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Politico
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Readout royale
Presented by The Canadian Medical Association Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Canada Playbook. In today's edition: → How the most Canadian part of the U.S. is responding to Trump's trade war. → Just in time for the G7, BRIAN CLOW on the art of the 'readout.' → On the agenda in Kananaskis: wildfires. FIRST IN CANADA PLAYBOOK 'IT COULD GET UGLY' — Few swaths of Trump Country are more at risk from the U.S. president's belligerent isolationism than Minnesota's Northwest Angle, a conservative community surrounded by Canada and water that's only part of the United States due to an 18th century surveying error. POLITICO's CORBIN HIAR paid a visit to the 150-person U.S. exclave to find out how it's dealing with Trump's 51st-state musings and punishing tariffs, as border crossings get ever more hostile. As Hiar reports for POLITICO Magazine, if the president further provokes his Canadian hosts at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, few places in the U.S. are more at risk from the potential diplomatic fallout than the inherently isolated Northwest Angle. Trade war READOUTS 101 — Prepare for an onslaught of high-stakes world leader bilats in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies — and the carefully crafted summaries that offer each side's take on the one-on-one conversations. BRIAN CLOW, a former top Canada-U.S. adviser to then-Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU, considers them an art form. Go-to senior public servants pride themselves on their artistry, Clow said, as they send their drafts to political aides for review. Most of the time, readouts — as they're known in the jargon — aren't labor intensive and don't draw much attention. Some of the time, they require more TLC. — The obvious exception: The Trump White House. Clow said the Prime Minister's Office spent a lot of time in the drafting process. 'Sometimes we would wait to see exactly how the White House described a conversation before we would issue ours, just to ensure there was some alignment,' he said. — The process: In Clow's time, most drafts emerged from the Privy Council Office's foreign and defense policy team. The PMO would either tinker or do a massive rewrite. In the raucous early days of Trump 2.0, Clow sometimes held the pen himself. On Feb. 3, when Trudeau used X to announce a mutual 30-day tariff pause, Clow and a small crew wrote the post 'very quickly' after the two leaders hung up — and then ran it by Trump comms director STEVEN CHEUNG. 'It's not the norm, but sometimes you do work with the other country, or at least check language with them if you're going to speak for them in your readout,' he said. — Who's watching: Journalists mine readouts for details. Diplomats scan them for tone. Stakeholders pore over them for any mention, whether positive or negative. Then there's the other country. 'You don't want to offend them. You don't want to cause some issue or cause them to disagree with your readout,' Clow said. 'But it's also an opportunity to emphasize certain messages to the other country.' — Bland alert: Clow acknowledged the vagueness of many readouts, but stands by the opacity: 'There are times where it's just not in the national interest to put out in our own communication some of the things that are said, particularly from Donald Trump.' Exhibit A: That time Trump brought up an obscure 1908 border treaty. 'We didn't want to amplify nonsensical, absurd threats from the U.S. president,' Clow said. — Word to watch for: Constructive. Every word is intentional. 'We would put that word in only if the call was constructive and the tone was positive,' Clow said. 'Often phone calls with Donald Trump were not constructive, and therefore we would not say that.' — Speed dating, Kananaskis-style: A government official briefing Canadian reporters Thursday had high hopes for Carney's dance card. 'Scheduling will be challenging, but the intent will be for the prime minister to meet with as many of the leaders as possible, and we certainly hope all of them,' the official said. Watch for potential readouts following bilats with Trump and the rest of the G7 leaders, Mexican President CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, South African President CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, Indian Prime Minister NARENDRA MODI, Ukrainian President and VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY — and U.K. Prime Minister KEIR STARMER, who's stopping in Ottawa ahead of the summit. — In related reading: A Globe team examines the global challenges weighing on the G7 agenda. 'This year's summit will draw together leaders as a group. But the greatest priority for most of those leaders is one man alone.' Want more POLITICO? Download our mobile app to save stories, get notifications on U.S.-Canada relations, and more. In iOS or Android . THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — At 2 p.m., Prime Minister MARK CARNEY will chair a meeting of the National Security Council in West Block. — U.K. Prime Minister KEIR STARMER will meet the PM in Ottawa on Saturday, en route to their first G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis. For your radar FIRE WEATHER — Canada is battling one of the worst wildfire seasons in its history. More than 200 wildfires are currently burning, including in Alberta where world leaders will touch down on Sunday. And while skies over Kananaskis are expected to be clear of smoke, the fires are on the G7's agenda. — Taking the reins: Prime Minister MARK CARNEY will present G7 leaders with a 'Kananaskis Wildfire Charter' dealing with fire mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. All G7 partners, including the U.S., are expected to pledge their support. 'Given that wildfires are a global responsibility, given that they affect the other G7 nations equally, it's sensible for us to work with them and in coordination with them to develop an international agreement with respect to how wildfires are dealt with,' Emergency Management Minister ELEANOR OLSZEWSKI told reporters Thursday. — You've got a friend: The G7 nations already share firefighting equipment and other resources. In January, firefighters from Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec helped as wildfires tore through the Los Angeles area. — How bad can it be?: Approximately 8.65 million acres has burned this year. Canada is on track for its second-worst wildfire season on record, just behind 2023. Firefighters and equipment in every jurisdiction in Canada is currently being used, a Public Safety official said during a briefing with reporters on Thursday. Canada has enlisted the help of some 500 firefighters from Australia, the U.S. and requested another 100 from Costa Rica. — Evacuation plan: There are no fires near the summit venue, but CP reports that RCMP have a plan in case Mother Nature crashes their party. WHO'S UP, WHO'S DOWN Up: Invites to Alberta. Leaders from Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine are heading to the G7 as guests. DYLAN ROBERTSON of The Canadian Press took a closer look at the invite list. Down: The U.S. in a new global popularity survey that includes a 22 percentage-point slide in Canada from last year, according to the Pew Research