Rose LeMay Susan Riley Dayna Mahannah Jatin Nathwani Gwynne Dyer Why we need Parliamentary The uncertainty embedded COVID-19 crisis Toddler in chief in the race-based data on accountability or pandemic in oil and gas serves up off ers hope for a clean White House is frantic to COVID-19 p. 5 pandemonium? p. 4 another option p. 20 energy transition p. 18 reopen the economy p. 15 Michael Harris p.11 THIRTY-FIRST YEAR, NO. 1720 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 $5.00 News Canada-U.S.News COVID-19 & leadership News Senate Trump coronavirus Senate’s new pronouncements Next federal election a have had little COVID-19 impact on Canadian oversight response as few referendum on Trudeau’s committees have been realized, should leave say analysts management of rough stuff for BY NEIL MOSS the House, say s U.S. President Donald COVID-19, say pollsters, ATrump makes headline- grabbing suggestions that could Senators have wide-reaching effects on Canada’s response to curb CO- ‘a crisis like no other’ BY PETER MAZEREEUW VID-19, analysts say the presiden- tial pronouncements have little wo Senate committees just Veteran pollster Frank Graves says the COVID-19 global pandemic has brought the Tassigned to monitor the gov- Continued on page 23 world to the ‘cusp of another great transformation,’ but it’s unknown what changes it ernment’s response to COVID-19 should leave partisanship at the will create until this international crisis is over. But it’s never going back to normal. door, and cut the government some slack as it stickhandles the country’s biggest crisis since World War II, say some of the News Elections Canada Continued on page 6 Canada’s chief electoral offi cer Perrault consulting News Federal government provincial The next federal election Senators laud counterparts will be a referendum on how Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, performance of regularly on how pictured April 14, 2020, at his daily press conference public service to hold an election outside Rideau Cottage, and his minority government handled the amidst pandemic, if one is called in COVID-19 pandemic, say veteran with one calling for midst of COVID-19 pollsters. Pollster Nik Nanos says the decision on when to end the greater ‘risk taking lockdown will be a tough situation BY ABBAS RANA Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 for the federal government and and innovation’ by provincial governments, but they hile it’s highly unlikely that will need to work together in bureaucrats Wan election will be called in order to get it right. The Hill Times the midst of a global pandemic, photograph by Andrew Meade Canada’s Chief Electoral Offi cer BY MIKE LAPOINTE Stéphane Perrault is still consult- ing with his provincial counter- s Canadians now enter the BY ABBAS RANA parts regularly to plan for the are predicting that the next fed- this global crisis is over. Asecond month of self-isolation possibility that one is called in eral election will be a referendum “We won’t know until the very amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, ith the country deep in the this minority government. on how Justin Trudeau’s minority end how much damage this will the federal public service is winning Wthroes of a deadly interna- government managed COVID-19 Continued on page 26 tional pandemic, veteran pollsters and its impact on Canadians after Continued on page 22 Continued on page 7 2 MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2020 | THE HILL TIMES Heard on the Hill by Neil Moss The titles up for the 2020 Donner Prize are The Tangled Garden: A Canadian Cultural Manifesto This just in: Donner Prize, for the Digital Age, by Richard Stursberg and Stephen Armstrong; The Wealth of First Nations, by Thomas Flanagan; Living with China: A Middle Power Finds Its Way, by Wendy Dafoe Prize name books Dobson; Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Author, author: CBC’s Aaron Wherry is pictured on Population Decline, by Darrell Bricker and John Sept. 9, 2019 with National Post columnist John Ibbitson; and Breakdown: The Pipeline Debate Ivison. