Poilievre riding high in polls as Conservatives meet for policy convention

Conservative party members will assemble in Quebec City starting Thursday for a three-day policy convention — a chance to craft a playbook to woo voters who are showing signs of fatigue with the governing Liberals.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has seen his fortunes improve over the summer months with the party registering higher support in public opinion polls — figures that suggest the party could form a majority government if the next election were held any time soon.

Poilievre is laser-focused on affordability, inflation and the government's perceived failings but some party members have other issues on their mind.

The list of policy proposals before delegates this weekend includes some ideas to address the crippling increase in the cost of living, including providing different mortgage terms so homebuyers can lock in at lower rates for longer, and changes to the RRSP withdrawal rules for seniors.

But the document also reveals some members are eager to engage in so-called culture wars topics.

There are pitches on upending transgender-related policies, limiting euthanasia, doing away with forced diversity training, scrapping vaccine mandates for good and dismantling the Emergencies Act, the legislation used to dismantle the 2022 COVID-19 convoy.

The policies were crafted by the party's grassroots and approved by local electoral district associations (EDAs) before making it to this convention. There will be further debate before a final vote on the new policies on Saturday.

The policies are designed to inform the party's next election platform but Poilievre isn't required to campaign on what delegates endorse.

These conventions have been a headache for past leaders.

At the 2021 policy convention, Poilievre's predecessor, Erin O'Toole, promised action on the environment in a speech. The very next day, party delegates rejected a motion that declared climate change is real. As a result, O'Toole left the convention weakened with rampant internal discontent.

The challenge for Poilievre, party insiders and observers tell CBC News, is keeping members focused on the main task before them: cobbling together a winning coalition that can take down Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and end eight years of Liberal rule.

The party can't be distracted by social issues that could be off-putting to swing voters, the insiders said.

A policy to ban sex-selective abortions — a long-time demand of some anti-abortion activists in the party — was initially included in the list of policy proposals but was ultimately dumped from the final 55 that delegates will debate this week.

It's a sign that the Poilievre-led party doesn't want to be consumed by at least one divisive social issue.