Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Zi-Ann | Follow Politico Canada

Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I’m your host, Zi-Ann Lum, with Lili Bayer, Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Kyle Duggan. The Supreme Court is poised to rule on a case that pokes at the United States’ designation as a safe country for refugees. And Defense Minister ANITA ANAND is in Brussels where she will Zoom with press gallery reporters this morning, Ottawa time, to address the limits of Canada’s unwavering support for Ukraine.

NO. 1 IN AGREEABILITY — Frustration is bubbling within NATO over Canada’s reluctance to catch up with the 2 percent spending target.

Despite being well-liked in the alliance, Canada is now in the way of its plans to move forward, including on decisions officials want made by next month’s NATO summit in Vilnius.

“Everybody agreed to pay up and everybody should,” a senior European diplomat, who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive alliance dynamics, tells POLITICO’s LILI BAYER. NATO’s new approach to defense, the diplomat emphasized, “requires money.”

— What’s changed: A longer war in Ukraine has forced NATO to redesign its military plans, which means more money to train and equip troops for the alliance’s eastern flank.

— Reality check: Members are sensitive to Canada’s situation: A huge country, three oceans, the Arctic and the United States below illustrate competing priorities that split the defense budget.

“The domestic security situation is very different from frontline states in Eastern Europe or even in Europe in general,” CAMILLE GRAND, a former NATO assistant secretary general for defense investment, tells POLITICO.

Canada, he added, “has always benefited from a sort of a de facto U.S. security umbrella that enabled it to do a bit of free-riding on defense.”

— Canadian reaction: “Irrespective of what you’re hearing out there, we are more than holding our own,” Liberal MP JULIE DZEROWICZ, chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, tells Ottawa Playbook. “We are playing an outsized role.”

Canada doesn’t appear as a laggard, depending on what measures are used to quantify its NATO spend. The preference by Canadian officials is to compare overall defense budgets rather than spending compared to economic output.

Through this measure, NATO’s latest figures have Canada’s C$36 billion defense budget trailing only Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

— This chestnut, again: Sure, Canada’s defense spending has proven to be an irritant among allies. But if CBC News’ MURRAY BREWSTER’s story about Canadian soldiers’ “Gucci gear” in Latvia is any measure, there are other issues on Anand’s priority list.

Canada’s defense procurement system is “extremely complicated,” YVES BRODEUR tells POLITICO. Brodeur served as Canada’s ambassador to NATO between 2011 and 2015.

Procurement paralysis risks undermining new investments,he said, it’s not delivering what it’s supposed to do in a short period of time. “That’s a real issue.”

HOUSE VS. HOME — The House of Commons has voted to enshrine hybrid Parliament rules into the standing orders.

CTV’s RACHEL AIELLEO reports: “MPs voted — many virtually — 171 to 137 in favor of forging ahead with a series of permanent changes.”

Government House Leader MARK HOLLAND called it a historic step.

‘THE TIME IS NOW’ — Liberal MP KIRSTY DUNCAN was dressed in pink for her return to the Hill Thursday after announcing a medical leave in January.

“To those who are living with cancer, know that you’re not alone, and that I stand with you,” she said at the close of her opening statement. “I am grateful for the life-saving medicine, science, and compassionate and excellent care of our health care professionals.”

Duncan was back to Ottawa to urge the government to call a national public inquiry into safe sport.

“The time is now,” she told MPs on the House heritage committee. “If Canada gets it right, we can better protect our athletes. We can also be a catalyst for a long overdue global conversation.”

LAST TO KNOW — Elsewhere on Thursday, Public Safety Minister MARCO MENDICINO said it’s “unacceptable” his office didn’t inform him of rapist and murderer PAUL BERNARDO’s transfer to a medium-security prison.

He also said he’s not going anywhere, despite repeated calls from opposition MPs for his resignation.

“Look, it is very clear that I should have been briefed at the time,” Mendocino told reporters outside of a committee room on Thursday.

He also said he recently spoke with the representative for the families of murder victims Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French.

“I’ll do whatever I can to support them, as no doubt this has caused them great anguish and grief.”

— Set speculation to overdrive: With days left in the sitting before summer break, and the chattering class already throwing darts at a board about who might get downwardly shuffled in a mid-way point reset, the snafu assures Mendicino a top spot on the list of names for the weeks, maybe months, to come.

— Today’s the day Canada’s population hits 40 million, according to Statistics Canada.

— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is in Montreal to meet with the city’s mayor, VALÉRIE PLANTE before noon.

— Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND is in Toronto for private meetings. At 2 p.m. she holds a roundtable discussion on “growing the clean economy and creating opportunities for Canadian workers with Canadian mining leaders.”

