:Conservative Party of Canada

{{Main|History of the Conservative Party of Canada}}

File:John A Macdonald (ca. 1875).jpg, Prime Minister (1867–1873, 1878–1891), Canada's first Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal-Conservative Party, one of the party's predecessors.|left]]

The Conservative Party is political heir to a series of right-of-centre parties that have existed in Canada, beginning with the Upper Canada Tories of the nineteenth century. John A. Macdonald and George-Étienne Cartier later founded the Liberal-Conservative Party. The party became known simply as the Conservative Party after 1873, and the Progressive Conservative Party after 1942. Like its historical predecessors and conservative parties in some other Commonwealth nations (such as the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom), members of the present-day Conservative Party of Canada are sometimes referred to as "Tories".{{cite web |last1=Tattrie |first1=Jon |title=Canada election 2015: Linguistic roots of Tories, Liberals and NDP |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/canada-election-language-roots-1.3271089 |series=Word for Word |website=CBC News |access-date=April 29, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209204726/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/canada-election-language-roots-1.3271089 |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |language=en |date=October 19, 2015 |quote=Some people sneeringly called a supporter of the Catholic Duke of York a {{lang|ga|toruighe}} [{{gloss|outlaw}}]. But then the duke became Britain's King James II and everybody wanted to be a {{lang|ga|toruighe}}. A new political party sought to ride his coattails by calling themselves the Tory party. The British Conservative Party formed in 1830, and it kept the old Tory as a nickname. Canada's Tories borrow both names. |url-status=live}} The modern Conservative Party of Canada is also legal heir to the heritage of the historical conservative parties by virtue of assuming the assets and liabilities of the former Progressive Conservative Party upon the merger of 2003.

In 1984, the Progressive Conservative Party's electoral fortunes made a massive upturn under its new leader, Brian Mulroney, who mustered a large coalition of westerners irritated over the Liberal government's National Energy Program, suburban and small-town Ontarians, and Quebec nationalists who were angered over Quebec not having distinct status in the Constitution of Canada signed in 1982.{{cite news|date=September 9, 2008|title=Wooing nationalists is a risky courtship|newspaper=The Montreal Gazette|url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=7ae0209d-dfbf-4725-ad70-7175308efc93|url-status=dead|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307233007/http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=7ae0209d-dfbf-4725-ad70-7175308efc93|archive-date=March 7, 2013}}{{cite news|last=Gunter|first=Lorne|date=October 19, 2011|title=Shipbuilding contract is an iceberg waiting to be hit|newspaper=The National Post|url=http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/10/19/ship-building-contract-is-an-iceberg-waiting-to-be-hit/|url-status=dead|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411104002/http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/10/19/ship-building-contract-is-an-iceberg-waiting-to-be-hit/|archive-date=April 11, 2013}} This led to a huge landslide victory for the Progressive Conservative Party.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, federal conservative politics became split by the creation of a new western-based protest party, the populist and social conservative Reform Party of Canada created by Preston Manning, the son of an Alberta Social Credit premier, Ernest Manning. Westerners reportedly felt betrayed by the federal Progressive Conservative Party, seeing it as catering to Quebec and urban Ontario interests over theirs. In 1989, Reform made headlines in the political scene when its first member of Parliament (MP), Deborah Grey, was elected in a by-election in Alberta, which was a shock to the PCs, who had almost complete electoral dominance over the province for years. Another defining event for western conservatives was when Mulroney accepted the results of an unofficial Senate election held in Alberta, which resulted in the appointment of a Reformer, Stanley Waters, to the Senate. {{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}

In the 1993 election, support for the Progressive Conservative Party collapsed, and the party's representation in the House of Commons dropped from an absolute majority of seats to only two. Meanwhile, the Reform Party took Western Canada and became the dominant conservative party in Canada. The PC Party rebounded slightly with 20 seats in 1997 and 12 in 2000, but was unable to challenge Reform in Western Canada; meanwhile, Reform dominated the western provinces but struggled to win seats east of Manitoba. Their electoral problems were accentuated by Canada's single member plurality electoral system, which resulted in numerous seats being won by the Liberal Party, even when the total number of votes cast for PC and Reform Party candidates was substantially in excess of the total number of votes cast for the Liberal candidate. This led to calls for the two parties to merge.

On October 15, 2003, after months of talks between the Canadian Alliance (formerly the Reform Party) and Progressive Conservative Party, Stephen Harper (then the leader of the Canadian Alliance) and Peter MacKay (then the leader of the Progressive Conservatives) announced the "'Conservative Party Agreement-in-Principle", that would merge their parties to create the new Conservative Party of Canada. After the agreement-in-principle was ratified by the membership of both parties, the new party was officially registered with Elections Canada on December 7. Senator John Lynch-Staunton, a PC, was named interim leader, pending the outcome of the party's inaugural leadership election.

The merger was opposed by some elements in both parties. In the PCs in particular, the merger process resulted in organized opposition, and in a substantial number of prominent members refusing to join the new party. Former leadership candidate David Orchard argued that his written agreement with MacKay, which had been signed a few months earlier at the 2003 Progressive Conservative Leadership convention, excluded any such merger. Orchard announced his opposition to the merger before negotiations with the Canadian Alliance had been completed. Over the course of the following year, Orchard led an unsuccessful legal challenge to the merger of the two parties.

In October and November, during the course of the PC party's process of ratifying the merger, three sitting Progressive Conservative MPs — André Bachand, John Herron and former prime minister Joe Clark — announced they would not join the new Conservative Party caucus. In the months following the merger, Rick Borotsik, who had been elected as Manitoba's only PC, became openly critical of the new party's leadership, while former leadership candidate Scott Brison and former Alliance leadership candidate Keith Martin left the party. Brison, Herron and Martin ran for the Liberal Party in the next election, while Clark, Bachand and Borotsik retired. Three senators — William Doody, Norman Atkins, and Lowell Murray — declined to join the new party and continued to sit in the upper house as a rump caucus of Progressive Conservatives, and a fourth (Jean-Claude Rivest) soon left to sit as an independent. In February 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin appointed two anti-merger Progressive Conservatives, Nancy Ruth and Elaine McCoy, to the Senate. In March 2006, Nancy Ruth joined the new Conservative Party.

{{main|2004 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election}}

In the immediate aftermath of the merger announcement, some Conservative activists hoped to recruit former Ontario premier Mike Harris for the leadership. Harris declined the invitation, as did New Brunswick premier Bernard Lord and Alberta premier Ralph Klein. Outgoing Progressive Conservative leader Peter MacKay also announced he would not seek the leadership, as did former Democratic Representative Caucus leader Chuck Strahl. Jim Prentice, who had been a candidate in the 2003 PC leadership contest, entered the Conservative leadership race in mid-December but dropped out in mid-January because of an inability to raise funds so soon after his earlier leadership bid.

In the end, there were three candidates in the party's first leadership election: former Canadian Alliance leader Stephen Harper, former Magna International CEO Belinda Stronach, and former Ontario provincial PC Cabinet minister Tony Clement. Voting took place on March 20, 2004. A total of 97,397 ballots were cast.Tom Flanagan, Harper's Team. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2007, pg. 131 Harper won on the first ballot with 56.2% of the vote; Stronach received 34.5%, and Clement received 9.4%.Tom Flanagan, Harper's Team. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2007, pg. 133

Two months after Harper's election as leader, Prime Minister Paul Martin called a general election for June 28, 2004.

For the first time since the 1993 election, a Liberal government would have to deal with an opposition party that was generally seen as being able to form government. The Liberals attempted to counter this with an early election call, as this would give the Conservatives less time to consolidate their merger. During the first half of the campaign, polls showed a rise in support for the new party, leading some pollsters to predict the election of a minority Conservative government. Momentum stalled after several Conservative candidates made controversial remarks about homosexuality, official bilingualism and abortion, allowing the Liberal Party to warn of a "hidden agenda". Ultimately, Harper's new Conservatives emerged from the election with a much larger parliamentary caucus of 99 MPs while the Liberals were reduced to a minority government of 135 MPs, twenty short of a majority.

