Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre took the stage at the Canada Strong and Free Network conference in Ottawa on Thursday, posing a question that many within his own party are asking: "Where do we go from here?"
Poilievre's defiant stance
In a roughly 20-minute speech, Poilievre made one thing clear: he is not stepping down. "I keep fighting and I hope you will too," he told the audience, addressing the uncertainty that has gripped the party after Prime Minister Mark Carney secured a majority government.
The Conservative leader spoke in a hotel conference room minutes from Parliament Hill, where his party now finds itself firmly in Opposition. Carney's majority came through a mix of byelection wins and five MPs who defected to the Liberals, four of whom were from Poilievre's own caucus.
A changed political landscape
The annual Canada Strong and Free Network conference, typically a gathering of conservative activists, strategists, and supporters, took place under markedly different circumstances than previous years. The days of riding high in the polls and facing a near-certain chance of forming government have been replaced by the reality of a Liberal majority under a popular prime minister.
Questions about Poilievre's leadership and the party's future now swirl, even within his own caucus. What were once hallway conversations about cabinet appointments and first-100-day plans have become existential debates about how the party should spend its next three years.
Poilievre's critique of the Liberals
Poilievre began his address with what he called "good news," asserting that Conservatives have won every debate on public policy issues over the past decade. "On inflation, carbon taxes, housing, drugs, crime, resource development. We've been proven right on all of those issues where Liberals demonized us," he said to applause.
He criticized Carney's policy reversals on Trudeau-era ideas, calling them an "illusion"—a word he used at least 13 times. "The illusion was that he would be more moderate, maybe even a little bit conservative, but the reality is that he's not changed the Trudeau agenda," Poilievre argued.
According to Poilievre, that agenda has been "accelerated" through bigger deficits and more spending, measures the Carney government says will boost defence spending and support industries affected by U.S. tariffs.
Looking ahead
"The Liberals have used fear, delusions and never-ending crises in order to seize and expand on democratic power. And all of that begs the question of where we go from here? Where do things stand right now?" Poilievre asked, rallying his supporters to continue the fight.