9:15 a.m. (3:15 p.m. CET) Defense Minister ANITA ANAND holds a press conference in Brussels wrapping up her attendance at the NATO Defense Ministers’ and Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting.

9:45 a.m. The Supreme Court of Canada will deliver a judgment on whether the Safe Third Country Agreement is constitutional.

11 a.m. Michener Award winners for 2021 and 2022 will be announced during a ceremony at Rideau Hall. There’s a gala in the evening to make up for the previous years without a party.

Did someone forward Ottawa Playbook your way? Click here to sign up for your own edition. It’s free!

EYES ON CANADA’S TOP COURT — For an entirely different reason this week.

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on Ottawa’s appeal of a federal court ruling last year that found the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, which has been in effect since 2004, unconstitutional.

— Who’s behind the challenge: The Canadian Council for Refugees, Amnesty International Canada, The Canadian Council of Churches, plus eight plaintiffs.

— Why it’s interesting: The plaintiffs include a Muslim family from Syria, who left the United States after the country introduced a travel ban related to DONALD TRUMP’s crackdown on immigration. They were considered ineligible to claim refugee status in Canada.

The case will provide new commentary in a debate over whether the designation of the U.S. as a safe country for refugees under the agreement is valid.

— Political impact: CHRISTINA CLARK-KAZAK, associate professor of public and international affairs at the University of Ottawa, said the court upholding the agreement could spell a political win for Trudeau.

It could lend the government the credibility that it “sorely needs” after it invested “a lot of political capital” into keeping the agreement alive through legal appeals and a lengthy process of revising the agreement with the U.S.

— On the other hand: It could strike it down. Bad for the Liberals.

Clark-Kazak said that could “cause political fallout at a very practical level” by increasing the number of people eligible to make a claim, exacerbating delays.

The ruling could also complicate federal-provincial relations with Quebec, since the Legault government has taken a hawkish stance on refugee policy amid an influx of asylum seekers.

— One the other, other hand: Decisions are not often so clean cut and tend to land somewhere in between.

“Even if it is a loss [for the plaintiffs], that doesn’t mean the government has just been given a stamp of approval,” said SHARRY AIKEN, associate law professor at Queen’s University,

— Detail to watch for: The Federal Court took a pass on ruling whether it breaches Section 15 of the Charter, which grants everyone the right of equality.

But the parties and intervenors argued the Supreme Court should review it, and Aiken will be “looking very closely for what the court has to say about that argument.”

“Our courts and our government strongly espouse support for equality rights, and yet, every time equality rights are raised in the context of immigration and refugee issues, it’s an uphill battle to get recognition.”

Up: DAVID JOHNSTON’s feet for the summer, right?

Down: MENDICINO, who delivered a statement on repeat in front of cameras Thursday and tried to dodge reporters’ questions in West Block before being chased down and forced to give answers.

WE COME IN PEACE — Albertans filled an Ottawa ballroom packed with connected political staff, curious senior bureaucrats and a coterie of government relations types.

More specifically, the Business Council of Alberta brought a message to the Ottawa bubble: Please make it easier for companies to build big things. We’re here to help.

The westerners toted a new report, Future Unbuilt, that offers a roadmap to reshape federal regulatory policy for a low-carbon future.

— The report’s bottom line: “A CEO must be able to stand in front of their board and say with reasonable confidence how long it will take, and how much it will likely cost, to go through the review and permitting process on a given project in Canada.”

The last time so many Ottawa folk were transfixed by a visiting Albertan might’ve been then-premier JASON KENNEY‘s trip to the nation’s capital in 2019. At the time, Kenney demanded a “fair deal” for his province.

Thursday’s vibe was much warmer — a feeling in the room noted by biz council chair and longtime energy exec MAC VAN WIELINGEN in closing remarks at the lunchtime briefing.

— Who was in the room: Incoming Privy Council clerk JOHN HANNAFORD; Infrastructure DM KELLY GILLIS; NRCan’s ADM for low carbon energy, MOLLIE JOHNSON; ISED ADM PAUL HALUCHA; NDP national director ANNE MCGRATH; Associate Finance Minister RANDY BOISSONNAULT‘s chief of staff, ELLIOTT LOCKINGTON; Natural Resources Minister JONATHAN WILKINSON‘s chief of staff, CLAIRE SEABORN; Wilkinson’s deputy chief of staff, KYLE HARRIETHA; former Liberal budget whisperer TYLER MEREDITH; Deputy PM CHRYSTIA FREELAND‘s senior regional adviser, GALEN RICHARDSON; Clean Prosperity executive director MICHAEL BERNSTEIN and director of federal GR ETIENNE RAINVILLE; Business Council of Canada comms director HOWARD FREMETH; Conservative Party comms director SARAH FISCHER; and Canadian Chamber of Commerce senior VP MATTHEW HOLMES.

