What can the Conservative convention tell us about the future of the party?

In today’s Big Story Podcast, CPC leader Pierre Poilievre spent the weekend hammering a message of affordability and economic focus at his party’s convention in Quebec. Most of the delegates were right there with him—but not all of them.

After a great summer that saw them surge past the federal Liberals in the polls, the Conservatives are aiming to stay on track, stay unified and form government the next time Canada goes to the polls. To do that they’ll have to avoid the kind of divisive, “culture-war” policies championed by some of their extremely conservative base. However, some motions on party policy from the convention do exactly that — like limiting healthcare to transgender youth.

Stephanie Taylor is a Parliament Hill reporter for the Canadian Press. She said some conservative delegates want Poilievre to not just talk about conservative economic policies, but so-called “cultural” policies as well.

“A goal like unity is pretty easy to get it is pretty easy to achieve when the polls are looking pretty good for you but inevitably there’s going to be harder days ahead,” said Taylor.

Can they do it? Will Poilievre keep the party in lockstep? And how does a party keep momentum going for two whole years, anyway?

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