Conservative Party: Poilievre Secures 87.4% Leadership Support

CALGARY, AB — The Conservative Party of Canada wrapped its National Convention this weekend with a show of unity and muscle: Leader Pierre Poilievre secured 87.4% support in his mandatory leadership review, and delegates passed a series of hard-line policy resolutions aimed squarely at differentiating the party from Mark Carney's minority Liberal government.

MP Amanpreet Singh Gill, who represents Calgary Skyview, was among the delegates who left the three-day gathering "feeling grateful and energized," as he put it on social media Sunday. Translation: The party that lost the April 2025 election is betting big on a return bout.

The Policy Punch List

Delegates voted to oppose decriminalization of illicit drugs and safe-supply programs—a direct jab at harm-reduction approaches championed by some provinces. They also backed tougher sentences for intimate partner violence and endorsed a so-called "castle law," which would presume lethal force is reasonable against uninvited intruders in a home.

The convention didn't stop there. A resolution calling for an end to government funding for the CBC passed, setting up a future fiscal showdown if Poilievre ever forms government. For Albertans, particularly those in Calgary's conservative stronghold ridings, these moves signal a party leaning into law-and-order rhetoric and smaller government—themes that play well in the province.

The Money Machine

Behind the bravado sits serious financial firepower. The Conservative Party reported a record-setting 2025, pulling in $47.78 million from over 327,000 donations. That's double what the party raised before Poilievre took the helm in 2022. The Liberals had their own banner year, collecting over $29 million, but the Tories' war chest gives them runway for the next election—whenever Carney's minority government falls.

The Friction

Not everything was smooth. Two Conservative MPs, Chris d'Entremont and Michael Ma, crossed the floor to join Carney's Liberals in late 2025, citing frustrations with Poilievre's leadership. A resolution targeting the federal conversion therapy ban didn't pass, exposing internal rifts on social policy.

Still, the 87.4% leadership vote suggests the party's base is locked in. Constitutional amendments passed at the convention will give local riding associations more autonomy—a nod to grassroots members who want more control over candidate nominations and policy direction.

What Happens Next

The real test is whether the Conservatives can translate convention energy into legislative momentum. With a minority Liberal government in Ottawa, private member's bills on the "castle law" or CBC defunding could surface as early as this spring session. Carney's polling bump since taking office has cooled Conservative hopes for an immediate election, but both parties are flush with cash and ready for the next round.

For Calgary—a city that elected Conservative MPs in nearly every federal riding—the convention was a hometown flex. Poilievre's party is betting that Albertans, tired of what they see as federal overreach and soft-on-crime policies, will deliver them the keys to 24 Sussex next time around.