Center. MORNING MUST-CLICKS — Top of POLITICO: Israel launches strike against Iran. And from POLITICO's ELENA GIORDANO: World leaders urge restraint. — Defense Minister DAVID MCGUINTY is on the latest 'It's Political' pod with ALTHIA RAJ. — ERICA IFILL writes in The Guardian on Bill C-2: 'a MAGA-inspired border bill.' — The Globe editorial board slapped an advisory on Bill C-4: 'The government tried to pull a fast one by sticking a set of bespoke privacy protection rules for federal parties at the bottom of a bill dealing with the cost of living.' — The Narwhal's CARL MEYER notes that Bill C-5 and other laws to fast-track development risk eroding trust of First Nations. — Liberal MP JUDY SGRO spoke with the Globe's MARIE WOOLF after her drive to gain jailed Hong Kong publisher JIMMY LAI honorary Canadian citizenship 'went off the rails.' — JIM BRONSKILL of The Canadian Press landed an interview with Canada's fentanyl czar, KEVIN BROSSEAU. — Over on Maclean's, KENT FELLOWS of the University of Calgary suggests 'modernizing ports, fixing key choke points and planning future corridors with intent' are achievable goals for the short term on the way to fixing Canada's transportation infrastructure. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to JEAN-YVES DUCLOS (60!); Investigative Journalism Foundation CEO ZANE SCHWARTZ; TONY BURMAN, former head of Al Jazeera English and CBC News; as well as former Bloc Québécois MP JEAN-YVES LAFOREST and former Alberta MLA ROB ANDERSON. Celebrating Saturday: Podcaster and strategist DAVID HERLE; Montreal Mayor VALÉRIE PLANTE; former Ontario MPP JOHN YAKABUSKI; New Brunswick MLA FRANCINE LANDRY; former MPs HOANG MAI, DOUG ROWLAND (85!) and MARK ASSAD (85!). On Sunday: Liberal MP NATE ERSKINE-SMITH. Spotted: KING CHARLES III, approving a new Great Seal of Canada. Noted: Jobs Minister PATTY HAJDU has approved Canada Post's request that its final offer on a new collective agreement go to a vote of union members. The company applauded the move. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers very much did not: 'We will not stand by as the Government and Canada Post work together to try to undermine our hard-fought rights, gut our collective agreements and re-write them on their own terms. Postal workers know how to fight back. We've done it before, and we're ready to do it again. Movers and shakers: Sen. LARRY SMITH joins the Senate Conservative caucus. Lobby watch: Energy Connections Canada, an association of pipeline companies, logged a May 5 meeting with Prime Minister MARK CARNEY. — The Canadian Steel Producers Association posted June meetings with Cabmins FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE, DOMINIC LEBLANC, MÉLANIE JOLY, ANITA ANAND, Ambo KIRSTEN HILLMAN, Chief Trade Negotiator AARON FOWLER and Conservative MPs SHELBY KRAMP-NEUMAN and RAQUEL DANCHO. — The Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium posted May 21 meetings with Cabmins Champagne, Joly, Anand, LeBlanc, MANINDER SIDHU, CHRYSTIA FREELAND, JULIE DABRUSIN, SEAN FRASER, GREGOR ROBERTSON and TIM HODGSON. — J.D. Irving logged recent meetings with Hillman, Fowler, Secretary of State for Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions WAYNE LONG and TIM KRUPA from the Prime Minister's Office. Send Playbookers tips to canadaplaybook@ PROZONE Headlines for our Pro subscribers: — GM slow-rolls its all-EV aspirations. — World Bank moves to invest in nuclear again. — Pentagon to review US role in AUKUS submarine pact. — Democratic strategist to become Coinbase's newest adviser. — US to skip Bonn climate talks as world charts path to COP30. TRIVIA Thursday's answer: On June 12, 1991, BORIS YELTSIN was elected as the first president of the Russian Federation. Props to AMY CASTLE, JEFFREY VALOIS, KEVIN BOSCH, RAY DEL BIANCO, NATHAN RUTHERFORD, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, MALCOLM MCKAY, MARCEL MARCOTTE and STEPHEN HAAS. Friday's question: What do LARRY BAGNELL, AUDREY MCLAUGHLIN, ERIK NIELSEN, MARTHA LOUISE BLACK and PAT DUNCAN have in common? For bonus marks, connect your answer to this date in history. Answer to canadaplaybook@ Writing Monday's Playbook from the G7 in Alberta: NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY
Politico
a day ago
- Business
- Politico
The PM finds his fixer
Presented by The Canadian Medical Association Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Canada Playbook. Let's get into it. → Ottawa Inc. lands a top executive. → Trump's man in Ottawa dodges and deflects. → 'Canada's BERNIE SANDERS' rules out a comeback. THE FIRST THING THE CAT CAME BACK — Welcome back to the fishbowl, MICHAEL SABIA. Prime Minister MARK CARNEY announced Sabia, a repeat former senior bureaucrat and longtime corporate executive, would start on July 7 as clerk of the Privy Council — a key adviser who oversees the sprawling federal bureaucracy. Sabia replaces JOHN HANNAFORD, whose expertise through the transition between JUSTIN TRUDEAU and Carney has been 'invaluable,' the PM said in the statement. Hannaford will be named a privy councilor for his decades of public service. — Saying the right things: Sabia's name was floating around office pools. His remarks at this week's Globe's Intersect 2025 conference weren't exactly a tell — but they would've landed well in the Prime Minister's Office. 'We have an ambition deficit,' the soon-to-be-former CEO of Hydro-Québec said of Canada. The former Finance DM sang from Carney's time-to-build songbook, emphasizing the importance of hard-earned Indigenous buy-in for business deals. 'There is no substitute when working on these transactions for human presence,' he said. 'Human presence leads to trust. And we don't have a lot of that right now.' → Sounds familiar: We sense a theme emerging in the PM's inner circle of advisers, where a track record of speaking Carney's language in these uncertain times is a major asset. Recall the words of MARC-ANDRÉ BLANCHARD (currently incoming PMO chief of staff) at the Public Policy Forum's April gala. 'There is no shortcut to trust,' he told a Toronto crowd. 'There is only the steady, honest, often uncelebrated, work of listening, of engaging with people who disagree with us, not thinking we know better, of standing in someone else's shoes, of doing the right thing and the right thing is often not theoretical perfection, but a good old Canadian compromise, even when it's hard.' — Crisitunity: When Sabia led the U of T's Munk School in the pandemic's earliest days, he wrote this of the way out of the crisis: 'Governments will need to lead on this. Leaving it to chance will only make the reignition process longer, more difficult and more haphazard. What's more, we would forfeit a precious opportunity to shape our future economy. Remember Rahm Emanuel's famous: 'You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.'' — From the archives: PAUL WELLS on the enterprising Mr. Sabia (2023) Trade war CAN'T CONFIRM, WON'T DENY — Nothing like the whiff of breaking news to inject steak-like sizzle into a rubber-chicken lunch. U.S. Ambassador PETE HOEKSTRA was taking the stage Wednesday at the Canadian Club of Ottawa when CBC — and then CTV — reported 'progress' and document-shuffling in talks toward a new Canada-U.S. economic and security agreement. Trump's envoy took his hand-held microphone into the crowd on the hunt for anyone with fresh intel. Château Laurier lunchers hunched over their phones to find out more. Hoekstra would not confirm any details, though he teased the possibility of a 'breaking news' moment. — More mayhem: MERCEDES STEPHENSON of Global News opened her 'fireside chat' with Hoekstra by pressing for an update. Cue more media lampooning. 