reports: Tariffs are costing automakers billions. — In The New Yorker, ANTONIA HITCHENS profiles Trump's tariff dealmaker-in-chief. — SARA CONNORS of APTN speaks with Indigenous groups and conservationists about the green light for oil and gas drilling within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. — PAUL WELLS challenges PIERRE POILIEVRE's musings on X. — From POLITICO's PAUL DALLISON: The political wisdom of OZZY OSBOURNE. PROZONE The latest Pro Canada PM subscriber newsletter via SUE ALLAN and NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY: Carney's team heads back to DC. From PHELIM KINE, ELI STOKOLS and DANIEL DESROCHERS: Trump's threat of Russia-related secondary tariffs sparks skepticism. Our latest headlines for POLITICO Pro readers: — OpenAI CEO warns of 'impending fraud crisis.' — Trump has set off a lobbying boom in Washington. — Trump announces trade deal with Japan. — France wants EU to punch back harder at Trump in tariff fight. — Bessent: Next round of trade talks with China happening next week. LOBBY WATCH — NATIONAL's MARTIN DARAICHE logged a July 11 meeting with PMO chief of staff MARC-ANDRÉ BLANCHARD on behalf of Marinvest Energy Canada, the subsidiary of a Norwegian company that wants to build an LNG export facility in Baie-Comeau, Quebec. — McMillan Vantage's JEFF RUTLEDGE posted a July 17 meeting with PMO senior policy adviser SHAWN GROVER on behalf of Glencore Canada. The company owns Elk Valley Resources, a steel-making coal mine operator in British Columbia. — Navigator's MATT TRIEMSTRA is now repping the Treaty Land Entitlement Committee of Manitoba, a group of First Nations negotiating a settlement with Ottawa. — La-Z-Boy of Ottawa, Kingston and Gatineau wants to secure tariff relief for furniture imports — and is now repped on the Hill by consultant ALAIN PILON. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to Le Journal de Montréal columnist RICHARD MARTINEAU and former Progressive Conservative MP DAVID DAUBNEY. Movers and shakers: Former NDP MP BRIAN MASSE is now an employment services specialist at the Multicultural Council of Windsor-Essex — the agency where he was youth coordinator before winning his first election in 2002. LAURA LUMSDEN, former director of Canada-U.S. coordination at Global Affairs Canada, is now counselor of political affairs at Canada's UN mission. Media mentions: Global News Ottawa bureau chief MERCEDES STEPHENSON announced some personal news: 'I'm expecting my first baby in a few weeks and will be taking some time off for parental leave to focus on this very special assignment.' DAVID AKIN will sub in as acting bureau chief. Noted: The PM told the premiers that Ottawa's 'Federal Major Projects Office' and the Indigenous Advisory Council will open by Labor Day. Republicans want to rename Kennedy Center's opera house after MELANIA TRUMP. TRIVIA Tuesday's answer: Former Prime Minister MACKENZIE KING died July 22, 1950. Props to GANGA WIGNARAJAH, J.D.M. STEWART, BOB GORDON, DARRYL DAMUDE, MALCOLM MCKAY, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, DARREN MCEWAN, JENN KEAY, GREG FERGUS, GREG MACEACHERN, ELIZABETH BURN, DAN MCCARTHY, JEFFREY VALOIS, SHAUGHN MCCARTHUR, DARREN MAJOR, RAY DEL BIANCO, JOHN PEPPER, MARCEL MARCOTTE and KATIE FEENAN. Wednesday's question: In 'Value(s)', MARK CARNEY credits which global tech giant with advising him how to make decisions? Answers to canadaplaybook@ Writing tomorrow's Playbook: MICKEY DJURIC and NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY. Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
Politico
22-07-2025
- Business
- Politico
Huntsville hunker-down
Presented by Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Welcome to Canada Playbook. In today's edition: → The PM and the premiers get to work in cottage country. → After an Ottawa field trip, four U.S. senators hint at progress on stubborn trade irritants. → Why Canada scrapped a decades-old ballistic missile defense policy. DRIVING THE DAY LAST-RESORT TOWN — Canada's premiers fully back Prime Minister MARK CARNEY's push to hammer out an economic and security agreement with President DONALD TRUMP by Aug. 1 — even if they're unclear on the details. When the premiers sit down with the PM this morning — at a resort in the heart of cottage country north of