In 2005, some political analysts such as former Progressive Conservative pollster Allan Gregg and Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hébert suggested that the then-subsequent election could result in a Conservative government if the public were to perceive the Tories as emerging from the party's founding convention (then scheduled for March 2005 in Montreal) with clearly defined, moderate policies with which to challenge the Liberals. The convention provided the public with an opportunity to see the Conservative Party in a new light, appearing to have reduced the focus on its controversial social conservative agenda. It retained its fiscal conservative appeal by espousing tax cuts, smaller government, and more decentralization by giving the provinces more taxing powers and decision-making authority in joint federal-provincial programs. The party's law and order package was an effort to address rising homicide rates, which had gone up 12% in 2004.{{cite web|date=July 21, 2005|title=Statistics Canada re spike in homicides|url=http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/050721/d050721a.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080831051213/http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/050721/d050721a.htm|archive-date=August 31, 2008|access-date=May 5, 2011|publisher=Statcan.ca}}

On November 24, 2005, Harper introduced a motion of no confidence which, with the backing of the other two opposition parties, passed on November 28, 2005. This resulted in an election scheduled for January 23, 2006. The Conservatives started off the first month of the campaign by making a series of policy-per-day announcements, which included a Goods and Services Tax reduction and a child-care allowance. These announcements played to Harper's strengths as a policy wonk,{{cite web|title=andrewcoyne.com|url=http://andrewcoyne.com/Essays/Newspapers/Campaign_strategies.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116022016/http://andrewcoyne.com/Essays/Newspapers/Campaign_strategies.html|archive-date=November 16, 2006|access-date=April 28, 2010}} as opposed to the 2004 election and summer 2005 where he tried to overcome the perception that he was cool and aloof. Though his party showed only modest movement in the polls, Harper's personal approval numbers, which had always trailed his party's significantly, began to rise. In addition, the party also received more newspaper endorsements than in 2004.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}

On January 23, 2006, the Conservatives won 124 seats, compared to 103 for the Liberals. The results made the Conservatives the largest party in the 308-member House of Commons, enabling them to form a minority government.

{{Main|Premiership of Stephen Harper|Domestic policy of the Stephen Harper government|Environmental policy of the Stephen Harper government|Foreign policy of the Stephen Harper government}}

File:Stephen Harper by Remy Steinegger Infobox.jpg, Prime Minister (2006–2015)]]On February 6, 2006, Harper and his Cabinet were sworn in. The Conservative Party confronted the In and Out scandal, regarding improper election spending during the 2006 election. The government's first budget produced a nearly $14 billion surplus, a number slightly greater than the Martin government. The budget also drastically increased military spending and scrapped funding for the Kyoto Protocol and the Kelowna Accord. Later, the government introduced the tax-free savings account (TFSA). The government passed the Veterans' Bill of Rights, which guaranteed benefits for veterans from Veterans Affairs Canada, in addition to guaranteeing equality of veterans and referring to them as "special citizens". The government also passed the Québécois nation motion which would "recognize the Québécois as a nation within a united Canada",{{Cite web |date=November 27, 2006 |title=House passes motion recognizing Quebecois as nation |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/house-passes-motion-recognizing-quebecois-as-nation-1.574359 |access-date=December 19, 2024 |website=CBC News}} and introduced a motion to reverse the same-sex marriage law implemented by the Martin government, which was defeated.{{Cite web |date=December 7, 2006 |title=MPs defeat bid to reopen same-sex marriage debate |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mps-defeat-bid-to-reopen-same-sex-marriage-debate-1.599856 |access-date=December 19, 2024 |website=CBC News |archive-date=April 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406045128/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mps-defeat-bid-to-reopen-same-sex-marriage-debate-1.599856 |url-status=live }}

Deadlock between the Conservatives and the Liberals, the New Democratic Party, and the Bloc Québécois led to the calling of the October 2008 federal election, in which the Conservatives won a stronger minority. Shortly after, the Conservatives fought off a vote of non-confidence by a potential governing coalition of opposition parties by proroguing parliament. In his second term, Harper's government responded to the 2008 financial crisis and the Great Recession by introducing the 2009 Canadian federal budget that implemented major personal income tax cuts. However, these tax cuts, along with increases in spending to mitigate the 2008 financial crisis, grew deficit spending to $55.6 billion – Canada's largest federal deficit up to that time.{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Deficit a record $50B as economy weakens |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2009/05/27/deficit_a_record_50b_as_economy_weakens.html |website=Toronto Star |access-date=February 5, 2022 |date=May 27, 2009 |archive-date=February 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205204412/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2009/05/27/deficit_a_record_50b_as_economy_weakens.html |url-status=live }}

A March 2011 non-confidence vote that found the Harper government to be in contempt of Parliament dissolved Parliament and triggered an election. In this election, the Conservatives won a majority government. The Harper government withdrew Canada from the Kyoto Protocol and repealed the long-gun registry. In foreign policy, the government passed the Anti-terrorism Act, launched Operation Impact to combat ISIL, negotiated the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union, and negotiated the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The Conservatives also gained controversy surrounding the Canadian Senate expenses scandal and the Robocall scandal; the latter involved robocalls and real-person calls that were designed to result in voter suppression in the 2011 election. In economic policy, the government launched Canada's Global Markets Action Plan to generate employment opportunities for Canadians by expanding Canadian businesses and investment in other countries, and balanced the budget in the 2014 federal budget, producing a minor deficit of $550 million.

In the 2015 federal election, after nearly a decade in power, the Conservatives were defeated by Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party. Harper stepped down as leader on the election day on October 19. Journalist John Ibbitson of The Globe and Mail described Harper as "the most conservative leader Canada has ever known."{{cite web |last1=Ibbitson |first1=John |title=How Harper created a more conservative Canada |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/globe-politics-insider/how-harper-created-a-more-conservative-canada/article22829480/ |website=Globe and Mail |access-date=February 5, 2022 |date=February 6, 2015 |archive-date=February 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205203331/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/globe-politics-insider/how-harper-created-a-more-conservative-canada/article22829480/ |url-status=live }}

Following the election of the Liberals and Harper's resignation as party leader in the 2015 election, it was announced that an interim leader would be selected to serve until a new leader could be chosen.{{cite web|date=October 22, 2015|title=Diane Finley Plans To Run For Interim Conservative Leadership|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/10/22/diane-finley-puts-name-forward-to-run-for-interim-conservative-leader_n_8358276.html|access-date=October 13, 2016|work=HuffPost|archive-date=November 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120054717/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/10/22/diane-finley-puts-name-forward-to-run-for-interim-conservative-leader_n_8358276.html|url-status=live}} That was completed at the caucus meeting of November 5, 2015{{cite news|title=Conservatives choose Alberta MP Rona Ambrose as interim leader|work=cbc.ca|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-interim-leader-vote-1.3306152|access-date=October 13, 2016|archive-date=July 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721035412/http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-interim-leader-vote-1.3306152|url-status=live}} where Rona Ambrose, MP for Sturgeon River—Parkland and a former cabinet minister, was elected by a vote of MPs and Senators.{{cite web|title=Rona Ambrose elected interim Conservative leader|url=http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2015/11/05/rona-ambrose-elected-interim-conservative-leader/|access-date=December 21, 2016|work=RCI|date=November 5, 2015|archive-date=June 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609143523/http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2015/11/05/rona-ambrose-elected-interim-conservative-leader/|url-status=live}}

Some members of the party's national council were calling for a leadership convention as early as May 2016 according to Maclean's magazine.{{cite web|author=Paul Wells|title=Conservative caucus unrest mounts|url=http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/conservative-caucus-unrest-mounts/|access-date=November 5, 2015|work=Macleans.ca|date=October 23, 2015 |archive-date=November 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105191213/http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/conservative-caucus-unrest-mounts/|url-status=live}} However, some other MPs wanted the vote to be delayed until the spring of 2017.{{cite web|author=The Hill Times|date=October 29, 2015|title=Conservative MPs calling on party to hold leadership convention in spring 2017|url=http://www.hilltimes.com/2015/10/28/conservative-mps-calling-on-party-to-hold-leadership-convention-in-spring-2017/43948|access-date=November 5, 2015|work=hilltimes.com|archive-date=October 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031154103/http://www.hilltimes.com/2015/10/28/conservative-mps-calling-on-party-to-hold-leadership-convention-in-spring-2017/43948|url-status=live}} On January 19, 2016, the party announced that a permanent leader will be chosen on May 27, 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/01/19/next-conservative-party-leader-will-be-chosen-may-27-2017-party-says-2/#.Vp6stPkrIgt|title=Next Conservative party leader will be chosen May 27, 2017, party says|website=National Newswatch|publisher=National Newswatch Inc.|date=January 19, 2016|access-date=January 19, 2016|archive-date=January 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128112809/http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/01/19/next-conservative-party-leader-will-be-chosen-may-27-2017-party-says-2/#.Vp6stPkrIgt|url-status=live}}

File:Andrew Scheer portrait style.jpg

On September 28, 2016, former Speaker of the House of Commons Andrew Scheer announced his bid for the leadership of the party.{{cite web|last=Fekete|first=Jason|date=September 28, 2016|title=Andrew Scheer announces support of 20 members of Conservative caucus as he makes leadership bid official|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/andrew-scheer-announces-support-of-20-members-of-conservative-caucus-as-he-makes-leadership-bid-official|access-date=September 28, 2016|work=National Post}} On May 27, 2017, Scheer was elected as the second permanent leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, beating runner-up MP Maxime Bernier and more than 12 others with 50.95% of the vote through 13 rounds.{{cite news|last=Harris|first=Kathleen|date=May 27, 2017|title=Andrew Scheer elected new Conservative leader|publisher=CBC News|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-leadership-race-winner-1.4134575|access-date=May 27, 2017|archive-date=April 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430205909/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-leadership-race-winner-1.4134575|url-status=live}} Bernier would leave the Conservatives in 2018 to form the People's Party of Canada, which campaigned on right-wing populist positions in subsequent elections but failed to win a seat.