'Shh. Some people said those were secret,' Hoekstra said, in reference to reports POTUS and the PM are in direct communication. 'I don't know how those would be secret. I'd hate to see if it was wide open and transparent.' — For the record: When asked for an update, a spokesperson for Canada-U.S. Trade Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC told Playbook: 'I cannot confirm anything on this matter.' — A little salty: Hoekstra did say the U.S. is 'thrilled' with Canada's plans to bump up defense spending: 'We very much appreciate that you're stepping up to the commitment that was made in 2014 by all NATO countries.' TALK OF THE TOWN DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK — CHARLIE ANGUS may be growing a one-man grassroots movement, but he insists he's not interested in leading the New Democratic Party. Still though, he has thoughts on how he'd fix the federal orange team. — Out: TikToks and Zoom. — In: Pub nights and bean dinners. 'What we need is to make a party again that people feel like they belong to,' Angus said Wednesday on Parliament Hill. — Don't look at him: 'I will not be running for the leadership,' the former MP told reporters. — He's focused on bigger issues: Like raging against DONALD TRUMP and his policies. The former NDP MP has been mobilizing progressive Canadians, bringing them out to political rallies on his 'Elbows Up/Resistance Tour.' 'This is a unique moment for Canada because what's leading the resistance are ordinary people,' Angus said. — His declaration: Angus says the 'gangster president' is not just a political threat, but a danger to democracy. He points to Trump's relationship with VLADIMIR PUTIN and the deployment of the National Guard in California. 'This is now a clear and present danger on our border,' he said. — Gaining ground: The rallies are drawing progressives by the hundreds, according to Angus' own account and estimates in local newspapers. — There's no denying: That's more than former NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH managed during the federal campaign. Angus called the NDP's loss under Singh an 'unmitigated disaster.' The two have not spoken since Singh lost his seat and the NDP caucus was reduced to seven. Online comments about his rallies urge Angus to return to the political scene: 'Please run for PM,' reads one. Others view the longtime lawmaker as 'Canada's BERNIE SANDERS' and 'Canadian hero.' — Seriously, Angus insists: He's moved on. 'I need to focus on Canada, and I will continue to focus full out.' ON THE HILL — Only the Bloc Québécois voted in favor of its non-binding motion calling on the government to compensate Quebecers for federal carbon rebates. The Bloc also failed to amend the motion to include British Columbia, which also administers its own carbon pricing scheme. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — Sikh leaders will hold a press conference in West Block at 11 a.m. to discuss the PM's decision to invite Indian Prime Minister NARENDRA MODI to the G7 Summit. — Ontario Energy Minister STEPHEN LECCE will be at a Canadian Club Toronto lunch event where he'll share his 'plan to power the strongest economy in the G7.' — Emergency Management Minister ELEANOR OLSZEWSKI, Energy Minister TIM HODGSON, Indigenous Services Minister MANDY GULL-MASTY and Environment Minister JULIE DABRUSIN will hold a briefing on the 2025 wildfire season at 12:30 p.m. in the National Press Theatre. 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 — EMILY HAWS and BOB FIFE report that the Senate is seeking to hold hearings on Carney's bills to cut taxes, fast-track major projects. — Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon has rejected the Bloc Québécois' proposal to split Bill C-5 in two parts, the National Post reports. — On 'The Decibel' pod, SARA MOJTEHEDZADEH and host MENAKA RAMAN-WILMS discuss the 140-page Bill C-2, the Strong Borders Act. The CBC's EVAN DYER also takes a closer look at that bill. — The PBO reports that an eligible first-time homebuyer would save an average of $26,832 in sales tax on a newly built home under Ottawa's latest housing proposal, Craig Lord of The Canadian Press reports. — Former Finance Minister BILL MORNEAU told the Bloomberg Invest conference in Hong Kong that Canada should bolster ties with China to hedge against uncertainty from Trump's approach to bilateral relations. — On 'The Global Exchange' pod, Sen. PETER BOEHM and Sen. PETER HARDER — both former sherpas — explain why pursuing a consensus document at next week's G7 Summit would result in 'a race to the bottom.' — Former PM JEAN CHRÉTIEN is on the latest edition of the 'WONK' pod. — And MARK BOURRIE, who 'ruined most of 2024' writing a book on PIERRE POILIEVRE, tells readers of The Walrus why Canada has not seen the last of the former MP from Carleton. PROZONE For Pro subscribers, here's our latest policy newsletter. In other news for Pro readers: — UN treaty to protect marine species moves closer to ratification. — Cannabis users more likely to enter psychiatric intensive care, study finds. — EPA reorg puts Great Lakes research at risk, scientists say. — 'Scorched earth': Former diplomat on Trump's climate attacks. — Trump's tariffs can be enforced for now, appeals court rules. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to former MPs DAVE MACKENZIE and CATHY MCLEOD. SOPHIE NORMAND of Innovative Medicines Canada also celebrates, as does ANDREW MACDOUGALL of Trafalgar Strategy. Noted: The SIR JOHN A. MACDONALD statue on the front lawn of the Ontario legislature has been uncovered. Agriculture Minister HEATH MACDONALD is heading to Saskatchewan for his first official visit. Spotted: Alberta's senior rep in Ottawa, JAMES CARPENTER, flashing a thumbs up with U.S. Ambo PETE HOEKSTRA. — QP scenes: Conservative MP SCOTT AITCHISON, chatting up PM Carney before question period got underway … Carney, continuing a recent trend of sticking his hand in his jacket front pocket as he responded to opposition questions — a mannerism he shares in common with KING CHARLES III. — At Rideau Cottage for the prime minister's garden party with the Parliamentary Press Gallery: MARK CARNEY, MARJORIE MICHEL, JILL MCKNIGHT, JOËL LIGHTBOUND, JULIE DABRUSIN, MANINDER SIDHU, MÉLANIE JOLY, WAYNE LONG, RECHIE VALDEZ, ELEANOR OLSZEWSKI, JOANNE THOMPSON, STEVEN MACKINNON, GARY ANANDASANGAREE, STEPHEN FUHR, MANDY GULL-MASTY, BUCKLEY BELANGER, STEVEN GUILBEAULT, HEATH MACDONALD, PATTY HAJDU, MARC-ANDRÉ BLANCHARD and MARCO MENDICINO. — At the Pearson Centre gala honoring former Cabmin IRWIN COTLER: ANITA ANAND, JULIE DABRUSIN, MARIE-FRANCE LALONDE, RANDEEP SARAI, HELENA JACZEK, ALI EHSASSI, YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET, ALEXIS BRUNELLE-DUCEPPE, ROB OLIPHANT, DARYL FRIDHANDLER, RODGER CUZNER, LESLIE CHURCH, KARINA GOULD, YASIR NAQVI, ANDREW CARDOZO, TALEEB NOORMOHAMED, ANTHONY HOUSEFATHER, GREG FERGUS, KODY BLOIS, RACHEL BENDAYAN, JUDY SGRO, ANITA VANDENBELD, MARILOU MCPHEDRAN, FARAH MOHAMED, LISA HEPFNER, JAMIL JIVANI, VINCE GASPARRO, GIOVANNA MINGARELLI, JAKE SAWATZKY, JUDY WHITE, DUNCAN WILSON, DAWN ARNOLD, DAVID LAMETTI, IDDO MOED, YULIYA KOVALIV, ROSALIE ABELLA and HARRY LAFORME. Rookie Conservative MP ROMAN BABER, lost in West Block, walking into the Liberal caucus entrance amid an ongoing meeting. AI Minister EVAN SOLOMON, hanging out with France President EMMANUEL MACRON in the Canada pavilion at the VivaTech conference in Paris. Movers and shakers: JOANNA DAFOE, a senior climate strategist and former chief to then-Environment Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT, is leaving Parliament Hill … ANDREW BERNARDO is now principal adviser on defense and security for PAA Advisory | Conseils. Lobby watch: The Canadian Bankers Association posted a dozen May meetings with senior public servants. Among the bankers' targets: Fentanyl Czar KEVIN BROSSEAU, Canadian ambo in Washington KIRSTEN HILLMAN, New York Consul General TOM CLARK, and Superintendent of Financial Institutions PETER ROUTLEDGE. