The Conservative Party leadership race is well underway as contenders hold rallies, duke it out in debates, and slowly release more details of their policy platforms. While six candidates had originally secured their place in the race, on July 5 the leadership organizing committee announced Patrick Brown had been disqualified over allegations he broke financing rules. Brown’s campaign is fighting back stating it will consult its legal team.
Here's a snapshot of where the remaining five candidates stand on the economy, housing, climate, defence and social issues.
Want to know more about the Conservative candidates and their political pasts? Read our bios.
ECONOMY AND INFLATION
Scott Aitchison: In calling inflation a real problem and campaigning on the stance that “the last thing Canadians need are higher taxes,” Aitchison has pledged to end supply management to help lower grocery bills for families. He has also said Canada needs a federal government that “lowers taxes, unleashes the full economic power of Canada, and gets our budget back on the path to balance.”
Roman Baber: Baber has spoken at length about the negative economic impacts of pandemic-related lockdowns on small businesses and workers and said he would make sure government “finally leaves us alone.” Baber is pledging that a government led by him would balance the federal budget by the end of its first term, which would require paying down tens of billions of dollars a year. His plans to do so would include "significantly" reducing foreign aid, cutting media subsidies and funding to the CBC, and encouraging "a culture of efficiency." He'd also divest the federal government from any "unnecessary leased space," and freeze public service hires. Baber is against the idea of a universal basic income.
Jean Charest: Charest is running on a commitment to balance the budget, rein in federal spending, and bring tax relief to Canadians so wage growth is more closely aligned to rising inflation. He hasn’t provided detail on what programs he’d slash to reach those objectives. Charest says tax policy should be more flexible to respond to unforeseen circumstances, such as the war in Ukraine.
Leslyn Lewis: Promising to “phase out” the deficit and balance the budget, Lewis is campaigning on supporting small and medium-sized businesses as a main employer of Canadians. She’s accused the government of selfishly “bankrupting” future generations and says as leader she’d cut red tape, and would uphold supply management to protect Canadian producers. She's against pushing the country "towards greater acceptance of digital currency."
Pierre Poilievre: Poilievre has made tackling inflation one of the focuses of his campaign. Through voicing concern over the rising cost of living, what he views as government overspending, and calling out the Bank of Canada for its monetary policy. He's sparked debate over his pledge to fire the governor of Canada's central bank, and says he would phase out “inflationary deficits” by culling spending and reversing Liberal policies and programs. He’s also championed cryptocurrency, something that's been condemned by some of his opponents. While holding investment in Bitcoin, he's vowing to make Canada the “Blockchain Capital of the World."
HOUSING
Scott Aitchison: Aitchison’s housing platform was one of the first policy planks he unveiled in the leadership race. Taking a “yes in my backyard” approach, Aitchison says he’d end exclusionary zoning in big cities, tying federal funding to building new houses. Pledging to get shovels in the ground faster, and recruiting more immigrants in skilled trades, his approach focuses on building more homes. Aitchison wants to crack down on money laundering as it connects to the housing market as well.
Roman Baber: After pledging to propose a robust housing plan, his platform focuses on a pledge to double the First Time Home Buyer RRSP exemption from $35,000 to $70,000, as well as a general promise to "invest in transit and highways to encourage the creation of new and affordable communities." During the English-language debate, he said the political class has lost touch with Canadians and has suggested slashing income tax to make life more affordable.
Jean Charest: Charest’s housing plan, dubbed “Building the Canadian Dream Plan,” includes a pitch to immediately call a National Housing Summit with premiers, rural and urban municipal leaders, and Indigenous leaders to address the housing crisis. He says existing policies unfairly block families from home ownership, and to tackle this a Charest government would tie infrastructure funding to densification near new transit; match federal affordable housing grants to municipalities; allow investors to defer capital gains if profits from rental housing are invested in further rental housing; revive the multi-unit rental building tax incentive program; and make available surplus government land to home builders.
Leslyn Lewis: Like some of her competitors, Lewis is pledging to make housing affordable for all Canadians by building more homes. Lewis is promising to "let builders build," by removing onerous zoning rules and incentivize municipalities. She's also pledged to bring in more builders including by expanding immigration opportunities for skilled workers. And, Lewis is suggesting the government could open up crown land to developers "free of charge."
