Party leader Pierre Poilievre confidently passed his leadership review, reinforcing his position to lead the party into the next election. Poilievre received 87.4 per cent of the vote in favour, the highest level of support for any Conservative leader in the party’s history. This surpassed the previous record held by Stephen Harper since the 2005 convention in Montreal, where he received 84 per cent support. The resounding result quashed any doubts surrounding Poilievre’s leadership.

The convention also gave delegates the opportunity to vote on key policy proposals and amendments to the party’s constitution. Delegates overwhelmingly endorsed changes to the policy platform heading into the next election. Major policy proposals adopted during the convention included immigration reform, ending diversity, equity, and inclusion-based hiring, and changes to self-defence laws.

Delegates voted in favour of a policy proposing a permanent ban on entry for non-Canadian citizens who have committed a serious offence. This would replace the current approach, under which individuals must first serve a sentence before facing deportation. Delegates also supported a policy to end diversity, equity, and inclusion-based hiring, reaffirming their belief in the principle of meritocracy, whereby individuals are hired based on merit rather than social or economic background.

In addition, delegates voted on one of the party’s core ideological pillars: crime and self-defence. Facing no opposition, the policy proposal called for a more permissive self-defence framework, under which Canadians would not be punished for taking decisive action if someone breaks into their home. Under the current law, self-defence is permitted only in limited circumstances, with greater force subject to criminal punishment. This vote aligns with the Conservatives’ broader “castle law” approach to crime.

Delegates also voted on amendments to the party’s constitution. Leading into the convention, there was discussion about decentralizing the party by shifting power from the central organization to local riding associations. One significant change adopted by delegates concerned candidate nomination committees, allowing local riding associations to interview candidates and recommend who they believe is best suited to run in the riding. Additional amendments now require that membership lists be provided to all nomination candidates at the same time, reducing the risk of perceived favouritism.

In summary, these constitutional changes grant greater control over the nomination process to local ridings and officials—an outcome long sought by many riding associations. The passage of these amendments signals a shift toward a more decentralized party structure, allowing for increased local input and engagement in the pre-writ period.

Taken together, the policy and constitutional changes adopted at the convention reshape the party’s priorities and signal a clear direction for a future Conservative government.