Under Scheer, the Conservatives prioritized repealing the Liberal government's carbon tax,{{cite web |last1=Emmanuel |first1=Rachel |title=Conservative pitch carbon tax scrap as first act of government |url=https://ipolitics.ca/2019/10/17/conservative-pitch-carbon-tax-scrap-as-first-act-of-government/ |website=iPolitics |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=October 17, 2019 |archive-date=February 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206100818/https://ipolitics.ca/2019/10/17/conservative-pitch-carbon-tax-scrap-as-first-act-of-government/ |url-status=live }} pipeline construction,{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Alanna |title=Conservative leader Andrew Scheer shares pipeline vision in Calgary |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/conservative-leader-andrew-scheer-shares-pipeline-vision-in-calgary |website=Calgary Herald |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=May 25, 2019 |archive-date=February 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206213004/https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/conservative-leader-andrew-scheer-shares-pipeline-vision-in-calgary |url-status=live }} and balancing the budget within five years had they formed government in 2019.{{cite web |last1=Smart |first1=Amy |title=Scheer says it would take Conservatives five years to balance budget |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/scheer-says-it-would-take-conservatives-five-years-to-balance-budget-1.4436472 |website=CTV News |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=May 24, 2019 |archive-date=February 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206100813/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/scheer-says-it-would-take-conservatives-five-years-to-balance-budget-1.4436472 |url-status=live }} Scheer is a social conservative; he is personally pro-life and opposes same-sex marriage, though like Harper, he stated he would not attempt to overturn the legality of both laws.{{cite web |last1=Levitz |first1=Stephanie |title=Possible to hold socially conservative views and be prime minister: Scheer |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/scheer-socially-conservative-1.5334891 |website=CBC News |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=October 25, 2019 |archive-date=February 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206213005/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/scheer-socially-conservative-1.5334891 |url-status=live }}

The Conservative Party entered the October 2019 federal election campaign neck-in-neck with the Liberals after the SNC-Lavalin affair earlier that year involving Justin Trudeau, but the election resulted in a Liberal minority government victory. The Conservatives did, however, win the largest share of the popular vote, and gained 26 seats. Notably, they won every single seat in Saskatchewan and all but one in Alberta. While the Conservative Party has historically been highly successful in Alberta and Saskatchewan, some point to a growing sense of Western alienation to explain the results. Following the election, Scheer faced criticism from within the party for failing to defeat Trudeau, who gained criticism for his handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair and for his wearing of brownface and blackface; the latter incident was made public during the election campaign. Scheer announced his pending resignation on December 12, 2019, after the CBC reported that the Conservative party had been paying part of his children's private school tuition.{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Andrew Scheer: Canadian Conservative leader resigns |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50762474 |website=BBC News |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=December 12, 2019 |archive-date=June 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624103218/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50762474 |url-status=live }} He remained party leader, until his successor was chosen in August 2020.

File:Conservative Party of Canada logo (2020).png

File:ErinO'Toole.jpg

A leadership election to replace Scheer was held in 2020, which was won by former Veterans Affairs Minister Erin O'Toole on August 24, 2020.{{Cite news|title=Erin O'Toole wins Conservative leadership race on the third ballot|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/erin-otoole-wins-conservative-leadership-race-on-the-third-ballot|access-date=August 24, 2020|website=National Post|date=August 24, 2020|language=en-CA|last1=Platt|first1=Brian|archive-date=August 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815154545/https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/erin-otoole-wins-conservative-leadership-race-on-the-third-ballot|url-status=live}}

Though running for the leadership on a "true blue" platform,{{cite web |last1=Ballingall |first1=Alex |title=What kind of prime minister would Erin O'Toole be? His 'true-blue' platform spells it out |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2020/08/24/what-kind-of-prime-minister-would-erin-otoole-be-his-true-blue-platform-spells-it-out.html |website=Toronto Star |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=August 24, 2020 |archive-date=August 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827174139/https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2020/08/24/what-kind-of-prime-minister-would-erin-otoole-be-his-true-blue-platform-spells-it-out.html |url-status=live }} O'Toole started to nudge the Conservative Party to the political centre as leader.{{cite web |last1=Gillies |first1=Rob |title=In Canada, a pro-abortion, pro-LGBT Conservative is seeking to unseat Justin Trudeau |url=https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2021/09/17/trudeau-otoole-canada-politics-conservative-241460 |website=America Magazine |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=September 17, 2021 |archive-date=February 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206213006/https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2021/09/17/trudeau-otoole-canada-politics-conservative-241460 |url-status=live }} Despite campaigning against the Liberal government's carbon tax during his leadership campaign, O'Toole reversed his position in April 2021, instead advocating for a low carbon savings account.{{cite web |last1=Cochrane |first1=David |last2=Shivji |first2=Salimah |last3=Wherry |first3=Aaron |title=Conservatives announce plan to replace Liberal carbon tax with a lower levy of their own |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/carbon-tax-conservatives-1.5988407 |website=CBC News |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=April 15, 2021 |archive-date=September 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926211507/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/carbon-tax-conservatives-1.5988407 |url-status=live }} In contrast to his two predecessors as leader, O'Toole is pro-choice and supports same-sex marriage.

Prime Minister Trudeau called the September 2021 federal election in the hopes of winning a majority government, though in the middle of the campaign O'Toole's Conservatives were tied with the Liberals, if not slightly ahead of the Liberals in the polls. During the campaign, O'Toole stated he would balance the budget within the next 10 years{{cite web |last1=Curry |first1=Bill |last2=Dickson |first2=Janice |title=Conservative government would aim to erase deficit in a decade, Erin O'Toole says |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-conservative-government-would-aim-to-erase-deficit-in-a-decade-erin-o/ |website=Globe and Mail |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=September 3, 2021 |archive-date=October 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021214211/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-conservative-government-would-aim-to-erase-deficit-in-a-decade-erin-o/ |url-status=live }} and reversed his support for repealing the Liberal government's "assault-style" weapons ban.{{cite web |last1=Major |first1=Darren |title=O'Toole reverses course on guns, will maintain Liberal ban during review of classifications |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/gun-control-wedge-issue-1.6165532 |website=CBC News |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=September 5, 2021 |archive-date=February 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206213008/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/gun-control-wedge-issue-1.6165532 |url-status=live }} In a similar manner to the 2019 election, the Conservatives again won the popular vote but fell short of gaining the largest amount of seats, enabling the Liberal Party under Justin Trudeau to form another minority government.

As a result, party members were undecided on whether he should continue as leader.{{cite news|last1= Stone|first1= Laura|last2= Bailey|first2= Ian|date= September 22, 2021|title= Erin O'Toole accused of 'betraying' Conservatives as he faces first leadership challenge|url= https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-erin-otoole-accused-of-betraying-conservatives-as-he-faces-first/|work= The Globe and Mail|accessdate= September 2, 2021|archive-date= September 23, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210923030250/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-erin-otoole-accused-of-betraying-conservatives-as-he-faces-first/|url-status= live}}{{cite news|last1= Stone|first1= Laura|last2= Bailey|first2= Ian|date= September 23, 2021|title= Former Ontario premier Mike Harris, MPs urge Conservatives to unify around Erin O'Toole after election loss|url= https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-former-premier-mike-harris-mps-urge-conservatives-to-unify-around-erin/|work= The Globe and Mail|accessdate= September 2, 2021|archive-date= September 24, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210924043539/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-former-premier-mike-harris-mps-urge-conservatives-to-unify-around-erin/|url-status= live}} On October 5, the Conservative caucus voted to adopt the provisions of the Reform Act, giving caucus the power to trigger a leadership review. O'Toole denied that it represented a threat to his leadership, insisting that the caucus was united as a team and that, as a supporter of the Act, he had encouraged his caucus to adopt all of its provisions.{{Cite web|last=Taylor|first=Stephanie|date=October 5, 2021|title=O'Toole says Conservative caucus 'fully united' as MPs vote on power to oust him|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8243738/tory-leader-erin-otoole-face-conservative-caucus-first-time-after-election/|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=Global News|language=en-CA|archive-date=February 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206024144/https://globalnews.ca/news/8243738/tory-leader-erin-otoole-face-conservative-caucus-first-time-after-election/|url-status=live}}

