Tories should aim for nimbleness, humility at Quebec gathering

OTTAWA—From Sept. 7-9, Conservative Party members and activists will gather in Quebec City for a policy convention. The event coincides with the one-year anniversary of Pierre Poilievre’s election as party leader—a year after which Poilievre and his team will be pleased with where they sit. They have as united a Conservative parliamentary caucus as they could hope for, a heathy and consistent stream of donor cash coming into the organization, and, as polls are reflecting, a Liberal Party that is currently without its mojo. The Quebec gathering will shine a major spotlight on the Conservatives. Though no government will be won or lost there, the Quebec gathering will shine a major spotlight on the Conservatives, and the party should be prepared for the inevitable challenges it will encounter. As the possibility that an opposition party could form government, the scrutiny of their aptitude intensifies. Here are some things to watch for this weekend. First, how will Poilievre present himself? It’ll probably be a mixture of the affable dad portrayed in the ads the party is currently running, and the committed Conservative warrior the crowd in the convention hall will be salivating for. While Poilievre is not likely to have a road-to-Damascus-like conversion to middle-of-the-road policy, he will look to continue to demonstrate he feels people’s pain on the affordability front. A drinking game could be built around this one, but what will be the most-trafficked Poilievre word or phrase of the weekend? Lord knows the Conservative leader is a big fan of hokey sound bites. The housing crisis, people not being able to make ends meet, or the prime minister’s ineptitude will all rank up there. What tapestry will the opposition leader weave to move portions of the broader public to vote for him as an agent of change? Equally, can Poilievre do this without going too far with his language, which is a challenge for any leader at a partisan policy convention. As inevitable as the Toronto Maple Leafs flaming out in the early rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs, policy resolutions will generate news. Some that will never see the light of day will get disproportionate attention and be framed as a sign of a societal apocalypse should the Conservatives form government. How will these be managed by the Conservative media team? In these sorts of gatherings, the flock can get defensive and focus their energies on the interrogator as opposed to batting down the story. Anticipation and preparation are vital skills to prevent these sorts of headaches. Seeing what this looks like can be a helpful guide for how campaign cockups will be handled. Expect the unexpected and watch for the response. Whether it is the story of a leader kicking a chair in preparation (Stephen Harper, anyone?), a caucus or party member venturing into territory that could suggest division from the leader, or an appearance by an unwelcome visitor like a Freedom Convoy supporter, it is almost certain that there will be off-script moments. Does that mean a rewrite of the entire weekend or is it just swatted away? Keep triumphalism in check. Self-serving Liberal Party manifest destiny is annoying. Cocky drape-measuring Conservatives are stomach curdling. A fatal thing for any party is to believe your poop doesn’t stink, coupled with the projection of certainty of the inevitability of victory. Even in the era of oversharing and the never-ending promotion of “me,” most Canadians want to feel like the government should be about them. Before the current generation of Conservatives ascribes themselves legendary status, they need a healthy serving of restraint and humility, or they may discover legends will become myths. Let the games begin. We’ll have a post-game wrap next week. Tim Powers is chairman of Summa Strategies and managing director of Abacus Data. He is a former adviser to Conservative political leaders. The Hill Times