The Conservative Party is overhauling its policy playbook. Here's what's changing

Delegates at the Conservative Party's national convention in Calgary voted overwhelmingly Saturday to enact a "stand your ground"-style law to allow someone to protect themselves with lethal force against an intruder in their home.

This was one of dozens of policies debated and adopted by delegates at this biannual gathering, many of which focused on crime, immigration and social policy.

After handing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre a strong endorsement, party members renewed their policy playbook ahead of the next possible federal election.

With an eye on the next campaign, delegates said they want Poilievre to rule out decriminalizing any more drugs, tighten bail and enact stricter laws to try to prevent intimate partner violence.

More than 90 per cent of delegates also called for a restoration of "meritocracy" by doing away with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. About 77 per cent, with some notable opposition from Quebec, voted for CBC/Radio-Canada to be defunded.

An overwhelming number of delegates — again, about 77 per cent — also endorsed a policy to pursue immediate deportation of non-citizens in Canada convicted of a serious offence, with a "default permanent ban on re-entry" and provisions for "asset forfeiture" of foreign criminals forced to leave.

As it stands, these criminals generally serve a sentence in Canada before facing deportation proceedings.

Immigration was a common topic at the convention.

A decisive 97 per cent of delegates, for example, supported tighter immigration rules, especially as it relates to establishing more "comprehensive screening" of would-be newcomers. Delegates agreed there needs to be "border security reform" and an overhaul of the asylum system.

While most policies sailed through with lopsided margins, one policy in particular revealed division in the party.

Social conservative delegates pushed a resolution that would have made it official Conservative policy to oppose the existing "conversion therapy ban," which was enacted by the last Liberal government.

Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole allowed it to pass unopposed even though some of his MPs wanted to vote against it, a decision that was a source of some tension at the time. 

The policy criminalizes the discredited practice of trying to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.

"We believe that parents have the right to arrange for body-affirming talk therapy for their gender-confused child, and we oppose the federal 'Conversion Therapy Ban' which criminalizes parents for doing so," the proposed resolution read.