Pierre Poilievre: Housing affordability is an issue Poilievre has prioritized in his campaign. He’s taken the position that Canadians should be able to afford a place to live, decrying that there are “too many 30-year-olds… living in mom and dad’s basement.” He’s calling for housing “gatekeepers” such as municipal governments to speed up the building permit processes and reduce the administrative costs related to building or renovating homes, with the view of building more houses as a way out of the housing crisis.
CLIMATE
Scott Aitchison: Aitchison has taken the position that while a price on carbon might be the “most effective” policy to curb emissions, he’d scrap the carbon tax. Pledging to have “a real plan to fight climate change,” he believes Canada’s emissions need to be lowered. Aitchison has spoken about finding ways for the government to help Canadians reduce their own carbon footprints rather than “punish them.” He's also pitched making Poilievre his natural resources minister, and Charest his environment minister.
Roman Baber: Baber said he believes climate change is real and that “man contributes to climate change.” However, he disagrees with a price on carbon as a means to reduce emissions. Instead, he is proposing to increase the number of trees planted in Canada per year while encouraging the creation of refinery capacity and growth of the mining industry. Baber is promising that if elected, he'd "rethink, legislate and negotiate the construction of Energy East, Trans Mountain, Northern Gateway and the XL Keystone pipelines. He believes Canada should unleash its economic opportunity by making the country a “natural resources super power.”
Jean Charest: Charest’s “Environment and Clean Growth” plan pledges to balance the interests of Canada’s energy sector, resource-producing provinces, and the economy with those of the environment. It promises to drive investment in areas such as carbon dioxide removal and carbon capture; eliminate the HST on products that reduce carbon usage; boost pathways for clean energy solutions, and introduce "Right to Repair" legislation on appliances such as farm equipment, electronic devices, and vehicles. Notably, he would repeal the Liberal’s carbon tax, replacing it with an industrial carbon price. He believes the Conservative Party will be “dead in the water” if they approach the next federal election with only a climate slogan and no policy to back it up.
Leslyn Lewis: On climate change, Lewis said she is among the Conservatives who support getting rid of the carbon tax, and in its place, Lewis has suggested she’d implement policies that reduce emissions, incentivize businesses, and “encourage people to recycle.” She wants to make Canada an independent energy “superpower” by getting Canadian oil to tidewater and energy to foreign markets. She has taken the position that climate solutions like electric cars is impractical and not affordable, suggesting that “waiting for an electric revolution” is the wrong approach.
Pierre Poilievre: Poilievre is pledging to get rid of the carbon tax, the Liberal policy that puts a price on emissions. While he hasn’t spoken about committing to or keeping any climate change targets, Poilievre says his environmental plan would be about “results, not revenue; technology and not taxes.” He’s also vowed to end imports of overseas oil to Canada within five years of taking office, and repeal Liberal energy regulation and environmental assessment bills, C-69 and C-48.
DEFENCE AND FOREIGN POLICY
Scott Aitchison: The Canadian Armed Forces have been inadequately equipped for too long, is Aitchison’s position. He wants to see Canada meet the NATO commitment of spending two per cent of GDP on defence. He’s promising to fix military procurement processes and to overall build back Canada’s reliability at home and on the world stage. Aitchison has also said he'd uphold the Huawei 5G ban, has voiced support for Taiwan increasing its trade capabilities, and would move Canada’s embassy in Israel to the capital, Jerusalem.
Roman Baber: Baber has committed to boost defence spending to meet NATO’s recommended target of two per cent of gross domestic product but doesn’t believe Canada should go beyond that threshold in order to focus on domestic priorities and meeting treaty commitments. If he became prime minister, Baber says he'd overhaul Veteran Affairs Canada to ensure all veterans have the mental health, addiction and other supports they need. Baber says a government led by him would "stop pandering to China" and instead look to improve the Canada-U.S. relationship.
