Conservative leadership candidates lay out vision for party in final speeches
Thirteen candidates vying to replace Stephen Harper as permanent Conservative leader delivered their final speeches Friday night, pitching their vision for the country and urging party unity in the wake of a long and at times divisive leadership campaign.
Michael Chong was first to take to the stage at the Toronto Congress Centre, promising to unite and strengthen the party. He highlighted some of the key themes of his campaign: lower taxes, democratic reform, improving conditions for Indigenous people and welcoming newcomers to build a better Canada.
‘Trappings of power’
After a leadership race that exposed internal divisions in the party, Chong trained his guns on the Liberals, accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of revelling in “the trappings of power” but lacking the leadership skills to make Canada great.
“We have a prime minister more focused on the next tweet than on tackling runaway budget deficit,” Chong said.
Conservative leadership candidate Michael Chong speaks to the crowd during the opening night of the federal Conservative leadership convention in Toronto on Friday. A final winner will be picked to lead the Conservative Party of Canada on Saturday night. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
Up next was Deepak Obhrai, who said he was impressed by the “fantastic engagement” of youth he observed during the campaign. Young Canadians are key to building a “big tent blue party,” he said.
But Obhrai warned the party it has much work to do in attracting visible minority members to the fold. He said only 10 per cent of the membership is now a visible minority.
“That is an area we need to go and improve,” he said.
Erin O’Toole used the podium to reject claims the party is broken or divided, and said the range of views heard during the campaign proves the party is rich in diversity and reflects the country.
He said Conservatives need an experienced, energized leader with fresh ideas to win back the trust of Canadians.
He also took shots at Trudeau, saying Canada does not need a “celebrity leader,” but a competent leader.
“Canadians are tired of broken Liberal promises. They are tired of the photo-ops and the platitudes,” he said to loud applause. “They are tired of having a prime minister more interested in how he is viewed abroad, than how he can serve us at home.”
Erin O’Toole, who is a Greater Toronto Area MP, received loud applause for his attacks on Prime Minister Justin Trueau. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
Calling himself a “proud social conservative,” Brad Trost drove home the pro-life, anti-same sex marriage messages that were central to his campaign. He said the party must not shy away from discussing controversial issues, and called the traditional family the “building block of a truly free democratic society.”
He said the party will not grow by rejecting conservative values.
“Conservatives do not win elections by becoming more liberal,” he said.
Pierre Lemieux also said pro-life issues must be discussed and debated by the party. He urged the party to fight against political correctness, referencing his opposition to M-103, a contentious anti-Islamophobia motion, and C-16, a bill to protect transgender rights.
“It has to stop,” he said.
Maxime Bernier, the presumptive front-runner of the campaign, used much of his allotted time showing a video of him meeting with business leaders, constituents and supporters and a theme of “I believe in Bernier.”
Maxime Bernier arrives at the federal conservative leadership convention with his girlfriend, Catherine LeTarte on Friday. (Fred Thornhill/Canadian Press)
He praised his rivals in the race and said after the ballots are counted tomorrow, Conservatives will emerge united as a competent team in Parliament and across the country.
“All together we led a great campaign,” he said. “We debated ideas, conservative ideas altogether. We’re a very competent team.”
Andrew Scheer said the campaign has been about who can best articulate conservative ideas and ideals to the broader base of Canadians.
“I reject the idea that in order to beat the Liberals, we need to be more like them,” he said.
Watch all the candidates’ speeches
Raitt urges unity
Lisa Raitt urged all candidates to rally behind the new leader. When Conservatives are united and present effective alternatives to the Liberals, they govern.
“Come Monday, the race is over. Come Monday, there is only one shade of blue,” she said.
Lisa Raitt attends the federal conservative leadership convention in Toronto with her mother, Delores Starzomski on Friday. (Fred Thornhill/Canadian Press)
Kellie Leitch, who took much criticism during the campaign for promising to screen newcomers for Canadian values, said promoting and protecting core values is the only way to preserve Canada’s past and build its future.
She also urged party members to put aside their differences and unite to defeat Trudeau in 2019.
“Uniting in pride and support of our shared values of hard work, generosity, freedom and tolerance, together we can build the future Canadians desire for themselves and their families,” she said.
Kellie Leitch addresses the Conservative crowd Friday. (Fred Thornhill/Canadian Press)
Steve Blaney and Rick Peterson also repeated their campaign messages of protecting public safety and security and lowering taxes for families and business.
Chris Alexander delivered a summary of his campaign platform, from greater engagement on the world stage, to ending poverty and homelessness and fostering business development. Andrew Saxon also took his time at the podium to recap his policy planks, including better equipping the military and positioning Canada for a fast-changing international economy.
Voting will continue Saturday, but the party confirmed that 130,000 ballots have already been cast and counted. Some members told CBC News they did not receive their ballots by mail in time to return them by today’s deadline.
The order of speakers was selected by draw:The evening began with a dance and music routine, followed by a moment’s silence for the victims of the recent attack in Manchester, UK.
Party President Scott Lamb thanked outgoing interim leader Rona Ambrose for her work, and said the party is in “spectacular shape,” citing the more than 250,000 members registered to vote on the leadership and pointing to strong quarterly fundraising numbers. He said the party will emerge from the leadership race stronger and united.
“The Conservative Party is strong. We’re strong in the east, we’re strong in the west and we’re strong in the country,” he said, adding the party is also strong in urban centres such as Toronto.
Tomorrow, the evening program begins at 5 p.m., when ballot-by-ballot results will be announced. Caroline Mulroney, daughter of former prime minister Brian Mulroney, and Manitoba Conservative MP Candice Bergen are acting as the weekend’s masters of ceremonies.
After the speeches wrap up about 10 p.m. ET Friday, party members will move to “hospitality suites” hosted by the candidates, where they can mingle with other Conservatives.
Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-leadership-convention-speeches-1.4133499?cmp=rss