On January 31, 2022, Conservative Calgary Heritage MP Bob Benzen submitted a letter with signatures from 35 Conservative MPs calling for a leadership review on O'Toole's leadership to the Conservative caucus chair, Scott Reid. In the letter, Benzen criticized O'Toole's reversal on repealing the Liberal government's carbon tax and assault weapons ban.{{cite web |last1=Tasker |first1=John |title=Conservative caucus revolt triggers vote on Erin O'Toole's leadership |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/erin-otoole-leadership-review-caucus-1.6334491 |website=CBC News |access-date=February 6, 2022 |date=January 31, 2022 |archive-date=February 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204032050/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/erin-otoole-leadership-review-caucus-1.6334491 |url-status=live }} On February 2, 2022, O'Toole was removed as leader by a margin of 73 to 45 votes.{{cite news|last= Tasker|first= John Paul|date= February 2, 2022|title= Conservative MPs vote to remove Erin O'Toole as leader|url= https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/otoole-leadership-vote-1.6336336|work= CBC|accessdate= February 2, 2022|archive-date= February 2, 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220202222528/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/otoole-leadership-vote-1.6336336|url-status= live}}

{{Main|2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election}}

File:Pierre Poilievre in 2023..jpgThen-deputy leader of the Conservative Party Candice Bergen was elected interim leader the same day O'Toole was ousted,{{Cite web|title=Conservatives elect Candice Bergen as interim party leader - National {{!}} Globalnews.ca|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8590833/conservative-party-interim-leader/|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=Global News|language=en-US|archive-date=February 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204235034/https://globalnews.ca/news/8590833/conservative-party-interim-leader/|url-status=live}} and a leadership election was subsequently scheduled for September 10, 2022. Conservative MP and former cabinet minister Pierre Poilievre,{{cite web| url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8598251/pierre-poilievre-prime-minister-campaign/| title=Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre says he is running for prime minister| first=Stephanie| last=Taylor| date=February 5, 2022| website=globalnews.ca| url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206013707/https://globalnews.ca/news/8598251/pierre-poilievre-prime-minister-campaign/| archive-date=February 6, 2022}}{{cite tweet| user=PierrePoilievre| number=1490115382157398030| title=I'm running for Prime Minister to give you back control of your life. Sign up now to help me replace Trudeau & restore freedom| date=February 5, 2022| url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214115844/https://twitter.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1490115382157398030| archive-date=February 14, 2022}} Conservative MP and former leadership candidate Leslyn Lewis,{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2022 |title=MP Leslyn Lewis launches Conservative leadership bid for second time |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mp-leslyn-lewis-launches-conservative-leadership-bid-for-second-time-1.5810611 |access-date=March 13, 2022 |website=CTVNews |language=en |archive-date=February 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230226222828/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mp-leslyn-lewis-launches-conservative-leadership-bid-for-second-time-1.5810611 |url-status=live }} Independent (formerly Progressive Conservative) Member of Ontario Provincial Parliament Roman Baber,{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Stephanie |date=March 9, 2022 |title=Independent Ontario MPP Roman Baber to enter Conservative leadership race |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/independent-ontario-mpp-roman-baber-to-enter-conservative-leadership-race-1.5811846 |access-date=March 13, 2022 |website=CTVNews |language=en |archive-date=October 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007080950/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/independent-ontario-mpp-roman-baber-to-enter-conservative-leadership-race-1.5811846 |url-status=live }} former leader of the now-defunct Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and former Premier of Quebec Jean Charest,{{Cite web |date=March 10, 2022 |title=Jean Charest launches Conservative leadership bid in Calgary |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/jean-charest-launches-conservative-leadership-bid-in-calgary-1.5813452 |access-date=March 13, 2022 |website=CTVNews |language=en |archive-date=March 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312231257/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/jean-charest-launches-conservative-leadership-bid-in-calgary-1.5813452 |url-status=live }} former MP, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, and Mayor of Brampton Patrick Brown,{{Cite web |date=March 13, 2022 |title=Patrick Brown, mayor of Brampton, Ont., joins race to lead federal Conservatives |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/patrick-brown-mayor-of-brampton-ont-joins-race-to-lead-federal-conservatives-1.5817416 |access-date=March 13, 2022 |website=CTVNews |language=en |archive-date=March 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313154021/https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/patrick-brown-mayor-of-brampton-ont-joins-race-to-lead-federal-conservatives-1.5817416 |url-status=live }} former Conservative MP Leona Alleslev,{{Cite web |date=April 6, 2022 |title='I am not behind': Leona Alleslev officially enters Conservative leadership race |url=https://www.cp24.com/news/i-am-not-behind-leona-alleslev-officially-enters-conservative-leadership-race-1.5851012 |access-date=April 10, 2022 |website=CP24 |language=en |archive-date=April 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410074012/https://www.cp24.com/news/i-am-not-behind-leona-alleslev-officially-enters-conservative-leadership-race-1.5851012 |url-status=live }} former BC MLA and Conservative MP Marc Dalton, and former Huntsville mayor and Conservative MP Scott Aitchison announced their candidacies for the leadership.{{Cite web |agency=Canadian Press |title=Who's in, who's out and who else may join the Conservative party leadership race |url=https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2022/03/13/whos-in-whos-out-and-who-else-may-join-the-conservative-party-leadership-race-3/ |access-date=March 13, 2022 |website=Lethbridge News Now |language=en |archive-date=March 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313191127/https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2022/03/13/whos-in-whos-out-and-who-else-may-join-the-conservative-party-leadership-race-3/ |url-status=live }} On May 2, 2022, the Party announced that the six verified candidates for the leadership would be Aitchison, Baber, Brown, Charest, Lewis, Poilievre.{{Cite web |date=May 2, 2022 |title=Six verified candidates vying to lead the Conservative Party of Canada |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/six-verified-candidates-vying-to-lead-the-conservative-party-of-canada-1.5884731 |access-date=May 2, 2022 |website=CTVNews |language=en |archive-date=May 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220502153636/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/six-verified-candidates-vying-to-lead-the-conservative-party-of-canada-1.5884731 |url-status=live }}

On July 6, 2022, the Party announced that Patrick Brown had been disqualified "due to 'serious allegations of wrongdoing' that 'appear' to violate Canadian election law."{{Cite news |first1=Christopher |last1=Nardi |first2=Ryan |last2=Tumilty |date=July 6, 2022 |title=Patrick Brown disqualified from Conservative leadership race |language=en |work=National Post |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/conservative-leadership-organizers-disqualify-patrick-brown-from-race |access-date=July 12, 2022}} In response, Brown hired lawyer Marie Henein, who requested the Party's dispute resolution appeal committee be convened.{{Cite web |date=July 11, 2022 |title=Federal Conservatives hire outside lawyer to review Patrick Brown's appeal request |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/federal-conservatives-hire-outside-lawyer-to-review-patrick-brown-s-appeal-request-1.5982857 |access-date=July 12, 2022 |website=CTVNews |language=en |archive-date=July 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713025949/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/federal-conservatives-hire-outside-lawyer-to-review-patrick-brown-s-appeal-request-1.5982857 |url-status=live }}