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way. TRIVIA Wednesday's answer: ERNESTO ZEDILLO, president of Mexico at the time, delivered a speech in the House of Commons on June 11, 1996. Props to JOHN ECKER, JOHN PEPPER, YAROSLAV BARAN, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, JEFFREY VALOIS, KELSEY MACDONALD, RON CREARY, HUGUES THEORET, ELIZABETH BURN, PETER STUDER, DAVE PENNER, GORDON RANDALL, MARCEL MARCOTTE, MARJORY LEBRETON, MALCOLM MCKAY, JOHN ALHO and STEVEN HOGUE. Today's question: After warning voters not to expect miracles — 'I am neither God, nor the czar, nor a hero' — who was elected on this date in history? Send your answer to canadaplaybook@ Writing tomorrow's Playbook: MIKE BLANCHFIELD and MICKEY DJURIC. Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
Politico
2 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Ottawa's AI guy
Presented by The Canadian Medical Association Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Canada Playbook. In today's edition: → EVAN SOLOMON maps out his plan for Canada's AI future. → Canada's top judge totally wasn't subtweeting the U.S. in his annual presser. → The auditor general dropped her semi-annual headaches on the Liberals. THE FIRST THING MR. AI — Canada's first AI minister, EVAN SOLOMON, has been dodging Hill journalists since he got a Cabinet gig — and he owns it. 'It is significantly harder to have answers than it is to ask questions,' the former journalist told a Canada 2020 crowd in Ottawa Tuesday. 'Even if you use AI, it turns out it's a little trickier.' (Solomon's chief of staff, ANSON DURAN, has also lightheartedly flicked at using AI in his own social media comms.) — Into the limelight: In his first high-profile speech since his swearing-in nearly a month ago, Solomon revealed the Liberal government's sweeping vision: ensure Canada doesn't get left behind in the global AI race. 'Essentially we are at a Gutenberg-like moment,' Solomon said. He pointed to four pillars under Prime Minister MARK CARNEY's AI industrial policy. → Scale: Fund and champion Canadian AI companies. → Adoption: Encourage businesses to adopt AI, including by offering them tax credits, in an effort to turbocharge productivity. → Trust: Bring in regulations to protect Canadians' privacy and data. → Sovereignty: Build data centers and invest in quantum computing for national defense and security. — But first, context: AI is more than just a tool that brings our ideas to life, Solomon told the crowd. It's not all about planning vacations, writing resumes or meal planning. AI has the ability to shape culture, economies and warfare. — China vs. the West: On Tuesday, DONALD TRUMP's AI czar DAVID SACKS said China is three to six months behind the U.S. in artificial intelligence. In January, the sudden emergence of the China-based DeepSeek AI model R1 led to U.S. stocks dropping significantly — and gave Western governments a new sense of urgency to act. — Competitive spirit: As competition heats up, Canada wants in. Solomon said Canada is a leader in AI research, but has 'become the farm team for bigger places to take our best researchers and commercialize it.' Canada also lacks digital infrastructure, forcing governments and companies to rely on data storage in other countries, binding them to foreign laws — and preventing them from retaining full sovereignty over the data. — It's the economy, stupid: AI is viewed by the Liberal government as a 'key to our economic destiny.' — Problem is: Just 11 percent of Canadian firms are planning to integrate AI into their operations, Solomon said, creating a large barrier for economic growth. — Simply put: Economies that master AI will grow. Those that don't will fall behind, which is 'an existential threat to our future,' Solomon said. 'Canada cannot be left behind. We need to marshal our resources and advance our position in this high-stakes digital arena. So we've got to act now.' — Team player: Solomon has been meeting with AI firms and leaders such as NextAI co-founder AJAY AGRAWAL. He's also working with Government Transformation Minister JOËL LIGHTBOUND to boost productivity; Industry Minister MÉLANIE JOLY to attract investment; and Defense Minister DAVID MCGUINTY to integrate AI and quantum computing. 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 'DEMOCRATIC SUPERPOWER' — A year ago, Supreme Court Chief Justice RICHARD WAGNER used his annual press conference to chide the Trudeau government for judicial vacancies. Tuesday's presser brought a different vibe. Wagner reported back on what he's heard during a year's worth of cross-Canada travel meant to build awareness of the country's highest court among Canadians of all stripes. — 2025's angst: 'Throughout the world, autocratic regimes are attacking the media, judicial powers and national institutions. Canadians are seeing this regression in democracy, and are wondering if that could happen here,' Wagner told reporters. — Hmm, what about?: The CBC's OLIVIA STEFANOVICH was first out of the gate to ask what the elephant in the room was pondering. Was any of that angst tied to U.S. President DONALD TRUMP's attacks on the American judiciary? — Nice try: 'I will not aim at a specific country,' Wagner replied. 'When you see governments attacking the media, attacking the judges, attacking the lawyers and universities, of course, that means that there's a good chance that you are in front of a dictatorship, autocratic government.' — Not here: 'While Canada is not a superpower in [the] traditional sense of the word, it is a democratic superpower. In this country, the rule of law is non-negotiable,' Wagner said. