Grassroots members of the Conservative Party will debate proposed changes to party policy on social and cultural issues when they gather in Calgary later this month, including amendments related to diversity policies and the party’s stance on abortion.The convention will be the party’s first since its defeat in the spring 2025 federal election. Delegates from across the country are expected to vote on the leadership of Pierre Poilievre, as well as on a series of policy and constitutional resolutions submitted by local riding associations.The Conservative Party released a list of proposed resolutions late Thursday. Many reflect themes that have featured prominently in Poilievre’s leadership, including tougher criminal justice measures, opposition to drug decriminalization, accelerated resource development, and stricter immigration enforcement. .Proposals include ending the temporary foreign worker program and increasing deportations of non-citizens convicted of serious crimes.Under party rules, the leader is not required to adopt resolutions passed by delegates. However, party conventions have traditionally served as a forum for members to signal priorities and apply pressure on leadership to adjust policy direction.One resolution on criminal justice mirrors Poilievre’s previous calls to amend the Criminal Code to presume the use of lethal force is reasonable when Canadians defend their homes against intruders..Other proposals address social issues that Poilievre has largely avoided while focusing his opposition on affordability and cost-of-living concerns under Prime Minister Mark Carney.Among them is a motion seeking to remove a clause from the party’s policy declaration stating that a Conservative government would not support legislation regulating abortion. While social conservatives remain an organized presence within the party, Poilievre has said he would not pursue abortion legislation if elected. His wife, Anaida Poilievre, has previously described the couple as pro-choice in a French-language interview.Another proposal calls for changes to the party’s family policy to support what it describes as parental rights to arrange “body-affirming talk therapy” for children experiencing gender dysphoria. The submission opposes the federal ban on conversion therapy, arguing it criminalizes parents seeking such counselling..Conversion therapy refers to practices intended to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity and has been widely criticized by medical and psychological associations as harmful. When the ban was debated in Parliament in 2021, a majority of the Conservative caucus under former leader Erin O’Toole voted against the legislation, citing concerns over its scope. Poilievre voted in favour of the ban.Debate over policies affecting transgender and gender-diverse minors has intensified in recent years. Provincial governments, including Alberta under Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan under Premier Scott Moe, have introduced legislation restricting medical treatments for minors and requiring parental consent for changes such as pronoun use in schools.At the federal level, Poilievre has stated his opposition to puberty blockers for minors. During the party’s 2023 convention in Quebec City, delegates overwhelmingly supported a resolution calling for a prohibition on surgical and medical interventions for gender-diverse youth..Additional resolutions address opposition to digital identification systems and concerns about what proponents describe as “political de-banking,” referencing the freezing of bank accounts during the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests authorized by former prime minister Justin Trudeau under emergency powers.Members have also submitted proposals related to diversity, equity and inclusion policies. One resolution calls for the party to explicitly endorse merit-based decision-making, particularly in areas such as judicial appointments. Another addresses the future of the CBC, proposing that its operations be supported through independent, non-governmental funding rather than direct federal control.Several constitutional amendments focus on the party’s nomination process, following criticism after the last election over contested nominations and last-minute candidate appointments.Delegates are expected to vote on the resolutions during the multi-day convention, which party officials say will help shape policy discussions ahead of the next federal election.