On September 10, 2022, Pierre Poilievre won the leadership on the first ballot in a landslide, winning over 68% of the points.{{Cite web |last=Tasker |first=John Paul |date=September 10, 2022 |title=Conservative members pick MP Pierre Poilievre to be their new leader |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-leadership-election-results-1.6578329 |access-date=September 10, 2022 |website=CBC News |archive-date=September 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220910220943/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-leadership-election-results-1.6578329 |url-status=live }} On September 12, Poilievre gave his first speech to his caucus as leader.{{cite news |agency=The Canadian Press |title=New Conservative leader Poilievre drops in on Quebec caucus before meeting with MPs, senators |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/new-conservative-leader-poilievre-drops-in-on-quebec-caucus-before-meeting-with-mps-senators-1.6065139 |website=CTV News |date=September 12, 2022 |access-date=September 13, 2022 |archive-date=September 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913164123/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/new-conservative-leader-poilievre-drops-in-on-quebec-caucus-before-meeting-with-mps-senators-1.6065139 |url-status=live }} On April 28, 2025, the party would lose the 2025 Canadian federal election, despite making parliamentary gains through victories in places such as Ontario, such as the province's 905 area and southwestern region, and receiving over 40% of the popular vote for the first time in party history.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/takeaways-election-results-1.7521355|title=5 key takeaways from Monday's historic vote|first=Darren|last=Major|work=CBC News|date=April 29, 2025|access-date=April 29, 2025}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/conservatives-make-inroads-in-the-905-but-fail-to-make-waves-in-toronto/|title=Conservatives make inroads in the 905, but fail to make waves in Toronto|first=Phil|last=Tsekouras|work=CTV News|date=April 29, 2025|access-date=April 29, 2025}} In addition, Poilievre would lose his seat of Carleton to the Liberals.{{cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/conservative-party-leader-pierre-poilievre-loses-ottawa-area-seat/|title=Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre loses Ottawa-area seat|first=William|last=Eltherington|work=CTV News|date=April 29, 2025|accessdate=April 29, 2025|archive-date=April 29, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250429093712/https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/conservative-party-leader-pierre-poilievre-loses-ottawa-area-seat/|url-status=live}} The Conservatives also formed the largest Official Opposition in Canadian history. He however lost his seat of Carleton to Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy, one of the few times a major party leader in Canada has been defeated in his own riding.{{cite news |date=April 29, 2025 |title=Liberal Bruce Fanjoy topples Pierre Poilievre in Carleton |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/canada-federal-election-2025-carleton-pierre-poilievre-results-1.7515695 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250429145148/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/canada-federal-election-2025-carleton-pierre-poilievre-results-1.7515695 |archive-date=April 29, 2025 |website=CBC News}} There were also calls for Poilievre to resign as conservative leader grew following the election result.{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Jonathan |date=April 28, 2025 |title=He's Canada's Most Successful Conservative Right Now — And He Is Disappointed in Pierre Poilievre |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/04/28/doug-ford-ontario-canada-election-00311985 |website=Politico |access-date=May 1, 2025 |archive-date=April 30, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430013818/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/04/28/doug-ford-ontario-canada-election-00311985 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |first=Taryn |last=Grant |title=Houston says he's 'focused on Nova Scotia' amid rumours he's seeking Poilievre's job |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/houston-federal-conservative-leadership-rumours-1.7523069 |website=CBC News |access-date=May 1, 2025 |archive-date=May 1, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250501035812/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/houston-federal-conservative-leadership-rumours-1.7523069 |url-status=live }} Despite this, there was reportedly limited interest from the party's caucus in replacing him immediately after the election given their party's increase in the share of the vote, expansion of its political base in the Greater Toronto Area, and his own popularity with such across the country.{{Cite news |last=Tasker |first=John Paul |date=April 30, 2025 |title=Poilievre is making calls to shore up support as Conservatives take stock of election results |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/poilievre-future-conservatives-take-stock-1.7522939 |work=CBC News |archive-date=May 1, 2025 |access-date=May 1, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250501033033/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/poilievre-future-conservatives-take-stock-1.7522939 |url-status=live }} Prominent Conservative Party MPs including Andrew Scheer, Shannon Stubbs, and former cabinet ministers Jason Kenney and James Moore also publicly supported his continued leadership after the election.{{Cite news |date=April 29, 2025 |title=Prominent Conservatives back Poilievre as leader after riding loss |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/federal-election/article-prominent-conservatives-back-poilievre-as-leader-after-losing-riding/ |access-date=May 1, 2025 |work=The Globe and Mail |last=Levitz |first=Stephanie |url-access=subscription |language=en-CA |archive-date=May 1, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250501033033/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/federal-election/article-prominent-conservatives-back-poilievre-as-leader-after-losing-riding/ |url-status=live }} Despite this, he was criticized by veteran and senior party members for his demeanour and campaign management that they cited as a reason for the party's loss of the election.{{Cite web |last2=Ballingall |first1=Raisa |last1=Patel |first2=Alex |date=April 30, 2025 |title='It's an unmitigated disaster': Conservative insiders debate Pierre Poilievre's future as leader after election defeat |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/its-an-unmitigated-disaster-conservative-insiders-debate-pierre-poilievres-future-as-leader-after-election-defeat/article_77df57e9-4da1-4eba-8d22-1904f4cfe309.html |access-date=May 1, 2025 |website=Toronto Star |url-access=subscription}}

As a relatively young party with a mixed political heritage and history, the federal Conservatives are often described as a "big tent" party{{cite book|author=R. Kenneth Carty|title=Big Tent Politics: The Liberal Party's Long Mastery of Canada's Public Life|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D-c0CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA16|date=2015|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=978-0-7748-3002-7|pages=16–17|access-date=November 23, 2020|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331005406/https://books.google.com/books?id=D-c0CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA16|url-status=live}} - ([https://www.ubcpress.ca/asset/9447/1/9780774829991.pdf PDF copy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306234413/https://www.ubcpress.ca/asset/9447/1/9780774829991.pdf |date=March 6, 2021 }} - UBC Press, 2015) in a similar manner to the federal Canadian Liberals by encompassing members and voters who hold a variety of philosophies, ideas and stances, albeit sitting within the centre-right to the right-wing of the political spectrum.{{cite book|author=Freedom House|title=Freedom in the World 2015: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5WEDCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA130|year=2016|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|isbn=978-1-4422-5408-4|page=130}}{{cite book|author1=André Blais|author2=Jean-François Laslier|author3=Karihine Van der Straeten|title=Voting Experiments|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_8YwDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA25|year=2016|publisher=Springer International Publishing|isbn=978-3-319-40573-5|pages=25–26}}{{cite book|author1=Amanda Bittner|author2=Royce Koop|title=Parties, Elections, and the Future of Canadian Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TdFTCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA300|year=2013|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=978-0-7748-2411-8|page=300|access-date=November 5, 2018|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331005406/https://books.google.com/books?id=TdFTCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA300|url-status=live}}{{cite book|author1=Donald C. Baumer|author2=Howard J. Gold|title=Parties, Polarization and Democracy in the United States|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uBbvCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT152|date=2015|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-317-25478-2|pages=152–|access-date=November 5, 2018|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331010054/https://books.google.com/books?id=uBbvCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT152|url-status=live}} Broadly, the party is defined as practicing the Canadian model of conservatism and fiscal conservatism. Some political observers have noted the two most dominant wings of the party traditionally represented Red Tory and Blue Tory ideologies,{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/09/02/opinion/erin-otoole-polling-surge-signal-return-red-toryism |title=Does Erin O'Toole's surge signal the return of Red Toryism? |date=September 2, 2021 |access-date=April 4, 2022 |archive-date=February 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215153624/https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/09/02/opinion/erin-otoole-polling-surge-signal-return-red-toryism |url-status=live }} whereas others have argued that the party has become less internally defined by these labels and that the terms tend to be used by outsiders.{{cite news |url=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/ben-woodfinden-red-tory-vs-blue-tory-is-nothing-but-a-trap-set-by-liberals |title=Ben Woodfinden: Red Tory vs. Blue Tory is nothing but a trap set by liberals |newspaper=National Post |date=February 10, 2022 |access-date=April 4, 2022}} Other smaller but visible factional beliefs espoused by individuals within the party have been described by media commentators as liberal conservative, social conservative, right-wing populist and libertarian conservative.{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/08/10/opinion/otooles-conservative-party-fracturing-eve-federal-election|title=O'Toole's Conservative Party fracturing on eve of a federal election|date=August 10, 2021|access-date=April 4, 2022|archive-date=April 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415184607/https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/08/10/opinion/otooles-conservative-party-fracturing-eve-federal-election|url-status=live}}

In an effort to create a cohesive platform following its creation, the Conservative Party declared its founding core philosophies and principles to be fiscal accountability, upholding individual rights and freedom, belief in constitutional monarchy, the institutions of Parliament and Canada's democratic process, support for strong national defence, law and order, and Canada's history and traditions, and equal treatment for all Canadians.{{cite web|title=Policy Declaration|url=https://www.conservative.ca/media/documents/Policy-Declaration-Feb-2014.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627174707/https://www.conservative.ca/media/documents/Policy-Declaration-Feb-2014.pdf|archive-date=June 27, 2019|access-date=June 21, 2018|publisher=Conservative Party of Canada}}

In recent years, the Conservative Party has repeatedly campaigned on the following policies:

• Bilingualism

• Supporting Canadian federalism and opposing Quebec separatism
• Support for maintaining Canada's constitutional monarchy
• Electing Senators, rather than appointing them
• Freedom of speech, expression, religion, press and conscience
• Respecting treaties signed with Indigenous Canadians
• Allowing Indigenous Canadians more self-governance over their land