LISTEN UP — Hybrid Parliament has taken a toll on the interpreters who are its heart and soul — and ears.

Conservative MP DAVE EPP flagged this week that while one interpreter reported an injury before the pandemic, the number has jumped to 90. It’s a staggering rate, given how many work in the House and Senate.

DOMINIC LAPORTE, the head of the translation bureau, told the Board of Internal Economy Thursday that this isn’t just a Canadian problem and “there is no easy way to fix things.”

— Limited capacity: Laporte said resources permit 160 hours of interpretation in a sitting week, which covers House proceedings, a max of 57 committee sessions and three caucus meetings.

— Lost time: Officials said a total of 70 meetings have been canceled due to the resource crunch in the current Parliament.

And about 57 hours of committee time evaporated since the April break due to the staffing crunch, Conservative Whip KERRY-LYNNE FINDLAY said at the hearing.

— Staffing up: Laporte said the bureau has added a second yearly recruitment exam in a bid to boost numbers, with the next coming up later this month.

And the government is reaching out to universities to create programs from which it can recruit graduates.

— ‘There’s just fewer of them’: Bloc Québécois Whip CLAUDE DEBELLEFEUILLE, said in French that she relies heavily on House interpreters and worries about what it means for the fall.

She warned the board they are still being injured and that come September, “we’re going to hit a wall” with resources.

DeBellefeuille said she feels the health and safety of interpreters “doesn’t really interest parliamentarians,” and expressed hopes her “colleagues around the table, who are so passionate about this topic, can rally their troops.”

— The voices in your ear: The Translation Bureau has a team of 32 full-time translators, according to documents tabled in the House in response to an order paper question from Conservative MP BOB ZIMMER.

These translators, full-time staff and others working on contracts, translate all parliamentary documents.

An additional 42 translators work on the Hansard for the House and Senate; another 34 translators are assigned to committees. That’s 108 translators for Parliament.

— Outside Parliament: Government departments and organizations are also staffed with 665 translators for “other assignments” including translating the production of papers.

— Hybrid forever-ish: 65 percent of translators worked from home before the pandemic. In January, the Translation Bureau was given an exception from the public service’s telework directive, allowing a majority of translators to work remotely.

“This exception does not apply to staff working on classified or secret documents, which require on-site processing,” the response to Zimmer’s query read.

— The Star’s ALEX BALLINGALL reality checks the federal government for its failure to spend billions of dollars it pledged on a host of climate change initiatives in recent years.

— Former Vancouver mayor KENNEDY STEWART writes in a Globe op-ed: Canada has left itself vulnerable to election interference at the provincial and city level.

— The Hub’s AIDEN MUSCOVITCH considers the intense competition for university admissions in Ontario and warns that grade inflation is behind a race to the bottom.

— STEVE MCKINLEY writes on the first Black Canadian National Survey:“The rift between Black Canadians and the country’s criminal justice system runs particularly deep and wide.”

— MICHELLE CYCA writes for Maclean’s: “For generations, middle-class Canadians have been sold on the promise of homeownership. The promise was always flawed. Today it’s simply broken.”

— “There are some MPs, on all sides in the House … that don’t look at the best needs of the country first,” ERIN O’TOOLE says in a parting shot that will air on The House this weekend.

For POLITICO Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter: Welcome to ‘the new normal’

In other news for Pro subscribers:

— Canada ties energy transition to union jobs.

— Global summit on AI safety to be held in December.

— European Commission sides with industry on chemical recycling math.

— Senate Intelligence chair: China leads the world on AI rules.

— EU gives more power to AI translation machines.

— Tai calls for ‘fundamental’ break from past trade policy.

Birthdays: HBD to former Liberal Cabmin NAV BAINS.

Celebrating Saturday: POLITICO Canada’s star bird watcher and in-house hype-man-in-chief NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY, former Cabmin STEVEN FLETCHER, former Ontario premier ERNIE EVES and Quebec MNA JEAN-FRANÇOIS ROBERGE.

On Sunday: Conservative MP ED FAST, Senator DENISE BATTERS, NDP MP ALEXANDRE BOULERICE (50!).

Send birthdays to [email protected] .

Spotted: JENNIFER BONDER celebrating the publication of Statesmen, Strategists & Diplomats: Canada’s Prime Ministers and the Making of Foreign Policy. The new book features chapters from Bonder with LEAH SARSON, PATRICE DUTIL, BARBARA J. MESSAMORE, GRAEME THOMPSON, ROBERT TEIGROB, SUSAN COLBURN, STEPHEN AZZI and many more. The book is dedicated to the late GREG DONAGHY.