Jean Charest: Charest has committed to boost defence spending to meet NATO’s recommended target of two per cent or more of gross domestic product, and increase force numbers to 100,000 personnel. In that vein, he would expand the Canadian Armed Forces training system to reach that target. Charest has pledged to open military bases in northern Canada, to enhance Arctic security amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He calls the objective “urgent” in the new world order. He says a government under his leadership would introduce a Canadian Armed Forces Services Benefits Act and restore the pre-2006 Pension Act Benefits System. He’s also promising to make “significant” investments in cyber security and will undertake a foreign policy and defence review.
Leslyn Lewis: Similar to some of her competitors, Lewis is taking the position that the war in Ukraine has shown how Canada has lost ground internationally when it comes to energy security and that Canada should be able to offer oil and gas to the world, rather than having them support regimes like Russian President Vladimir Putin’s. In the official English-language debate, Lewis said that Canada must not exacerbate the tensions already present. She has not said much else in this campaign about other foreign policy files, other than taking aim at the World Health Organization.
Pierre Poilievre: Poilievre has accused the federal government of moving too slowly in helping Ukraine. He wants to see more lethal aid and other military equipment sent, Russian diplomats expelled from Canada, as well as further humanitarian assistance offered. He’s suggested that with more natural resource development, Canada could become an alternative for Europe to buy oil and gas, diverting support away from the Russian industry that’s helping to fund their attacks. Poilievre has also pledged to do more for the Iranian-Canadian community, including moving to sanction and hold the Iranian regime to account over Flight PS752.
SOCIAL ISSUES AND CHILD CARE
Scott Aitchison: At this point in the race, Aitchison has not come out with specific policies on social issues such as health, or child care. He has taken the position that matters of conscience such as abortion should be free votes for MPs, but personally would defend a woman’s right to choose. Aitchison supported passing the conversion therapy ban and has vowed he'd defend Canadians against homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia. He’s against the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates, calling them divisive.
Roman Baber: Baber has been vocal about the negative mental health impacts of pandemic lockdowns and is campaigning on a promise to make all federal vaccine passports and mandates illegal. Baber says if he was the prime minister he would also freeze transfers to any province that has or allows any private or provincially-regulated institution to implement COVID-19 mandates. He has pitched a national autism plan for children, which would establish bi-lateral agreements with the provinces and territories to match $500 million in funding of autism treatments per year. On social issues like abortion, he says he doesn’t believe the government has a role in how people “start or grow” their families but would respect the right of MPs to “seek nomination, introduce legislation & vote freely” on matters of conscience.
Jean Charest: Charest says he would keep the child-care deals signed with the provinces in place and introduce a “Choice in Childcare Tax Credit” to replace the Child Care Expense Deduction with a more “generous, fully refundable, and progressive” tax credit. Charest has also pledged to expand the eligibility for the Canada Child Benefit to the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy, eliminate federal income tax on the federal portion of Employment Insurance (EI) benefits during parental leave, eliminate the EI claw-back on up to $20,000 of income made on parental leave, and extend the eligibility period for parental leave benefits to up to two years. On social issues like abortion, Charest has been vocally in favour of a woman’s right to choose, noting that a government under his leadership would not support legislation restricting reproductive rights.
Leslyn Lewis: Social policy is a main focus of Lewis’ campaign. As a strong social conservative, she has pledged to protect “parental rights” and their ability to raise their families with their own values, suggesting that currently parents are afraid of having conversations with their children about certain topics. She doesn’t specify, but this has been an argument made by those opposed to banning conversion therapy. Lewis is also strongly opposed to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. She has also suggested rather than scrapping them, she’d look to improve the provincial child-care deals and is promising to increase child benefits. Lewis has also promised more action on mental health and addictions.
Pierre Poilievre: Poilievre has been campaigning on a mantra of “freedom.” Spawned out of the trucker convoy protests, he’s taken the broad position that Canadians should take back control of their lives. He wants vaccine mandates lifted, but so far in the race has said little else about health, child care, or other social policies. While he previously voted against same sex marriage, he supported passing the conversion therapy ban, and anti-abortion group Campaign Life Coalition said they cannot endorse him as he is pro-choice in their view. He's also been criticized for some of his comments on controversial psychologist Jordan Peterson's podcast.