• Supply management for certain dairy, poultry and eggs
• Extracting petroleum and natural gas
• Construction of pipelines
• A belief in the right to own private property
• Right to work

• Subsidies and grants for carbon capture technology
• Prohibiting the dumping of raw sewage into rivers
• Marine Protected Areas
• Pollution caps for industries

• Maintaining the licensing system for firearm owners
• Maintaining the prohibition of short-barreled handguns and fully automatic firearms, including assault rifles
• Opposing the prohibition of long-barreled handguns and semi-automatic firearms

• Equal opportunity for men and women

• Support for most free trade agreements, including NAFTA, Canada–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, TPP and CETA
• CANZUK formation and membership
• Membership in NATO
• Membership in the United Nations
• Excluding abortion funding from foreign aid
• Support for Israel
• Recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital
• Prohibiting the Chinese government from owning Canada's 5G infrastructure

• Single-payer publicly funded healthcare
• Canada Pension Plan program
• Defunding the CBC public broadcaster

• Linking immigration to housing and job supply{{cite web |url=https://financialpost.com/real-estate/pierre-poilievre-pledges-tie-immigration-levels-homebuilding |title=Pierre Poilievre pledges to tie immigration levels to homebuilding |work=Financial Post |access-date=August 15, 2024 |quote=The Conservative politician who’s trying to take down Justin Trudeau said that if he’s elected, he would link Canada’s immigration levels to the number of homes being built. |archive-date=January 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121210156/https://financialpost.com/real-estate/pierre-poilievre-pledges-tie-immigration-levels-homebuilding |url-status=live }}
• Opposing illegal immigration

• Mandatory minimum sentences for violent and sexual crimes
• Opposing the police abolition movement
• Creating a national sex offender registry
• Opposition to the legalization of recreational drugs

• Opposing the expansion of assisted suicide to those solely suffering from mental illness
• Conscience rights for medical practitioners

• Increasing military spending to 2% of Canada's GDP

• Income tax reductions
• Income splitting for families
• Business tax reductions
• Capital gains tax reductions
• Opposition to a carbon tax
• Tax simplification
• Balanced budget legislation
• Reducing the national debt
• Reducing grants and subsidies to businesses

In its current platform, the Conservative Party states that its core objectives are to protect the lives and property of ordinary citizens, promote democratic accountability and reform the senate to make it a fully elected chamber. While the party platform states it is open to debate over electoral reform, it also claims it will not support changing the current electoral system.{{Cite web |title=Policy Declaration |url=https://cpcassets.conservative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/15090948/9f7f204744e7480.pdf |access-date=September 12, 2023 |website=Conservative Party of Canada |archive-date=November 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101072535/https://cpcassets.conservative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/15090948/9f7f204744e7480.pdf |url-status=live }}

The party calls for a "restoration of a constitutional balance between the federal and

provincial and territorial governments" in regards to Canadian federalism. The Conservative Party also advocates offering tax incentives, increased business investment and more political autonomy to assist and integrate Indigenous Canadian communities over state affirmative action.

Historically, Conservative MPs were divided on the issue of same-sex marriage in Canada, with individuals in the party arguing for and against.{{cite web |url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060531/conservatives_samesex_060531?s_name=&no_ads= |title=Many Tories wary about 2nd gay-marriage vote |date=May 31, 2006 |work=CTV News |access-date=June 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018085055/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060531/conservatives_samesex_060531?s_name=&no_ads= |archive-date=October 18, 2006}} During debates on Bill C-38 in 2004 which would redefine the legal definition of marriage in Canada, a majority of Conservative MPs voted against when then leader Stephen Harper allowed a free vote. Under Harper's premiership, the party proposed reopening the debate into same-sex marriage but following a defeat of the motion in the House of Commons stated it would not seek to reopen it.{{cite web |url=http://www.howdtheyvote.ca/bill.php?id=528 |title=How'd They Vote? :: Bill C-38, Same-sex Marriage |website=www.howdtheyvote.ca |access-date=April 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060215190454/http://www.howdtheyvote.ca/bill.php?id=528 |archive-date=February 15, 2006 |url-status=dead}}

In 2016, the Conservatives amended the party constitution to recognize and support same-sex marriage.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/05/28/accept-same-sex-marriage-kenney-tells-tory-convention.html |title=Tories vote to accept same-sex marriage |website=Toronto Star |date=May 28, 2016 |access-date=April 4, 2022 |archive-date=March 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313205447/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/05/28/accept-same-sex-marriage-kenney-tells-tory-convention.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Denis Bellavance |first1=Joël |title="Le mariage gai est un succès", dit Pierre Poilievre |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/2020-01-17/le-mariage-gai-est-un-succes-dit-pierre-poilievre |website=La Presse |access-date=November 25, 2021 |date=January 17, 2020 |archive-date=April 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405093806/https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/2020-01-17/le-mariage-gai-est-un-succes-dit-pierre-poilievre |url-status=live }}

The Conservative leadership has supported changing the law to allow men who have sex with men to donate blood.{{cite web |title=Here's where the parties stand on LGBTQ issues |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-federal-election-lgbtq-1.5306119 |website=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=October 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127152541/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-federal-election-lgbtq-1.5306119 |archive-date=January 27, 2023 |url-status=live}}

File:Andrew Scheer and Pierre Poilievre June 2018.jpg and Pierre Poilievre making a speech on abolishing the carbon tax and the increase of taxes on drivers.]]

The party wants to keep the "Fiscal Balance" (which it introduced in its 2007 Budget while in government) in place and eliminate national debt. It also supports more simplified tax codes, controls on government spending and reductions in both personal and business taxes. Former party leader Erin O'Toole has listed economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic as a core priority for Canada.{{cite news |last1=Tasker |first1=John Paul |title=MacKay, O'Toole pitch pandemic recovery plans heavy on tax incentives, fiscal prudence |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mackay-otoole-jobs-plan-1.5588826 |access-date=August 26, 2020 |work=CBC News |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |archive-date=August 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200826050807/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mackay-otoole-jobs-plan-1.5588826 |url-status=live }} The party also supports abolishing the Carbon Tax.{{Cite web |last=Osman |first=Laura |date=March 28, 2024 |title=Conservatives blast experts who defend federal carbon tax |url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/03/28/news/conservatives-blast-experts-defend-federal-carbon-tax |access-date=June 14, 2024 |website=Canada's National Observer |language=en |archive-date=June 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614141109/https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/03/28/news/conservatives-blast-experts-defend-federal-carbon-tax |url-status=live }}

At the party's March 2021 policy convention, delegates voted to reject a proposal to expand the party's existing climate change policies to include a statement that climate change is real.{{Cite news|last=Tasker|first=John Paul|date=March 20, 2021|title=Conservative delegates reject adding 'climate change is real' to the policy book|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-delegates-reject-climate-change-is-real-1.5957739|access-date=March 20, 2021|archive-date=March 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320141750/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-delegates-reject-climate-change-is-real-1.5957739|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |date=March 20, 2021 |title=Canadian Conservative party votes not to recognize climate crisis as real |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/20/canada-conservative-party-climate-change-real |access-date=June 14, 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225822/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/20/canada-conservative-party-climate-change-real |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=January 10, 2024 |title=Why Conservatives Turned against the Environment {{!}} The Walrus |url=https://thewalrus.ca/why-conservatives-turned-against-the-environment/ |access-date=June 14, 2024 |language=en-US |archive-date=June 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614141324/https://thewalrus.ca/why-conservatives-turned-against-the-environment/ |url-status=live }}

The Conservative Party presently supports Canada's involvement in NATO and international trade agreements, including a CANZUK agreement that would enable mobilization of goods, trade and people between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The party is also supportive of Israel; Conservative leaders Andrew Scheer and Erin O'Toole have both expressed support for moving Canada's embassy to Jerusalem.

The party also supports taking a tough stance against the People's Republic of China and has pledged to prevent China from entering Canada's 5G Networks.