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — It's caucus day on Parliament Hill. — Prime Minister MARK CARNEY will attend caucus and question period. — Carney will join Press Gallery journalists at a garden party outside Rideau Cottage. — At 6 p.m., Navigator hosts its annual summer kickoff party at the Métropolitain. — Alberta Premier DANIELLE SMITH will deliver a keynote address at the Global Energy Show in Calgary. ON THE HILL — Liberal MP CHRIS BITTLE was elected chair of the Procedure and House Affairs Committee. The vice chairs are Conservative MP MICHAEL COOPER and Bloc Québécois MP CHRISTINE NORMANDIN. — The House voted down a non-binding Conservative opposition motion meant to shame the government into presenting a 'fiscally responsible budget' before the Commons rises for the summer. New Democrats joined the Liberals in voting against the motion. For your radar CHECKING THE BOOKS — Auditor General KAREN HOGAN dropped her spring reports Tuesday — a semi-annual batch of nearly guaranteed headlines. Here were the headaches she gave the Liberal benches, in order of attention from major newsrooms: — Canada's incoming fleet of CF-35 fighter jets will be more expensive than anticipated, efforts to build infrastructure required to support the aircraft are years behind schedule, and the Royal Canadian Air Force still faces a stubborn shortage of fighter pilots. Headline: F-35 program facing skyrocketing costs, pilot shortage and infrastructure deficit — The AG flagged serious concerns with contracts awarded to GCStrategies, the firm embroiled in the high-profile ArriveCAN scandal. Hogan pointed to a lack of security clearance documentation in 21 percent of cases, and a lack of records related to 'which contracted resources performed the work, what work was completed, and whether the people doing the work had the required experience and qualifications.' Headline: Feds awarded ArriveCan firm nearly $100 million in contracts, despite issues — Indigenous Services Canada is frequently missing a six-month target for processing applications for on‑reserve housing, financial aid for post-secondary education, and certain health benefits. Headline: Ottawa failing to meet timelines for First Nations registration: Auditor General — The federal procurement department has revised down a pledge to reduce office space by 50 percent — now on track for only 33 percent. Headline: The federal government has been slow to offload office space: auditor general MORNING MUST-CLICKS — Top of POLITICO this morning: GAVIN NEWSOM gains a step in brawl with DONALD TRUMP: 'It'll help Gavin — especially if he gets arrested' — PIERRE POILIEVRE's take on population growth, via Global News: 'We want severe limits … to reverse the damage the Liberals did to our system.' — The New Republic visits Point Roberts, Washington — aka 'The Tiny Border Town Getting Battered by Trump's Tariffs on Canada' — National Post's STEPHANIE TAYLOR poses a question with no obvious answer: In Carney's Cabinet, who's responsible for online harms? — From the Toronto Star: 'Toronto police turn to AI tool to investigate the murders of Barry and Honey Sherman' PROZONE Our latest Pro PM Canada subscriber newsletter by MIKE BLANCHFIELD: Ethical judges 'not the case in many countries'. Other headlines for Pro subscribers: — Lawmakers push Hegseth on Golden Dome plan. — US oil production will fall by end of 2026, EIA predicts. — International students contributed $44B to the US economy in 2023. — Trump energy adviser slams renewables, says focus is on fossil fuels. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to Ontario Cabmin CAROLINE MULRONEY, former Liberal MP MARIO SILVA, former NDP MP and current commentator FRANÇOISE BOIVIN, and McMillan partner TIMOTHY CULLEN and the Toronto Star's SUSAN DELACOURT. HBD+1 to Playbook trivia regular RODDY MCFALL (60!). Noted: Canadians driving to the U.S. dropped by about 38 percent in May compared to the same month last year, a new Statistics Canada report shows. It's the fifth-straight month of decline. — U.S. Secretary of State MARCO RUBIO condemned sanctions levied against Israeli government officials by Canada, the U.K., Norway, Australia and New Zealand. Spotted: Prime Minister MARK CARNEY, raising the Pride flag on Parliament Hill alongside MPs from all parties. Movers and shakers: Sen. MARY JANE MCCALLUM has joined the Senate Conservative caucus. Lobby watch: Agnico Eagle Mines posted meetings in May with Energy and Natural Resources Minister TIM HODGSON, Deputy Minister MICHAEL VANDERGRIFT, as well as senior political aides and public servants … The Explorers and Producers Association of Canada posted a May 23 meeting with Hodgson, Vandergrift and Liberal MP COREY HOGAN (now also Hodgson's parlsec). TRIVIA Tuesday's answer: Former NDP MP SVEND ROBINSON, who won seven elections — and was Canada's first openly gay MP — lost comeback bids in 2006 and 2019. Props to SVEND ROBINSON (the one and only), CHRISTINA DE TONI, BRENNAN GOREHAM, JOHN PEPPER, LUCAS MALINOWSKI, JOHN ECKER, ALEXIS CONRAD, CHRIS RANDS, JOSEPH PLANTA, TIM MCCALLUM, LORETTA O'CONNOR, BRANDON RABIDEAU, NANCI WAUGH, MARCEL MARCOTTE, ALEX BALLINGALL, PATRICK DION, MATTHEW DUBÉ, BARRY MCLOUGHLIN, DAVE PENNER, PAUL PARK, DAVID LJUNGGREN, MARC LEBLANC, MICHAEL POWELL, JOHN DILLON, MATT CONLEY, BOB PLAMONDON, SCOTT MCCORD, RAY DEL BIANCO, GREG MACEACHERN, MARJORY LEBRETON, DAN ALBAS, CULLY ROBINSON, ELIZABETH BURN, GREG LYNDON, RALPH LEVENSTEIN, SUSAN KEYS, MALCOLM MCKAY, RODDY MCFALL, BOB ERNEST, AVIGAIL RUCKER, COLIN MCKONE, JEFFREY VALOIS, CHRIS LALANDE, ANTHONY CARRICATO, EDDIE HUTCHINSON, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, DARRYL DAMUDE, YAROSLAV BARAN, STEPHEN HAAS, BOB GORDON, RONALD LEMIEUX, ANNE MCGRATH and FRANCIS DOWNEY. Wednesday's question: Which world leader delivered a speech in the House of Commons on this day in 1996? Answers to canadaplaybook@ Writing tomorrow's Playbook: NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY and MICKEY DJURIC. Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
Politico
3 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Come on, come all
Presented by The Canadian Medical Association Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Welcome to Canada Playbook. In today's edition: → The Saudis crack MARK CARNEY's invite list for Kananaskis. → A new Angus Reid poll shows major Canadian support for more defense spending. → MPs elect a pivotal committee chair this afternoon. Trade war OPEN INVITATION — This guy's foreign policy isn't like the last guy's foreign policy. Prime Minister MARK CARNEY is trying to turn the page on Canada's most complicated relationships of the Trudeau era. The PM wants to normalize relations with China. Indian PM NARENDRA MODI is coming to Kananaskis this weekend. Carney has also extended a G7 invite to Saudi Arabia Crown Prince MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN. No word on whether or not the Saudis will make the trip. But the invite appears to be a signal. — Mission statement: ARIF LALANI, a senior adviser at StrategyCorp and former Canadian diplomat, advised Ottawa in 2023 to reset relations with India and China. Lalani sees Carney's moves as an acknowledgment that Canada can't deal only with liberal democracies amid tectonic geopolitical shifts. 'You have to be intellectually and diplomatically uncomfortable, but that doesn't mean you can't tell right from wrong,' said Lalani, Canada's former top envoy in Iraq, Jordan and Afghanistan. 'You can still act with your values, but you've got to deal with the world as you find it.' — Throw the doors open: Lalani says the G7 risks drifting into irrelevance if it closes the door to some of the world's most influential non-members. 'Trump has just accelerated this idea that the G7, which used to be the governing board of the world, is now really just a club,' said Lalani. 'It cannot help to govern the economy of the world if India, Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are not there.' — Follow the money: Lalani flagged the Gulf states as key opportunities for Canadians looking for foreign investors. 