Canada’s Ambassador to the European Union AILISH CAMPBELL with a chocolate dip in Madrid.

Kitchener MP VALERIE BRADFORD with a shout out in the House to NICOLAS HAGUE and the Vegas Golden Knights. “We look forward to Nicolas visiting Kitchener with Stanley.” Moose Jaw MP FRASER TOLMIE congratulated BRETT HOWDEN, former captain for the Moose Jaw Warriors and now Stanley Cup champ.

Labor Minister and former CTV journo SEAMUS O’REGAN, showing up at the lectern in West Block with the names of CTV journalists let go by Bell this week handwritten on the cover of his sustainable jobs speech: DANIELE HAMAMDJIAN, PAUL WORKMAN, JOYCE NAPIER, GLEN MCGREGOR, ROSA HWANG and IAN WOOD. “It’s a loss,” he said.

Movers and shakers: New Brunswick Social Development Minister DOROTHY SHEPHARD resigned from the cabinet of Premier BLAINE HIGGS with a two-sentence, handwritten note.

Outgoing MP ERIN O’TOOLE has his next gig lined up: president of ADIT North America.

Media mentions: THE WALL STREET JOURNAL was recognized by the Society of Publishers in Asia for its feature on negotiations to free “the two Michaels.”

CBC News journalist JANICE JOHNSTON was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the Radio Television Digital News Association of Canada Awards. Johnston, whose decades-long career shaped justice and crime reporting in Edmonton and Alberta, died earlier this year. Congrats to all the regional award winners.

SCOTT STINSON announced that he’s leaving the National Post after 20+ years at Postmedia. “My number is up.”

→ Find upcoming House committees here
→ Keep track of Senate committees here

8:45 a.m. Commissioner of Official Languages RAYMOND THÉBERGE will be at the House official languages committee where his 2022-2023 report is up for discussion.

8:45 a.m. Canadian Global Affairs Institute President DAVID PERRY will be at the House defense committee to discuss procurement.

9 a.m. Conservative MP MICHAEL COOPER holds a press conference in West Block to introduce his private members’ bill, the Canada-Taiwan Relations Framework Act.

9:15 a.m. (3:15 CET) National Defense Minister ANITA ANAND holds a press conference in Brussels.

9:45 a.m. The Supreme Court of Canada will deliver a judgment on whether the Safe Third Country Agreement is constitutional.

1 p.m. The House subcommittee on international human rights will study the situation of the Hazaras in Afghanistan.

Behind closed doors: The House natural resources committee will devote the first block of its time to a report on natural resource industries.

TRIVIAL PURSUIT — #TEAMVANTAGE reclaimed its Playbook Trivia Night title with a runaway score of 25 points out of a possible 30. The one-man ALLIANCE OF FEDERATED INTERNS finished alone in second with 21 points. CLERKS OF THE TRIVY COUNCIL and SIR JOHN EEEEEH tied for third at 19.

— Controversy: Trivia host NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY heard a sustained earful from the suddenly rowdy crowd about the answer to a question about the downtown dinner venue for MÉLANIE JOLY and ANTONY BLINKEN when when JOE BIDEN was also in town. For the record, Playbook was correct. (We confirmed with an authoritative source that Riviera was the one true answer.)

That single contested result was not enough to overturn the final standings.

Thursday’s answer: STEVE PAIKIN asked: “Has the owner of a major sports franchise ever run for the leadership of a national political party in Canada, and if so, who?” The answer: PETER POCKLINGTON.

Paikin wrote about the 1983 convention here.

Props to TERRY MCCONNELL, author of The Puck Stops Here, J.D.M. STEWART, BOB PLAMONDON, GUY SKIPWORTH, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, WALTER ROBINSON, RALPH LEVENSTEIN, NANCI WAUGH, TIM MCCALLUM, GEORGE SCHOENHOFER, DAN MCCARTHY, JOE MACDONALD, MAUREEN BOYD and PATRICK DION.

Friday’s question: Here’s one from author, teacher and historian J.D.M. STEWART: Which prime minister was offered ballroom dance lessons as part of a congratulatory note on his election victory?

Send your answer to [email protected]

Think you have a harder trivia question? Send us your best.

Want to grab the attention of movers and shakers on Parliament Hill? Want your brand in front of a key audience of Ottawa influencers? Playbook can help. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: [email protected]

Playbook wouldn’t happen: Without Luiza Ch. Savage and Sue Allan.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this newsletter misspelled Yves Brodeur’s name.