Conservative Party members are urging their leader to embrace a range of contentious policy stances such as advocating for private healthcare, eliminating Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and shifting from the party’s previous stance of staying neutral on the abortion discourse. These are just a few among many policy suggestions set for discussion at the upcoming Conservative Party convention in Calgary. Some of these proposals may advance to the final plenary phase on the convention floor, where delegates will determine their endorsement as official party policies.
The proposals up for debate cover a broad spectrum, from terminating the temporary foreign worker program to granting expanded authority to the ethics commissioner, banning a digital central bank currency, and enhancing oversight on judicial appointments. While policies endorsed through a plenary vote at the convention carry significance as an indication of grassroots Conservative members’ viewpoints, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is not obligated to adopt them.
One proposal impacting the healthcare landscape in Canada advocates for offering provinces “private delivery options” within a universal, public healthcare framework. These options entail providing Canadians with insurance coverage choices for healthcare services, akin to countries with two-tier healthcare systems. Another proposal seeks to restrict access to medical assistance in dying (MAID). Currently, healthcare professionals qualified to partake in medically assisted death are not compelled to engage but are mandated by law to refer patients seeking MAID to a willing healthcare provider. However, a proposal under consideration at the convention aims to eliminate this referral obligation.
In the realm of abortion and conversion therapy, the Conservative Party’s existing policy book asserts a commitment to abstain from endorsing legislation regulating abortion. Despite unanimous parliamentary support to ban conversion therapy in 2021, a proposal now suggests revisiting this stance, emphasizing parental rights to arrange body-affirming talk therapy for gender-questioning children. Additionally, a policy proposal dubbed the “Jordan Peterson Policy” aims to safeguard professionals from facing repercussions for expressing opinions or refusing compelled speech, particularly in the transgender discourse.
Moreover, there is a push to challenge Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, with proponents arguing that career advancement should be based on merit rather than background or social status, promoting a meritocratic system. Another proposal advocates for defunding CBC/Radio-Canada to minimize government involvement in media operations, emphasizing independent, non-governmental funding for the public broadcaster.
Several immigration-related proposals are also on the agenda, including calls to terminate Canada’s temporary foreign worker program, prioritize Canadian job opportunities for domestic workers, and facilitate the transition of temporary foreign workers into permanent residents. Conservative Leader Poilievre has previously expressed support for abolishing the temporary foreign worker program.