'That's where the available pools of finance that Europe and Canada need are.' SAUDIS CALLING — DARRYL WILLIAMS, the president of BC Steel, recently registered to lobby the federal government on behalf of the Saudi Investment Bank. — Origin story: Williams first met the Saudi bankers when they approached him as a potential investor in a B.C.-based steel company. He goes back a long way with MOHAMMED SALEH AL-KHALIL, the bank's vice chair, who was Williams' best man. — Next steps: These days, the Saudi bank is keen on investing in major Canadian projects, including pipelines and other infrastructure, Williams told Playbook over the phone. They've enlisted him to dig for deals. The Saudis' new pitch man plans to travel to Ottawa later this month to spread the SAIB's gospel among senior bureaucrats: 'I'll just be walking the hallways, talking with people, leaving business cards, leaving them information, and if they're interested, they can talk.' For your radar PONYING UP — A new survey says most Canadians are just fine throwing billions of dollars at national defense — surely welcome news to a prime minister who announced Monday that Canada would hit NATO's spending target years ahead of schedule. The Angus Reid Institute survey shows Canadians largely support the PM's decision to spend 2 percent of GDP on national defense before the fiscal year is out. — In Carney's corner: Slightly more than half of Canadians (51 percent) want to hit the NATO benchmark, with another 17 percent signing off on even more military cash. — Party breakdown: Three-quarters of Conservative voters support meeting or exceeding the target — the most of any partisan affiliation. A year ago, half of Liberal voters were onside with a major boost. Now, 70 percent are onboard. NDP support jumped from 38 percent to 51 percent in the same timeframe. Support among Bloc Québécois voters stands at 55 percent — a 10-point drop since 2024. — The numbers: The Liberals unveiled supplementary estimates Monday that require parliamentary approval. The plan is to add C$9.3 billion to the current C$53.4 billion. It all adds up to C$62.7 billion in the 2025-26 fiscal year. — Music to alliance ears: NATO Secretary General MARK RUTTE recently delivered a stark message to the western alliance: 'We're all on the eastern flank now,' he said Monday, referring to proximity to Russian aggression. During a speech at Chatham House in London, Rutte warned that Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN could launch an attack against NATO by 2030. → The Royal Canadian Legion welcomed Carney's announcement as a 'significant milestone.' — Music to business ears: CANDACE LAING, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, gave the thumb's up: 'If we want to be taken seriously at the NATO and G7 Summits, this is the price of admission.' Where the leaders are — Prime Minister MARK CARNEY will chair Cabinet at 10 a.m. At 12:30 p.m., he'll attend a flag raising ceremony on Parliament Hill to mark the start of Pride Season. Carney will also attend question period. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — Canada 2020 convenes a sold out, day-long conference at the Château Laurier: 'From Ambition to Action: Getting Big Things Done.' At 8:15 a.m., EVAN SOLOMON delivers his first high-profile remarks as minister in a keynote and fireside chat. — Three MPs will offer support at an 11 a.m. press conference for the Global March to Gaza: Liberal SALMA ZAHID, New Democrat ALEXANDRE BOULERICE and Green Leader ELIZABETH MAY. — At 4 p.m., Industry Minister MÉLANIE JOLY will participate in a fireside chat with Globe and Mail automotive reporter PETRINA GENTILE during the Canada Automotive Summit in Vaughan, Ontario. Want more POLITICO? Download our mobile app to save stories, get notifications on U.S.-Canada relations, and more. In iOS or Android. ON THE HILL OPPO DAYS — The Bloc Québécois takes its turn in the House spotlight today with a non-binding opposition motion unveiled by CHRISTINE NORMANDIN. — Carbon pricing: The Bloc wants Ottawa to send Quebecers a combined C$814 million in compensation for federal carbon rebate checks that arrived in many Canadian bank accounts in April — but not in Quebec. Quebecers didn't receive federal checks because their provincial government manages its own carbon pricing regime. But they still paid for them, the Bloc insists, with their federal tax dollars. MPs will vote on the Bloc motion tomorrow. — Also today: The House will vote today on Monday's Conservative motion that calls on the government to unveil a 'fiscally responsible budget' before the summer — the second non-binding CPC attempt to shame Liberals into expediting their plans to publish a fall budget. BIG CHAIR — The Procedure and House Affairs Committee meets at 3:30 p.m. to elect a chair — a high-profile gig for a Liberal MP left out of the ministry or parlsec roster. — Busy workload: 'PROC,' as it's known around the Hill, is the first stop for contentious privilege motions that the House decides to study in more detail. Recent chairs include BEN CARR, BARDISH CHAGGER and RUBY SAHOTA. — Count them out: One of the Liberals around the table will emerge as chair, though some are ineligible: ARIELLE KAYABAGA was recently named deputy government House leader to STEVEN MACKINNON; ÉLISABETH BRIÈRE is deputy government whip; and TIM LOUIS is parlsec to Canada-U.S. Trade Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC. — Options that remain: St. Catharines MP CHRIS BITTLE and former House Speaker GREG FERGUS. Both have served previous stints on the committee. MORNING MUST-CLICKS — Top of POLITICO this morning: 'A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy': How the Clash in LA Could Explode — U.K. Prime Minister KEIR STARMER to visit Canada amid Trump threats, The Telegraph reports. — From CBC's MURRAY BREWSTER: 'Afghan-Canadian combat advisers launch discrimination suit against Department of National Defence' — The Canadian Press previews the latest round of federal auditor general reports, due out this morning. — In the latest 'Curse of Politics' podcast, host DAVID HERLE breaks down why it feels like 1995 all over again: 'You had a Liberal government doing things that Conservatives previously had promised to do but not had been able to do. … There were no New Democrats in the House of Commons … and the official opposition is urging the government to go faster than it is going on all of the measures.' — Ontario Premier DOUG FORD is now the most popular conservative in Canada, PHILIPPE J. FOURNIER writes in The Walrus. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to Conservative MP DAVE EPP; DG STRINGER, principal secretary to Ottawa Mayor MARK SUTCLIFFE; and JAMES MOORE, senior adviser at Edelman. Former Sen. VICTOR OH and former NDP MP PIERRE NANTEL also celebrate, alongside Bluesky's MANUELA BOEIRA and Crestview's ANDREW BRANDER. Spotted: U.S. Ambassador to Canada PETE HOEKSTRA, thanking Premier DANIELLE SMITH after Alberta resumed buying U.S. alcohol and gambling machines. Lobby watch: News Media Canada posted a meeting today with Canadian Identity Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT … Alar Strategy Group's RICHARD MAKSYMETZ posted a spate of meetings on behalf of Svante, a carbon capture and removal provider. Among the targets: Energy and Natural Resources Minister TIM HODGSON, Natural Resources Deputy Minister MICHAEL VANDERGRIFT, PMO policy adviser JOSHUA SWIFT, and Finance bureaucrats SUZY MCDONALD and MIODRAG JOVANOVIC. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way. PROZONE Our latest policy newsletter for Pro subscribers by MIKE BLANCHFIELD and MICKEY DJURIC: Canada plans exit from NATO spending cellar. The latest headlines for our paid subscribers: — Trump may have to choose: Making trade deals or keeping his car tariffs. — Central US grid could face power deficit by summer 2027. — 'Perfect storm.' Solar industry shrinks growth forecasts. — Republicans want US companies to hack back against China. TRIVIA Monday's answer: Ten members will sit on Liberal-chaired committees in the House of Commons. Props to CHRIS LALANDE, JOHN PEPPER, MARCEL MARCOTTE, WAYNE EASTER, JOHN ECKER, DAVE EPP, CHRISTINA DE TONI, BEN BROWN CLEMENTS, GORDON RANDALL, MALCOLM MCKAY, ELIZABETH BURN, COLIN MCKONE and JASON DEVEAU. Today's question: Which longtime Burnaby MP lost federal comeback bids in 2006 and 2019? Answers to canadaplaybook@ . Wednesday's Playbook will be written by 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