Toronto — they'll enter the room with little idea of what shape the deal might take. In between meetings on Monday, there was speculation about whether the prime minister would actually bring anything substantial to today's gathering. Would he drop news or catch premiers up on other shared priorities, like nation-building projects? The 'emergency meeting' came at the prodding of Ontario Premier DOUG FORD, after Trump said Canada would face 35 percent tariffs starting next month. — Define deal: Ford, who is also the chair of the premiers' group known as the Council of the Federation, would only say Canada is working toward 'a fair trade deal.' Whether that's an MOU — no one could say. What level of tariffs are likely to remain — no one could say. What industries could be spared — no one could say. 'That might be a good question for Wednesday after we've had some time with the prime minister on some of the changes that have been happening,' Saskatchewan Premier SCOTT MOE told reporters Monday. 'And there's a lot of changes that happened pretty rapidly.' Alberta Premier DANIELLE SMITH says she's also looking for details. — Today in Huntsville: Today's closed-door talks set the stage for a pivotal meeting as Carney faces pressure to clarify the scope of negotiations, protect key industries, and offer premiers a clearer picture of what's coming before the Aug. 1 deadline. They'll also discuss a possible First Ministers Meeting alongside Assembly of First Nations Chief CINDY WOODHOUSE NEPINAK. — Filling in the blanks: As the Aug. 1 deadline looms, the premiers want clarity from the PM on the state of negotiations. They already have a wish list. — How low can you go: Premiers Moe and Smith acknowledge some level of tariffs will remain on Canadian goods — as the PM flagged last week — but they want them lowered. 'We won't get to zero on every topic,' Moe told reporters as he arrived in Muskoka. 'The goal is to get as close as possible to zero.' — Don't touch: Quebec Premier FRANÇOIS LEGAULT wants the PM to keep his hands off dairy quotas and maintain Canada's cultural exemptions under USMCA. And whatever new deal is struck has to remain in effect for three to five years, he said.'We need to have an economy where companies know what's happening in six months, 12 months from now,' Legault said. — Amuse-bouche: Arriving by motorcade on a humidity-free, sunny day, the premiers appeared relaxed as they assembled for their 'family photo' in front of a backdrop of OPP officers. British Columbia Premier DAVID EBY, who was in the motorcade, missed the family photo because one of his kids needed a bathroom break. Carney arrived in Huntsville Monday evening, just in time to attend a barbecue dinner with the premiers at Ford's cottage on Fawn Lake, about a 30-minute drive north. Earlier in the day, locals got a kick out of seeing the premiers together, commenting that it was a refreshing change to see them get along under Carney. Others walked to the resort from their nearby condos to take photos of the hubbub. — Buzz about town: The community hasn't seen this much security since then-U.S. President BARACK OBAMA visited during the G8 Summit in 2010. Trade war 10 DAYS LEFT — Four U.S. senators strolled into West Block yesterday 'Abbey Road'-style, where Prime Minister MARK CARNEY met them for about 45 minutes. The peacemakers from Washington landed in town a week and change before a high-stakes Aug. 1 deadline to cut a new cross-border trade and security deal. The senators asked for the meetup, Sen. RON WYDEN (D-Ore.) later confirmed to POLITICO's DANIEL DESROCHERS in Washington. Everybody in the room knew the stakes of prolonged uncertainty as tariffs work their way into the economy — and eventually consumers' wallets. — Senate tally: This was the second congressional delegation to visit Carney in the past three months. He's now welcomed nearly 10 percent of the U.S. Senate this year — five senators in May, four more on Monday. — In the room: Sens. Wyden, LISA MURKOWSKI (R-Alaska), MAGGIE HASSAN (D-N.H.) and CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO (D-Nev.). On the Canadian side: Carney chief of staff MARC-ANDRÉ BLANCHARD, deputy chief of staff BRAEDEN CALEY, policy director TIM KRUPA and top Washington envoy KIRSTEN HILLMAN. — On the agenda: USMCA, softwood lumber, digital services taxes and metals tariffs — and, of course, that looming trade deadline. — Also on the docket: The Americans met Foreign Minister ANITA ANAND, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC, Industry Minister MÉLANIE JOLY and Finance Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE. — Unofficial titles: 'We are bridge builders, not people who throw wrenches,' Wyden told reporters in a West Block scrum. → On USMCA: 'This is something that we've had a considerable amount of success with since it was written during the Trump administration, and we ought to strengthen it,' Wyden said. 