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and the Threat to Canada’s Future, by Dennis shortlisted for honours McConaghy. Book cover images courtesy of “Canada, Canadians, and/or Canada’s Signal/McClelland & Stewart, University of Toronto place in the world.” Press, Fraser Institute, Dundurn Press, and James “My great thanks to the foundation Flanagan‘s, The Lorimer & Co. Wealth of First and the judges and congrats to the other Nations; Dennis nominees…a nice bit of news, personally, “The Donner Prize has always shone when everything else is a bit nuts,” Mr. McConaghy‘s a spotlight on books that are exceptional Breakdown: The Wherry tweeted about the honour. works of public policy research,” Donner The CBC senior writer released his book Pipeline Debate Canadian Foundation chair Kenneth Whyte and the Threat on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the lead- said in a statement. “This year is no excep- up to the 2019 federal election. Mr. Wherry to Canada’s Fu- tion, with books on topics that are quite ture; and Rich- told The Hill Times last year that he had a se- literally ripped from the headlines. They ries of interview with Mr. Trudeau that added ard Stursberg will undoubtedly provoke debate. And these and Stephen up to around eight hours, one of which was books refl ect the challenges facing all levels conducted on the prime minister’s plane on Good reads: The winners of the Donner and Armstrong‘s The Globe and Mail‘s of governance and policy. Policy affects us the way to New York City for a United Na- Dafoe book prizes will be announced in The Tangled John Ibbitson was all, and books that probe hard questions, tions General Assembly meeting. anticipated ceremonies this fall. The Hill Times Garden: A Ca- previously shortlisted that suggest guidelines and direction for the Previous winners of the Dafoe Prize have photograph by Andrew Meade nadian Cultural for the Donner Prize future, become essential reading.” included historian Tim Cook for Vimy: The Manifesto for for his book, The Polite The shortlist was selected by a jury that Battle and the Legend; Maclean’s writer he nominees for 2020’s prestigious Don- the Digital Age. Revolution: Perfecting the is chaired by former Bank of Canada gov- Paul Wells for The Longer I’m Prime Min- ner and Dafoe book prizes are now out, This is the Canadian Dream. The Hill T ernor David Dodge, and includes former ister: Stephen Harper and Canada, 2006-; with 10 books earning the nod and offering second time Mr. Times fi le photograph University of Calgary Schulich School of Canadians another enlightening way to Ibbitson of The and historian John English for Citizen of Engineering dean Elizabeth Cannon, Mc- the World: The Life of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, pass their time in the COVID-19 lockdown. Globe and Mail has been shortlisted for Gill University political economy professor The fi ve books nominated for the Don- the Donner Prize. He was also nominated 1919-1968, Volume One, among many others. Jean-Marie Dufour, past deputy minister The prize has been awarded since 1984. ner Prize for best public policy book include for his 2005 book, The Polite Revolution: to the premier of British Columbia Brenda Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson‘s Empty Perfecting the Canadian Dream. The winner of this year’s prize will be Eaton, and Peter Nicholson, who was a awarded $10,000 at the J.W. Dafoe Founda- Planet: The Shock of Global Population De- The winner of the Donner Prize will deputy chief of staff for policy in Paul cline; Wendy Dobson‘s Living with China: take home $50,000, with the four runner- tion’s annual Book Prize dinner, likely to Martin‘s PMO. be held in the fall. A Middle Power Finds Its Way; Thomas ups receiving $7,500. Although the Donner Prize winner has been typically announced in the spring, this year’s award ceremony will take place in the fall due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bloomberg’s Kait Bolongaro Last year’s prize was won by Thomas Courchene for his book, Indigenous joins the Parliamentary Nationals/Canadian Citizens: From First Contact to Canada 150 and Beyond. Press Gallery Joining Mr. Ibbitson, fellow Parliamen- tary Press Gallery member Aaron Wherry Kait has also been nominated for a book prize Bolongaro of this year. Bloomberg His book, Promise and Peril: Justin is the latest Trudeau in Power, is one of fi ve titles up addition to the for the 2020 John W. Dafoe Book Prize. Parliamentary The other nominations include Adam Press Gallery. Chapnick‘s Canada on the United Na- The press tions Security Council: A Small Power gallery ex- on a Large Stage; Brendan Kelly‘s The ecutive board Good Fight: Marcel Cadieux and Canadian announced in Diplomacy; Tina Loo‘s Moved by the State: an email to its Forced Relocation and Making a Good Life members last in Postwar Canada; and Dave Meslin‘s week that she Kait Bolongaro has Teardown: Rebuilding Democracy from the was accredited previously been a reporter Ground Up. during a meet- with Politico Europe, BBC, The Dafoe Prize—named after the ing last month. Deutsche Welle, and Al former editor of the then-Manitoba Free Ms. Bolon- Jazeera, among others. Press—is awarded for the best book on garo has Photograph courtesy of reported from LinkedIn/Kait Bolongaro Bloomberg’s Elgin Street newsroom in Ottawa since Feb- ruary, according to her LinkedIn profi le. Previously, she has been a reporter with Politico Europe, BBC, Deutsche Welle, and Al Jazeera, among others.