Politics This Morning: DMs shuffle, PBO reports on economy

Good Thursday morning, The public inquiry into the government’s invocation of the Emergencies Act amid the Convoy protest movement’s occupation of downtown Ottawa in February will begin its hearings today. Don’t get too excited though: a spokesperson for the inquiry—known formally as the Public Order Emergency Commission—told The Hill Times that there won’t be any witnesses testifying until tomorrow. Today will be devoted to an opening statement by commission lead PAUL ROULEAU, discussion of reports, and other such housekeeping. Parliamentary Budget Officer YVES GIROUX is releasing a report today that could make a splash. Giroux’s office will publish a report on Canada’s “economic and fiscal outlook” for the year 2022 at 9 a.m. Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux will release a new report on Canada's economy and federal finances this morning. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade The report will provide “a baseline projection to help Parliamentarians gauge potential economic and fiscal outcomes under current policy settings.” This could be an instructive preview of the scope and direction of the government’s yet-to-be-released fall economic statement. Finally, public servants in five federal departments are getting ready to welcome new bosses. The Prime Minister’s Office announced a shuffle of deputy ministers yesterday, effective Oct. 17. The shuffle appears to have been triggered at least in part by the retirement of MARTA MORGAN, the now-outgoing deputy minister for foreign affairs. Morgan will be replaced by DAVID MORRISON, a former DM for international trade and G7 Sherpa. Morrison will retain his role with the G7 in his new gig, the PMO confirmed to The Hill Times yesterday. Morrison’s international trade post will in turn be filled by the top dog in Public Safety, ROB STEWART. Stewart will be replaced by SHAWN TUPPER, whose job as deputy secretary to the cabinet in PCO will be filled by KAILI LEVESQUE. The PMO also used the shuffle to name a permanent boss for the subsidy agency for Northern Ontario. VALERIE GIDEON will add that job to her existing responsibilities as the associate DM of Indigenous Services. She will replace MANON BRASSARD, who has handled the FedNor agency on an interim basis since August 2021 while also running Quebec’s subsidy agency. What’s the cabinet up to? Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU will headline a party fundraiser in Brampton, Ont., this evening. Attending Liberal enthusiasts will be expected to cough up $1,600, or $800 if they are under the age of 35. A collection of ministers will hold a press conference today to talk about the government's "work to hold Iranian regime accountable." Iran has been beset by street protests after its "morality police" beat a young woman to death. They include Gender Equality Minister MARCI IEN, Immigration Minister SEAN FRASER, and Public Safety Minister MARCO MENDICINO, and Justice Minister DAVID LAMETTI. International Development Minister HARJIT SAJJAN will hold a teleconference with reporters this morning to talk about his visit to Ukraine. Transport Minister OMAR ALGHABRA will announce something to do with supply chains this morning from Winnipeg. Several cabinet ministers will continue international trips today: Finance Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND in Washington, D.C.; Defence Minister ANITA ANAND in Brussels, Belgium; Environment Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT in South America; and Foreign Minister MÉLANIE JOLY in Korea and Japan. Health Minister JEAN-YVES DUCLOS will give a speech at 9 a.m. at an event hosted by Nature Quebec, and will announce cash for “healthy living for priority populations in the province of Quebec” under the government’s “Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund.” Indigenous Services Minister PATTY HAJDU will hand out cash for sawmills at Ontario’s Sand Point First Nation. Heritage Minister PABLO RODRIGUEZ will announce subsidy funding for an industrial business in Drummondville, Que. What else is happening today? Atlantic Vision conference gets underway A cast of familiar faces and business types have made the trek to Charlottetown for the start of the Atlantic Vision Conference, a two-day event organized by the Prince Edward Island government and Council of Atlantic Premiers. The conference will bring together speakers including former Calgary mayor NAHEED NENSHI, Twitter public policy director MICHELE AUSTIN, former Liberal deputy prime minister ANNE MCLELLAN, and CATRIONA LE MAY DOAN, the former Olympic speed skater and current president and CEO of Sport Calgary. The topics of conversation at the conference will range from the environment to diversity to “navigating in an information age.” More cash for trees We’re going to hear a bit more about that famous “two billion trees” promise. Liberal MP PETER FONSECA will make a “two billion trees funding announcement” at the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus this morning at 10 a.m. The Liberals promised to plant two billion new trees in Canada by the year 2030 during the 2019 election campaign. The idea was that the trees will hoover up carbon dioxide emissions, helping the government to achieve its climate change goals. Natural Resources Canada has estimated that delivering on that promise would increase tree-planting by 40 per cent across the country, and cut net carbon dioxide emissions by 12 megatonnes annually, from a total of about 700 megatonnes. Sounds great, except the government hasn’t planted many trees since the Liberals won the 2019 election: about 29 million altogether as of July, or just about 1.5 per cent of its target. To be fair, the Liberals have a good defence for their laggard planting practices: the saplings that are to be planted haven’t had enough time to grow yet. Then again, Canada’s forests may actually be a net carbon dioxide emitter, so perhaps the pitiful pace of planting is a plus. In case you missed it CPC critics unveiled PIERRE POILIEVRE’s opposition leader’s office released the revamped list of critics in the Conservative caucus yesterday—or “shadow ministers”, as they prefer. Including Poilievre, the Conservatives have no fewer than 72 critics and associate critics, who collectively account for more than 60 per cent of the caucus. For the sake of comparison, the governing Liberals have brought a smidge more than half of their caucus into cabinet or parliamentary secretary roles (80 out of 158). Poilievre’s former leadership rivals LESLYN LEWIS and SCOTT AITCHISON both made the cut. Former Conservative leadership contestant Scott Aitchison will serve as the party's housing critic in the House. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade Aitchison will keep tabs on diversity and housing minister AHMED HUSSEN, an important role given how preoccupied Canadians are with housing prices, and how prominently the file figured in Poilievre’s leadership campaign. Lewis, whose socially conservative views and embrace of conspiracy theories have made her a magnet for controversy, has been assigned the infrastructure file, which will put her opposite … (checks notes) ... Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC. The shadow cabinet did not include former leader ERIN O’TOOLE; he had already broken the news that he asked not to be assigned a critic portfolio. Veteran Conservatives ED FAST, who had criticized Poilievre’s attacks on the Bank of Canada, and MICHELLE REMPEL GARNER were also left out. JASRAJ SINGH HALLAN has been asked to serve as the finance critic. Hallan has represented Calgary Forest Lawn since 2019, taking the seat left vacant by the death of former longtime Conservative MP DEEPAK OBHRAI. If you want to learn more about Hallan, you should check out this profile by The Hill Times’ CHELSEA NASH. Send your news tips to pmazereeuw@hilltimes.com. The Hill Times

Politics This Morning

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Politics This Morning

Politics This Morning: DMs shuffle, PBO reports on economy

Plus, a witness-free hearing of the Emergencies Inquiry gets underway.

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