'We ought to build it, not get rid of it.' → On DST: 'I asked that Canada move as quickly as possible to get a law passed in Parliament making sure that it's gone permanently,' Wyden said. 'The prime minister was receptive to that. He said he would get on it in the fall.' → On softwood: 'We now have a clear idea of how to proceed, and that's to build around some sort of quota arrangement, and the prime minister said he was open to that,' Wyden said. (Last week, Carney entertained the idea of export quotas that limit Canadian lumber entering the U.S. market.) → On tourism: 'We know that the instability in our relationship right now has meant that some Canadians have decided to stay away from their favorite American tourist spots, and we hope you will come back,' Hassan said. 'And it's not just that we miss your business, which, of course, every good businessperson does, but we miss your friendship.' → On the '51st' state: 'It has been made very, very clear that most view that as nothing more than a positioning statement, if you will, something to maybe agitate,' Murkowski said of DONALD TRUMP's assertions that Canadians would be better off as Americans. — Deadlines real and imagined: On Monday, Treasury Secretary SCOTT BESSENT downplayed the Trump administration's hopes for newly inked trade deals by Aug. 1. 'We are more concerned with high quality deals than getting these deals done by August 1st,' Bessent told CNBC. 'Our trading partners were told that the rates could boomerang back toward the April 2nd levels. We can continue talking then. But again, we're proceeding apace with the negotiations, but we're not going to rush for the sake of doing deals.' For your radar SKY'S THE LIMIT — As Playbook noted last week, Defense Minister DAVID MCGUINTY quietly reversed what he is calling an 'outdated' policy on ballistic missile defense that dates to the PAUL MARTIN era. Last week, McGuinty announced via press release that Ottawa had 'removed all restrictions on air and missile defence of Canada.' — Care to elaborate? Playbook asked the minister's office to explain the rationale for the change, which had gained momentum in recent years. (In May, Prime Minister MARK CARNEY also nodded to potentially joining Trump's 'Golden Dome' missile shield project, though the government hasn't yet committed definitively.) Here's what McGuinty's office said in a statement about participating fully in ballistic missile defense: 'The threat environment has drastically changed and Canada needs to be prepared. As the prime minister mentioned, Canada has already taken clear steps to increase our capabilities by investing in the Over the Horizon radar system. By removing outdated restrictions on our air and missile defence policies, Canada is taking another necessary step to strengthen the safety and security of Canadians, and the sovereignty of Canada.' — In case you missed it: Gen. MICHAEL GUETLEIN, No. 2 officer with the United States Space Force, has been confirmed to lead the 'Golden Dome' project. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — Prime Minister MARK CARNEY meets Canada's premiers in Huntsville, Ontario. — Environment Minister JULIE DABRUSIN headlines a party fundraiser at Parker Rooftop in Vancouver. — Members of the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group — including Sen. MARTY DEACON — are attending the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region Annual Summit. Want more POLITICO? Download our mobile app to save stories, get notifications on U.S.