4 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Notes for Trump
Presented by The Canadian Medical Association Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Happy Monday. Thanks for reading Canada Playbook. Let's get into it. → JUSTIN TRUDEAU's prep note for a DONALD TRUMP call in February. → Three things we're watching this week: tariffs, streamers and the House. → Liberal MP SUKH DHALIWAL on the PM's NARENDRA MODI invite to the G7. THE FIRST THING SPENDING BOOST — Prime Minister MARK CARNEY is scheduled to make a defense and security announcement in Toronto at 10 a.m. He'll tour a military facility and speak with reporters at 1 p.m. — Sources tell The Globe and Mail's STEVE CHASE that Carney will unveil a plan that hits NATO's defense spending benchmark in the current fiscal year. Trade war TRUDEAU-TRUMP CALL — Ten days before Trump unleashed tariffs on Canadian-made goods in early March, Trudeau was on the horn with the U.S. president. A briefing note prepared for the PM in advance of the Feb. 22 call reveals his two major priorities: the war in Ukraine, which was two days away from its third anniversary, and those pesky, painful, looming tariffs. → Priority No. 1: 'Reiterate importance of engagement as part of G7 and the upcoming [leaders' video teleconference] and support for Ukraine and for the principle of a just and sustainable peace.' → Priority No. 2: 'Express disappointment with the President's decision to impose tariffs on Canada and reiterate the Government of Canada's obligation to defend the interests of Canadians.' — Good cop: The PM's briefers counseled him on saying nice things. 'In your first weeks in office, you have moved quickly on key issues, including economic security, energy dominance, and border security,' the note read, adding these were 'shared priorities.' And on Ukraine: 'I know the G7 appreciates your commitment to ending this war,' read a suggested talking point that also pressed the imperative of a sovereign Ukraine with a seat at the negotiating table. 'A bad peace will reverberate around the world,' read another line. — American firearms: The briefers tucked in a section on the increasing number of guns crossing the border into Canada. 'Canadian police have long warned that illegal U.S. firearms are driving gun-related crime in this country,' read the note. Trudeau and Trump both published readouts following the conversation. Neither mentioned firearms coming up in the conversation. — Trade 101: The memo advised Trudeau on how to cautiously rebut Trump's persistent claim that an American trade deficit with Canada is a 'subsidy.' The suggested talking points sound at times like an exasperated undergrad economics prof: 'The U.S. does not give anything for free by trading with Canada,' the memo said. 'It willingly purchases and obtains products it needs in return.' — Redacted entirely: A short section with advice on how to respond to Trump on defense spending. THREE THINGS WE'RE WATCHING COUNTER-TARIFF OR NAH — That is the question Prime Minister MARK CARNEY is mulling as he faces pressure to respond to Trump's latest hit to Canada's economy. Last week, the U.S. doubled tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50 percent. Business and labor leaders were quick to call for retaliation, alongside Ontario Premier DOUG FORD — who accused the PM of falling short in his response to Trump. — Patience wearing thin: This week, they're expecting answers. Canadian Steel Producers Association President CATHERINE COBDEN described her recent discussions with Cabinet ministers and senior officials on Parliament Hill as 'intense' and 'frank.' 'The CSPA expects to see concrete action taken as early as next week and we offer our full support to Canadian policymakers to ensure that action comes forward as soon as possible,' Cobden said in a statement Friday. Industry Minister MÉLANIE JOLY told The Globe and Mail a crackdown on the dumping of cheap foreign steel into Canada is coming, addressing concerns on that file from the Trump administration. — Turning up the heat: Ford has no plans to bring down the temperature himself, as Carney and Trump reportedly negotiate a cross-border deal. 'I have the utmost respect for the prime minister and his job. He's negotiating, but I have to protect the people of Ontario,' he told reporters in Toronto Friday. — On the horn: Ford says he speaks with Carney every day, and has been very clear with his message to the PM: 'The ideal situation is to get a deal, and if that deal does not happen in the next few days, then we have to slap another 25 percent tariff on top of the existing 25 percent tariff on our aluminum and steel,' Ford said. DAY IN COURT — Foreign streaming giants are pushing back against Ottawa's controversial Online Streaming Act. This week, they'll take their fight to the Federal Court of Appeal in Toronto. Regulations under the law have ordered foreign streaming companies to fund local news and other Canadian content through a portion of their Canadian revenue. — Major players: Amazon, Apple and Spotify have taken legal action to avoid coughing up a cut of their Canadian earnings. The Motion Picture Association – Canada, which represents studios such as Netflix, Disney, Paramount, Sony, NBCUniversal and Warner Bros., filed their own legal challenge. Their cases have been consolidated into one and will be heard by a judge starting today. WENDY NOSS, MPA — Canada's president, previously called the tax 'a discriminatory measure that goes far beyond what Parliament intended.' — Trade irritant: Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Washington have raised concerns over the law, insisting it discriminates against U.S. companies. Trump administration officials are monitoring the issue, including the Office of the United States Trade Representative — which has pegged the law as a trade barrier. BUILD, BABY, BUILD — The PM wants his signature 'One Canadian Economy' bill passed by the time the House is scheduled to adjourn for the summer on June 20. But if that doesn't happen, he's prepared to sit into July. 'We're in a crisis,' Carney said Friday. 