Conservative Delegates Vote to Endorse ‘Castle Law,’ Reject DEI Ideology

CALGARY—Conservative delegates at the party’s national convention voted to adopt over a dozen policies, including endorsing the equivalent of a “castle law” for home protection against intruders and rejecting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

The non-binding policies that a majority of delegates voted in favour of on Jan. 31 also included taking action against transnational repression, pursuing immediate deportations for non-citizens convicted of criminal offences, imposing stricter bail conditions, opposing a central bank digital currency, and ensuring CBC’s operations are accomplished through non-governmental funding.

Among the policies that were not adopted was a motion opposing the federal legislation banning conversion therapy, which said the law “criminalizes parents” for “arranging for body-affirming talk therapy for their gender-confused child.” Several other motions also did not make it to a final vote, as they were ruled out in earlier stages. These included changing the party’s policy declaration that it will not support “any legislation to regulate abortion,” a proposed policy calling for a “post-abortion support framework,” and withdrawing from the World Health Organization and its global pandemic agreement.

Votes on the proposed policies were held during the Conservative Party’s convention in Calgary that took place Jan. 29 to 31, which also included a vote on whether to keep Pierre Poilievre as leader. Poilievre passed his leadership review with 87.4 percent support on Jan. 30.

Under the party’s rules, proposed policies must secure a “double majority,” meaning they need support from a majority of delegates voting and backing from more than half of the party’s provincial associations.

Party leadership is not obligated to adopt the policies as part of the party’s official platform going into an election, but passed resolutions serve as a blueprint of grassroots priorities.

Policies

Several of the policies the delegates voted to adopt revolved around stricter criminal justice laws. A policy supporting what is commonly known as the castle law, which allows for the use of lethal force against home intruders, received 91 percent of votes in favour. A policy for deporting non-citizens who commit crimes received 76.3 percent, and one opposing the “decriminalization of illicit drugs” and “taxpayer-funded hard drug safe supply programs” passed by 95.6 percent.

Conservative MP Larry Brock called for delegates to support a policy imposing stricter bail conditions, calling it a “complete repudiation of 10 years of failed soft-on-crime policies.” The policy passed by 97.3 percent.

A motion calling to counter foreign interference and “measures to tackle transnational repression to protect Canadians’ rights and freedoms, and our democratic institutions,” passed by 93.5 percent.

Conservative delegates voted by 91.9 percent to reject DEI ideology and affirm their belief in meritocracy, “where individuals succeed based on their abilities, efforts, and achievements—not their background or social status.” A separate policy rejecting DEI when it comes to judicial appointments also passed by 79.4 percent.

Some of the adopted policies revolved around reducing the size of the government and its role in peoples’ lives. A policy opposing the creation of a central bank digital currency and creating a “national framework to ensure continued access to and use of cash in Canada,” passed by 79.9 percent.

Former Conservative MP Damien Kurek spoke in favour of a motion supporting provincial jurisdiction by preventing federal programs that interfere with provincial responsibilities, saying the party should “get the federal government out of the way.” The policy passed by 91.4 percent.

One policy calling for the Conservatives to protect citizens from “arbitrary de-banking practices” based on personal beliefs passed by 87.8 percent. During the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests, as part of invoking the Emergencies Act to clear protests, the government froze the bank accounts of some of the protesters.

Another policy stating that private landowners shall “retain full control and decision-making authority over their property” passed by 94.1 percent.

A motion calling for people to not have their “professional accreditation revoked solely for voicing their opinion or refusing compelled speech” received 68.4 percent support. Titled the “Jordan Peterson Policy,” the motion references the College of Psychologists of Ontario’s decision ordering prominent psychologist and academic Jordan Peterson to undergo remedial social media training to maintain his licence over his online posts. Alberta has adopted a similar policy as provincial law.

A policy calling for the news and media landscape to exist as a free market and for control and operations of CBC/Radio Canada to be “accomplished through independent, non-governmental funding,” passed with 77.1 percent support.

A proposed policy to empower the ethics commissioner to take more punitive actions to go after MPs or senators who violate the Conflict of Interest Act passed with 82.3 percent of the vote.

Delegates also voted by 82.4 percent to adopt a policy against the government recognizing a new state without a vote in the House of Commons, in reference to Ottawa’s recognition of a Palestinian statehood last year.

A proposed policy opposing the federal law that bans conversion therapy, stating that Conservatives believe parents “have the right to arrange for body-affirming talk therapy for their gender-confused child,” received 51.8 percent of votes in favour compared to 48.1 percent opposed, but didn’t get adopted because associations from the majority of provinces didn’t vote in favour.