-Canada relations, and more. In iOS or Android . MORNING MUST-CLICKS — The Globe reports: Canada, 24 other nations urge Israel to end war in Gaza, condemn 'drip feeding of aid.' — The B.C. premier's office shared a recording with The Canadian Press featuring U.S. Ambassador PETE HOEKSTRA at the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region Foundation summit. The resulting headline: 'Trump thinks Canadians are 'nasty' to deal with for avoiding U.S. travel, banning booze, ambassador says.' — From AARON WHERRY of CBC News: Are first ministers' meetings cool again? — Conservative MP SCOTT AITCHISON's conversation with DAVID HERLE is a thoughtful listen on Canada's housing crisis. — From ARNO KOPECKY in the National Observer: 'Carney strides into Northern Gateway minefield.' — REBECCA DZOMBAK of the NYT reports that climate change is making fire weather worse for the world's forests. — From our colleagues in D.C.: Frustration and fear ripple through NPR and PBS affiliates after Congress approves clawbacks. PROZONE Our latest policy newsletter for Pro subscribers: Trump tests Canada's steel industry. The latest headlines for our paid subscribers: — US senators visit Canada to build bridges as trade deadline looms. — For sale or lease: NASA satellites, slightly used. — UN court to rule on countries' duty to curb climate change. — Miners enlist Trump-connected K Street muscle. — France wants EU to punch back harder at Trump in tariff fight. LOBBY WATCH — Crestview's ASHTON ARSENAULT yesterday posted a meeting with Conservative MP and civil liberties caucus lead MARILYN GLADU on behalf of Rumble Canada. Top priority: 'Broadcasting policy, including the governing of online content.' — H+K's ELIZABETH SEIP registered for Indeed Canada, which wants conversations with federal officials about how the company 'can work with departments to better attract and retain the workforce and skills needed to support public service delivery and the overall hiring process.' PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to former Green MP (and new dad) MIKE MORRICE and SHAE MCGLYNN, head of eBay government relations in Canada. Noted: GERRY BYRNE, a former MP who pursued provincial politics in 2015, has announced that he will not seek reelection in the 2025 Newfoundland and Labrador general election. After a three-decade career and 10 consecutive elections — seven federal and three provincial — he plans to retire. Movers and shakers: VIDA EBADI, formerly a regional adviser at the Prime Minister's Office, is now director of policy and government relations at Clear Strategy … ELLEN KUSCHNIK joined the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association as public affairs and policy manager. Kuschnik has worked for federal ministers and MPs since 2015. PIERCE COLLIER is now director of parliamentary affairs and issues management, and senior adviser, to Housing Minister GREGOR ROBERTSON. ELAN HARPER is moving on from the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, where she led policy on files including finance, tax, energy, environment, competition and innovation. Harper started a new job as director of Canadian business tax at Andersen in Canada … Former MP KEVIN VUONG is now a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. Vuong lists expertise in health policy, NATO and Indigenous rights. MARISSA NICOLE FORTUNE recently left the Privy Council Office's foreign and defense policy secretariat for a new role at Global Affairs Canada's United Nations division as a senior policy adviser … JOHN MACGREGOR is on his way out as head of mission at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Centre in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Media mentions: The Line announced Calgary-based broadcaster and columnist ROB BREAKENRIDGE as host of 'The Line: Alberta' podcast. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way. TRIVIA Monday's answer: The head of Statistics Canada, MUNIR SHEIKH, resigned July 21, 2010, over the federal government's decision to scrap the mandatory long-form census. Props to JOHN PEPPER, MALCOLM MCKAY, PATRICIA-ANNE CÔTÉ, ELIZABETH BURN, PATRICK JUNEAU, BOB GORDON, PATRICK DION, ROBERT MCDOUGALL and JOHN ECKER. Today's question: 'The government of our country has lost its wisest counselor and the people of Canada their greatest public servant.' Who died on this date in history? Answers to canadaplaybook@ Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