'We will do everything to get it passed before the summer. And if parliament needs to sit longer, it should sit longer.' — Fine print: The PM is finding out that the House of Commons doesn't often move as quickly as a boardroom. Carney's government had to backpedal from a campaign promise of cross-Canada free trade by Canada Day. During a technical briefing for the bill, government officials said the goal is now to remove as many internal trade barriers 'as possible' by July 1. PLAYBOOK'S ONE-ON-ONE SURPRISE INVITE — B.C. Liberal MP SUKH DHALIWAL woke up in a state of shock Friday morning. News had just broken that Indian Prime Minister NARENDRA MODI would attend the upcoming G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis. — Piece of the economic puzzle: Carney argued it made 'sense' having India at the table after consulting with other G7 partners. 'India is the fifth-largest economy in the world, effectively the most populous country in the world,' and central to global supply chains, Carney told reporters Friday. — Complete about-face: The Modi invite marked a remarkable shift in foreign policy for the Liberal government. Only eight months ago, the Trudeau government expelled India's high commissioner and five envoys after the RCMP revealed evidence linking members of India's government to multiple homicides on Canadian soil. The RCMP also uncovered apparent evidence of Indian interference into Canada's democratic processes. 'My constituents are telling me it's the wrong move to invite Prime Minister Modi,' Dhaliwal said to Playbook. 'Canada is the country of rule of law, the country of justice, the champion of human rights.' — Constituents first: Dhaliwal represents the riding of Surrey Newton, where Sikh Khalistani activist HARDEEP SINGH NIJJAR was gunned down in June 2023 outside a gurdwara. He was a constituent of Dhaliwal's. Trudeau told the House of Commons in September 2023 that Canada had 'credible allegations' that agents acting on behalf of the Indian government were involved in Nijjar's death. The Indian government rejected the allegations as 'absurd' and 'motivated,' and alleged Canada was a supporter of Khalistani 'terrorists.' Dhaliwal was the first MP to visit the gurdwara after the shooting and has remained engaged ever since. — Feeling the heat: The MP's phone has been 'ringing like crazy.' He has lost track of all the emails from constituents. 'People are telling me that they are not very happy. They're worried about their safety,' he said. 'It's ordinary people on the ground. People who don't have any links to anything. Just ordinary citizens, coming into my office telling me, 'this is not the right thing to do.'' — Message to the PM: Dhaliwal expects to share his constituents' concerns with Carney in the coming days. His ask: 'Make sure that India fully cooperates in the investigation so justice can be served for the victims and their family.' — Another thing: 'Make sure moving forward there will be, absolutely zero, interference from India into our affairs here in Canada,' he said. MORNING MUST-CLICKS — U.S. Ambassador to Canada PETE HOEKSTRA says the U.S. will not dictate what the Canadian government must spend on defense, CP's DYLAN ROBERTSON writes. — The Hill Times' ABBAS RANA reports that PMO staffers are no longer allowed in Liberal national caucus meetings. First quote from Liberal MP HEDY FRY: 'It's a good idea.' — 'PIERRE POILIEVRE's numbers as preferred prime minister have plummeted,' NIK NANOS tells CTV News. 'Him losing his seat, him not being in the House of Commons, him not having the same type of profile as during the election has really hurt him. It will be interesting to see if he recovers from this.' — Top of POLITICO this morning: How Trump broke the politics of Medicaid — Military deploys to support northern Ontario wildfire evacuations, Global News reports. — CTV's JUDY TRINH reports a father living in Canada faces indefinite separation from his son with Trump's travel ban. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — Liberals will gather for a Laurier Club donor garden party this evening at the Canadian War Museum. Prime Minister MARK CARNEY will be there. A pile of ministers are expected to join him, including JOËL LIGHTBOUND, CHRYSTIA FREELAND, MARJORIE MICHEL, RECHIE VALDEZ, DOMINIC LEBLANC, PATTY HAJDU, JULIE DABRUSIN, STEVEN MACKINNON, JOANNE THOMPSON, STEPHANIE MCLEAN, ELEANOR OLSZEWSKI, RANDEEP SARAI, DAVID MCGUINTY and STEVEN GUILBEAULT. — Alberta Premier DANIELLE SMITH will deliver a keynote address at the Calgary Region Hydrogen Hub grand opening. The Global Energy Show also kicks off in Calgary today. — Monday and Tuesday are opposition days in the House of Commons. PROZONE For Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter by MIKE BLANCHFIELD, NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY and MICKEY DJURIC: 'Crisis' trade law needed by summer. In other news for Pro readers: — The stealth Senate dealmaker who could deliver Trump's tax cuts. — House appropriators unveil Homeland Security funding bill. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to Green MP ELIZABETH MAY, Ontario Green Party Leader MIKE SCHREINER, Canadian Identity Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT, TVO anchor STEVE PAIKIN, ARIEL POLLOCK of the U.S. Embassy and former Liberal MP JEAN R. RIOUX. HBD + 1 to CINDY CATURAO, press sec to AI Minister EVAN SOLOMON. Noted: PM Carney published Canada's G7 priorities ahead of the upcoming leaders' summit: 'protecting our communities and the world', 'building energy security and accelerating the digital transition' and 'securing the partnerships of the future.' Spotted in that release: 'catalyzing' (with a 'z'). — The Procedure and House Affairs Committee picks its chair Tuesday. These MPs are on the committee: → Liberals: CHRIS BITTLE, ÉLISABETH BRIÈRE, GREG FERGUS, ARIELLE KAYABAGA and TIM LOUIS. → Conservatives: BLAINE CALKINS, MICHAEL COOPER, GRANT JACKSON and TAKO VAN POPTA. → Bloc Québécois: CHRISTINE NORMANDIN. Spotted: Liberal MP VINCE GASPARRO and Toronto city councilor BRAD BRADFORD, breaking bread at Bistro on Avenue with rest owner CINDY STERN. Movers and shakers: JESSICA FULLERTON starts this week as a senior policy adviser to Finance Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE … BELLA OROZCO-MADISON is planning to leave the PMO comms shop for a new gig with a former boss: Industry Minister MÉLANIE JOLY … GUILLAUME BERTRAND is now director of communications for Health Minister MARJORIE MICHEL. JULIAN OVENS joined the board of directors at Kenz Global Resources … MICHAEL SOLBERG joined the board at Carbon Removal Canada. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way. TRIVIA Friday's answer: On June 6, 1813, American and British forces clashed at the Battle of Stoney Creek during the War of 1812. Props to PATRICK DION, PETER STUDER, ANDREW BALFOUR, MARC SHAW, DAVE COURNOYER, BARB WRIGHT, PAUL PARK, GREG MACEACHERN, ELIZABETH BURN, BOOTS TAYLOR-VAISEY, GARY ALLEN, CHRIS RANDS, WILL BULMER, SAAHIL JAFFER, CULLY ROBINSON, MAUREEN MACGILLIVRAY, DARREN MAJOR, JOHN PEPPER, JOHN DILLON, JOHN ALHO, ALEXANDER LANDRY, RALPH LEVENSTEIN, CAMERON RYAN, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, MALCOLM MCKAY, BRETT SZMUL, MARC LEBLANC, SHAUGHN MCARTHUR and GREG LYNDON. Props +1 to BARB WRIGHT. Today's question: According to a motion that passed the House of Commons last week, how many MPs will sit on standing committees chaired by Liberals during this session of Parliament? Send your answer to canadaplaybook@ Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
