Politics This Morning: Trudeau heads east to soak up the sun, chat with wealthy Grits

Pack your sunscreen and selfie sticks. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is heading to the beach.

But don’t forget to bring your wallet if you’re hoping to get some quality time with the PM.

Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) will spend today travelling along the east coast of Nova Scotia, visiting scenic seaside spots before attending a reception for well-heeled Liberal donors.

The Liberal leader will start the day just after noon with a visit to the Out and About summer camp at the Islands Provincial Park in Shelburne, where he’ll tout the tax-free Canada Child Benefit his government put in place. And he’ll answer questions from reporters.

From there, Mr. Trudeau will venture north to Port Joli to visit the rugged shorelines of the Kejimkujik Seaside National and Historic Park before decamping in Halifax for an exclusive dinner at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia for Laurier Club members, which are the Liberal Party’s wealthiest donors. As per new party rules, registered media will be granted access to the event, but if recent history is any indication, they won’t be allowed to stick around very long.

Also making news today:

MPs push for hearings on NAFTA talks

The House International Trade Committee will reconvene on the Hill on Friday morning for a rare summer meeting to discuss Canada’s negotiating stance in upcoming talks on updating the North American Free Trade Agreement.

At the meeting, members of the Liberal-majority committee will discuss a request to the committee clerk made by four opposition MPs on Tuesday to hold hearings on the country’s priorities in the negotiations, which were requested by the United States and start Aug. 16.

The meeting comes days after the Trump administration announced its priorities for negotiations on NAFTA.

In particular, the opposition quartet is calling for appearances by Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland (University-Rosedale, Ont.), International Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne (Saint-Maurice-Champlain, Que.), and Finance Minister Bill Morneau (Toronto Centre, Ont.), as well as chief NAFTA negotiator Steve Verheul, reports the Canadian Press.
Ag minister wraps up talks with provincial counterparts

Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay (Cardigan, P.E.I.) will wrap up three days of talks Friday with his provincial and territorial counterparts in St. John’s, N.L. He’ll speak along with the event’s host, Newfoundland Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources Steve Crocker.

Ministers at this annual meeting are hammering out their next agricultural policy framework.

Summertime is the best time to put up cash

While the PM soaks up the sun on the east, some of his cabinet colleagues will be making the rounds in Ontario and Quebec, touting new projects and doling out big cheques.

In Toronto, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities Carla Qualtrough (Delta, B.C.) will visit Ryerson University to make a funding announcement for Olympic and Paralympic athletes. A Paralympian herself, Ms. Qualtrough competed in the swimming competitions at the 1988 and 1992 games.

Further west in Hamilton, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna (Ottawa Centre, Ont.) will visit the city’s industrial port lands to discuss a local remediation project.

Shifting gears to La Belle Province, Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development Jean-Yves Duclos (Quebec, Que.) won’t have to venture far from his Quebec City riding to make an infrastructure announcement in neighbouring Lévis.

Liberal MP David Lametti (LaSalle-Émard-Verdun, Que.), parliamentary secretary to the innovation minister, will be in Saint-Damien, Que., to roll out new funding through a program to bring high-speed internet access to rural and remote communities, while National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier (Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Que.) will remain in her riding to deliver an announcement about a local recreational centre.

On the other side of the aisle, NDP MP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, B.C.), her party’s immigration critic, will visit the border town of Emerson, Man. to talk with locals about recent illegal crossings of asylum seekers from the United States.

Finally, a big birthday shout-out goes out to Conservative MP Larry Miller (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, Ont.), who turns 61.