The party also calls on Canada to encourage other Western nations to prevent Chinese government backed corporations from accessing and taking control of important media, energy, internet, defence and security related infrastructure.{{cite news |last1=McKenna |first1=Peter |title=Peter McKenna: What would an Erin O'Toole foreign policy look like? |url=https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/regional-perspectives/peter-mckenna-what-would-an-erin-otoole-foreign-policy-look-like-509361/ |access-date=October 16, 2020 |work=The Chronicle Herald |date=October 15, 2020 |archive-date=October 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017201858/https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/regional-perspectives/peter-mckenna-what-would-an-erin-otoole-foreign-policy-look-like-509361/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/scheer-jerusalem-trump-israel-1.4552646| title=Scheer says Tories will recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital if elected| first=Stephanie| last=Levitz| date=February 26, 2018| website=cbc.ca| access-date=November 13, 2020| archive-date=November 9, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109041038/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/scheer-jerusalem-trump-israel-1.4552646| url-status=live}}{{cite web| url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/03/07/israel-policy-the-makings-of-a-major-blunder-by-scheer.html| title=Israel policy the makings of a major blunder by Scheer| newspaper=Toronto Star| first=Bob| last=Hepburn| date=March 7, 2018| access-date=November 13, 2020| archive-date=November 15, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115055512/https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/03/07/israel-policy-the-makings-of-a-major-blunder-by-scheer.html| url-status=live}}

The party supports maintaining the Official Languages Act ensuring that English and French have equality of status in Canada. It also calls for the protection of Canada's history, culture and heritage. It also supports the re-establishment of the Office of Religious Freedom. The Conservative Party constitution also supports maintaining the constitutional Monarchy of Canada.{{cite web |title=Constitution |website=Conservative Party of Canada |date=March 29, 2005 |url=https://www.conservative.ca/media/20050319-CPCConstitution.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520101801/http://www.conservative.ca/media/20050319-CPCConstitution.pdf |archive-date=May 20, 2011 |page=1 |access-date=June 1, 2010}}

The party has called for an immigration system that is "non-partisan, welcoming and well-managed" that encourages merit-based immigration and enticement of skilled workers to Canada to boost the economy while also taking a zero tolerance stance on illegal immigration and ensuring that immigrants speak English or French. The Conservatives also want to streamline the process of granting Canadian citizenship to foreign born children adopted by Canadian nationals, speed up the validation of refugee claims and give help to persecuted religious and sexual minorities while ensuring those who do not meet refugee status are escorted out of the country. Some MPs within the party have proposed a Canadian values test for prospective immigrants and long-term visitors, although this has not been adopted as a policy as a whole.

Following the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, several members of the party including former leader Erin O'Toole called on the Canadian government to grant asylum to fleeing Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters facing extradition orders to China. The party also proposes eliminating birthright citizenship unless one of the parents of a child born in Canada has permanent residency or Canadian citizenship.

Incumbent Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has vocally criticized the immigration policies of Justin Trudeau's Liberal government and supports significantly restricting numbers of temporary residents and asylum seekers coming into Canada.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/sep/03/canada-trudeau-immigration-limits |title=Canada turning away more foreigners amid rise in anti-immigration sentiment |newspaper=The Guardian |date=September 3, 2024 |access-date=October 11, 2024 |last1=Cecco |first1=Leyland }}{{cite web |url=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/pierre-poilievre-housing-crisis-runaway-immigration-levels |title=John Ivison: Poilievre signals he's willing to take a hatchet to runaway immigration levels |access-date=August 15, 2024}}{{cite news |title=Immigration: "Le Québec est au point de rupture", dit Poilievre |url=https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2024/06/20/immigration-le-quebec-est-au-point-de-rupture-dit-poilievre |access-date=June 27, 2024 |agency=TVA Nouvelles |date=June 20, 2024 |quote={{lang|fr|«Ça va être beaucoup plus bas, surtout pour l’immigration temporaire. C’est impossible d’inviter 1,2 million de nouvelles personnes au Canada chaque année lorsqu’on bâtit 200 000 logements. C’est impossible. Il n’y a pas de place. Le Québec est au point de rupture», a déclaré le chef conservateur en entrevue au TVA Nouvelles.}} |archive-date=November 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241112223525/https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2024/06/20/immigration-le-quebec-est-au-point-de-rupture-dit-poilievre |url-status=live }}

Poilievre instead argues that immigration intake should be linked to housing supply and that the Conservatives will introduce a cap on the number of foreign workers and further border control and background screening measures of immigrants.{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/canada-reduce-immigration-targets-trudeau-acknowledges-policy-failed-115111486 |title=Canada will reduce immigration targets as Trudeau acknowledges his policy failed |website=ABC News |access-date=October 23, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://globalnews.ca/video/10829300/immigration-flip-flop-poilievre-blasts-trudeaus-policy-change-as-liberals-express-discontent/ |title='Immigration flip-flop': Poilievre blasts Trudeau's policy change as Liberals express discontent |access-date=October 23, 2024 |archive-date=October 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241027053824/https://globalnews.ca/video/10829300/immigration-flip-flop-poilievre-blasts-trudeaus-policy-change-as-liberals-express-discontent/ |url-status=live }}

The Conservatives also support a stricter policy on illegal immigration by amending the "Safe Third Country Agreement" and the reintroduction of visa requirements for Mexico.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/poilievre-trudeau-mexico-visa-requirements-asylum-claims-1.7093248 |title=Poilievre calls on Trudeau to reimpose visa requirements on Mexico as asylum claims soar |access-date=October 11, 2024 |archive-date=November 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241111203152/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/poilievre-trudeau-mexico-visa-requirements-asylum-claims-1.7093248 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.conservative.ca/trudeau-must-reimpose-visa-requirements-on-mexico/ |title=Trudeau Must Reimpose Visa Requirements on Mexico |date=January 24, 2024 |access-date=October 11, 2024 |archive-date=November 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241111201646/https://www.conservative.ca/trudeau-must-reimpose-visa-requirements-on-mexico/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/legault-transfer-migrants-1.6756067 |title=Poilievre adds to Legault's call for Liberal government to close Roxham Road border crossing |access-date=August 21, 2023 |archive-date=August 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824225220/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/legault-transfer-migrants-1.6756067 |url-status=live }}

The Conservative Party generally supports a tough law and order stance. Presently, the party argues for a national register for convicted child sexual offenders, stricter sentences against repeat offenders, ending early release for violent felons and believes that victims of violent crime should have a say in National Parole Board decisions. The party also supports the creation of a cross-federal task force to tackle organized crime, human trafficking and threats to national security. Some Conservative MPs are in favour of the death penalty.{{Cite web |last=Canseco |first=Mario |date=April 3, 2024 |title=Purported Return of the Death Penalty Splits Views in Canada |url=https://researchco.ca/2024/04/03/death-penalty-canada-2024/ |access-date=June 14, 2024 |website=Research Co. |language=en-US}}

The Conservative Party has both members and MPs who favour abortion rights and members who oppose them. In the past, more Conservative members have been against abortion.{{Cite news |date=August 30, 2019 |title=Why social issues are a hot topic in Canada's autumn election |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49528267 |access-date=July 25, 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB |archive-date=July 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726205328/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49528267 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Lindeman |first=Tracey |date=August 3, 2023 |title=Canada has zero pro-choice Conservative MPs, watchdog says |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/03/canada-abortion-rights-pregnancy |access-date=July 25, 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225823/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/03/canada-abortion-rights-pregnancy |url-status=live }}

However, the party's policy book states that the party "will not support any legislation to regulate abortion" while in government,{{cite web | title=Conservative Party of Canada Policy Declaration, as amended September 9, 2023 | url=https://cpcassets.conservative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/23175001/990863517f7a575.pdf | ref={{sfnref | Anon.}} | access-date=August 1, 2024 | archive-date=September 13, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225821/https://cpcassets.conservative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/23175001/990863517f7a575.pdf | url-status=live }} and the party's current leader, Pierre Poilievre, has stated that "no laws or rules will be passed that restrict women's reproductive choices" if he becomes prime minister.{{cite web | title=Pierre Poilievre disagrees with Conservative MP who wants to vote against same-sex marriage | website=CBC | date=July 18, 2024 | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/poilievre-same-sex-marriage-abortion-1.7222881 | ref={{sfnref | CBC | 2024}} | access-date=August 1, 2024 | archive-date=September 13, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225827/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/poilievre-same-sex-marriage-abortion-1.7222881 | url-status=live }}

The party states that it supports responsible gun ownership and will "not deprive Canadian Citizens of legally owned firearms" but also calls for cost-effective gun control programs including screening all individuals wishing to purchase firearms and increased enforcement against arms trafficking.

{{Main|Conservative parties in Canada}}

The Conservative Party does not have any provincial wings. However, it often works closely with the former federal Progressive Conservative Party's provincial affiliates as well as other small "c" conservative and centre-right provincial parties, such as the Saskatchewan Party.

