Conservatives to Debate Immigration, Abortion, Pipelines at Upcoming Convention

The Conservative Party will be debating policy proposals around issues dealing with the economy and the resource sector, as well as cultural issues including abortion, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at its upcoming convention.

Delegates from across Canada will meet in Calgary from Jan. 29 to 31 at the first convention since the party lost the April 2025 federal election. They will also debate a series of policy proposals submitted by party members across numerous riding associations.

Many of the proposals to be debated at the convention align with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s political messaging around being tougher on crime, promoting meritocracy instead of DEI, limiting immigration to reduce the high demand for housing and social services, and speeding up the development of pipelines.

Some of the proposals go further than what Poilievre has called for, such as withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its Pandemic Agreement, and supporting legislation to regulate abortion.

Party conventions have often been a way for party members to push their leader to take a stronger stance on issues. Poilievre will be able to decide whether to advance resolutions that party members endorse. 

A published list of policy proposals submitted by party members includes a proposal for considering “employment, housing and other conditions” when deciding on the number of new immigrants, refugees, and international students to bring into Canada.

One submission proposes that the Conservative Party delete a clause from its current policy declaration that states, “a Conservative government will not support any legislation to regulate abortion.” Another submission pushes for the party to support a “Post-Abortion Support Framework” that would expand support for women choosing to continue pregnancies and establish post-abortion, trauma-informed mental health services.

Poilievre has not spoken about re-opening the abortion issue in Canada, despite some MPs in his caucus holding pro-life views and repeatedly attending the annual March for Life rally opposing abortion on Parliament Hill.

The list also includes the potential addition of a paragraph opposing DEI, stating that the party “believes in the principle of meritocracy, defined as a system where individuals succeed based on their abilities, efforts, and achievements—not their background or social status.”

Another proposal involves the party amending a policy on family to support the “parental right to body-affirming therapy for kids” who may be “gender-confused.”

“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 resolution states.

Poilievre has stated he is opposed to minors being given puberty blockers, telling reporters in 2024 that the government should “protect children and let them make adult decisions when they become adults.”

Another proposal is for the Conservative Party to state it will incentivize the production of Canadian crude oil by focusing on the growth and production of Canadian oil refineries, “as a means of creating Canadian jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.”

One submission around protecting Canada from foreign interference calls for a Tory government to “never compromise Canadian sovereignty by permitting any international body to exercise authority over Canadian laws, policies, or decisions,” and withdraw from the WHO’s Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Agreement.

That agreement, adopted on May 20, 2025, requires Canada to strengthen disease surveillance, improve its health care system and supply chain for pandemic-related health products, and ensure drug manufacturers set aside vaccines and therapeutics for developing countries.