Cross-support between federal and provincial Conservatives is more tenuous in some other provinces. In Alberta, relations were sometimes strained between the federal Conservative Party and the provincial Progressive Conservative Party. The federal Tories' loss in the 2004 election was often blamed, in part, on then-Premier Ralph Klein's public musings on health care late in the campaign. Klein had also called for a referendum on same-sex marriage. With the impending 2006 election, Klein predicted another Liberal minority, though this time the federal Conservatives won a minority government. Klein's successor Ed Stelmach tried to avoid causing similar controversies; however, Harper's surprise pledge to restrict bitumen exports drew a sharp rebuke from the Albertan government, who warned such restrictions would violate both the Constitution of Canada and the North American Free Trade Agreement.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} The rise of the Wildrose Party caused a further rift between the federal Conservatives and the Albertan PCs, as some Conservative backbench MPs endorsed Wildrose. For the 2012 Alberta election, Prime Minister Harper remained neutral and instructed federal cabinet members to also remain neutral while allowing Conservative backbenchers to back whomever they chose if they wish. Wildrose candidates for the concurrent Senate nominee election announced they would sit in the Conservative caucus should they be appointed to the Senate.

After the 2007 budget was announced, the Progressive Conservative governments in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador accused the federal Conservatives of breaching the terms of the Atlantic Accord.{{cite web|last1=Ferguson|first1=Rob|last2=MacCharles|first2=Tonda|date=June 12, 2007|title=Harper lashes out at latest critic: See you in court|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/06/12/harper_lashes_out_at_latest_critic_see_you_in_court.html|access-date=July 10, 2019|website=The Star|archive-date=July 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710012733/https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/06/12/harper_lashes_out_at_latest_critic_see_you_in_court.html|url-status=live}}

As a result, relations worsened between the federal government and the two provincial governments, leading Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams to denounce the federal Conservatives, which gave rise to his ABC (Anything But Conservative) campaign in the 2008 election.

The National Council of the CPC is its "highest governing body".{{Cite news| last = Rana| first = Abbas| title = Conservatives elect former Hill staffer, two-term Nova Scotia national councillor Batherson as party president, 'and now the work begins'| work = The Hill Times| access-date = March 21, 2021| date = March 21, 2021| url = https://www.hilltimes.com/2021/03/21/former-hill-staffer-and-two-term-nova-scotia-national-councillor-batherson-elected-as-conservative-party-president/289819| archive-date = March 21, 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210321205323/https://www.hilltimes.com/2021/03/21/former-hill-staffer-and-two-term-nova-scotia-national-councillor-batherson-elected-as-conservative-party-president/289819| url-status = live}} Stephen Barber has served as President of the National Council since 2023.{{cite web | last=Bradley | first=Jonathan | title=Conservative national council elects Stephen Barber as new president | website=Western Standard | date=September 11, 2023 | url=https://www.westernstandard.news/news/conservative-national-council-elects-stephen-barber-as-new-president/article_f8e0ce9c-50e8-11ee-8124-c3076459eaaa.html | access-date=August 6, 2024 | archive-date=August 6, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806200920/https://www.westernstandard.news/news/conservative-national-council-elects-stephen-barber-as-new-president/article_f8e0ce9c-50e8-11ee-8124-c3076459eaaa.html | url-status=live }} The National Council has 21 seats, including four from Ontario, three from Quebec, two from British Columbia, two from Alberta, two from Saskatchewan, two from Manitoba, four from Atlantic Canada, and one from each of the three territories.

The Conservative Party has historically been strongest in Western Canada as well as rural Ontario.{{cite web | title=Voting Behaviour in Canada | website=The Canadian Encyclopedia | date=May 6, 2021 | url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/electoral-behaviour | access-date=April 15, 2024 | archive-date=September 13, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913225825/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/electoral-behaviour | url-status=live }}{{cite web | title=Conservative Party | website=The Canadian Encyclopedia | date=July 1, 2011 | url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/conservative-party | access-date=April 15, 2024 | archive-date=April 26, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426212748/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/conservative-party | url-status=live }} The party is strongest particularly in the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, where it holds 30 out of 34 and all 14 federal seats respectively.{{cite web | title=Party Standings in the House of Commons | website=House of Commons of Canada | url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/party-standings | access-date=April 15, 2024 | archive-date=April 8, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408154122/https://www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en/party-standings | url-status=live }} It tends to be weaker in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, particularly Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island.{{Cite book|last=Farney|first=James|title=Conservatism in Canada|publisher=University of Toronto Press|year=2013|page=213}}{{cite book|last=Plamondon|first=Bob|title=Blue Thunder: The Truth About Conservatives from Macdonald to Harper|publisher=Key Porter Books|year=2013}}

There is no official youth wing of the Conservative Party of Canada. There have been several attempts to create one, but all have failed. Despite this the party sets its minimum membership and voting age at 14. The party does however have several affiliated campus clubs at various universities.{{Cite web |title=Governing Documents |url=https://www.conservative.ca/about-us/governing-documents/ |access-date=January 8, 2025 |website=Conservative Party of Canada |language=en-US |archive-date=January 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117211427/https://www.conservative.ca/about-us/governing-documents/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Campus Clubs |url=https://www.conservative.ca/campus-clubs/ |access-date=January 8, 2025 |website=Conservative Party of Canada |language=en-US |archive-date=January 23, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123090245/https://www.conservative.ca/campus-clubs/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=By-Law for Campus Club Recognition and Network of the Conservative Party of Canada |url=https://cpcassets.conservative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/08155706/563593f115791eb.pdf |website=Conservative Party of Canada |access-date=January 8, 2025 |archive-date=January 18, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118000454/https://cpcassets.conservative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/08155706/563593f115791eb.pdf |url-status=live }}

{{See also|Cabinet of Canada|Prime Minister of Canada|List of Canadian conservative leaders}}

{{see also|Conservative Party of Canada leadership elections}}

The Deputy Leader is appointed by the Leader.

• Don Plett (2003–2009; interim until 2005)
• John Walsh (2009–2016)
• Scott Lamb (2016–2021)
• Robert Batherson (2021–2023)
• Stephen Barber (2023–present)

{{Main|Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 44th Parliament of Canada}}

The Conservative Party's senate caucus is the only political Senate Group that is formally linked to a federal political party. Unlike the Independent Senators Group, Canadian Senators Group and the Progressive Senate Group, which are unaffiliated with any party in the House of Commons, Conservative senators form part of the national Conservative parliamentary caucus made up of members of both houses of parliament, though the senators do meet separately to discuss Senate-specific issues.

The caucus was created following the establishment of the modern Conservative Party of Canada on February 2, 2004, as a result of the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. All but three Progressive Conservative Senators joined the Conservative Party and were redesignated as Conservative senators.

When in government, the leader of the caucus has been appointed by the national Conservative Party leader, serving as Prime Minister of Canada. When in Opposition the leader is elected by Conservative senators. Most recently, Don Plett was elected Senate Conservative leader on November 5, 2019, defeating one other candidate.{{cite news |last1=Dickson |first1=Janice |title=Tories elect Don Plett as new Opposition Leader in the Senate |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-tories-elect-don-plett-as-new-opposition-leader-in-the-senate/ |website=www.theglobeandmail.com |access-date=April 30, 2020 |archive-date=November 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112190203/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-tories-elect-don-plett-as-new-opposition-leader-in-the-senate/ |url-status=live }}

The first leader of the senate caucus, John Lynch-Staunton, also served as interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada until a leadership election could be held.

The Senate Conservative Caucus and the Conservative MPs in the House of Commons jointly constitute the national Conservative caucus. Nevertheless, Denise Batters was permitted to remain a member of the Senate Conservative Caucus despite being expelled from the national Conservative caucus on November 16, 2021, for publicly opposing the leadership of Erin O'Toole.{{cite news |last1=Bailey |first1=Ian |title=Not entirely ousted: Senator critical of O'Toole remains member of Tory Senate caucus |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-not-entirely-ousted-senator-critical-of-otoole-remains-member-of-tory/ |access-date=November 18, 2021 |work=Globe and Mail |date=November 18, 2021 |archive-date=November 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119011317/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-not-entirely-ousted-senator-critical-of-otoole-remains-member-of-tory/ |url-status=live }}

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{{Portal|Conservatism|Canada|Politics}}

• List of federal political parties in Canada
• Predecessor parties:
• Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)
• Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (1942–2003)
• Reform Party of Canada (1987–2000)
• Canadian Alliance (2000–2003)

{{Reflist|group=note}}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://wayback.archive-it.org/227/*/http://www.conservative.ca Conservative Party of Canada – Canadian Political Parties and Political Interest Groups] – Web Archive created by the University of Toronto Libraries
• [https://wayback.archive-it.org/227/*/http://www.conservateur.ca/ Conservative Party of Canada (French) – Canadian Political Parties and Political Interest Groups] – Web Archive created by the University of Toronto Libraries

• {{commons category-inline|Conservative Party of Canada}}
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