Conservative leadership hopefuls debate future of party, trade Netflix suggestions

The six candidates for the Conservative management squared off in Edmonton Wednesday night time in a debate that showcased their differing visions for the way forward for the social gathering, and in addition what they’re at present watching on Netflix.

After a fractious unofficial debate in Ottawa final week, the Conservative social gathering used the management contest’s single English-language debate to attempt to spotlight the candidates’ lighter aspect — together with questions on what music they hearken to, what they’re at present studying, and the very last thing they “binge watched.”

If a candidate referenced a rival through the debate’s early rounds, the social gathering piped a “unhappy trombone” sound impact by way of the room and moved on.

However regardless of the gimmicks and an unconventional line of questioning, the candidates — who aspire to guide a G7 nation — additionally discovered time to spotlight their divergent views on what the Conservatives must do to regain energy after three straight basic election losses.

“That is the important thing query,” mentioned Jean Charest, the previous Quebec premier who as soon as led the federal Progressive Conservative social gathering.

“Everybody is aware of that the Trudeau authorities must get out of workplace and so they’re seeking to the Conservative Celebration of Canada because the nationwide various. And the query they’re asking themselves is that this: are you as much as the duty?”

“We have to unite the social gathering round freedom,” mentioned Pierre Poilievre, the Carleton MP and perceived frontrunner within the marketing campaign.

“Once we unite the social gathering alongside that constant precept of freedom, then we deliver all the assorted elements of our social gathering collectively and we electrify and excite a brand new era of younger folks that I’ve been bringing into the coalition in order that we are able to kind the subsequent authorities and beat Justin Trudeau.”

Whereas Poilievre has used “freedom” as his catch-all rallying cry, he made it evident that he doesn’t consider the Financial institution of Canada must be free to set financial coverage with out authorities interference.

Poilievre, who has pushed cryptocurrency and blamed the impartial Financial institution of Canada for driving up inflation, mentioned he would hearth the financial institution’s governor if elected prime minister. The financial institution’s governor sometimes serves a seven-year time period.

The Financial institution of Canada units the nation’s financial coverage, setting benchmark rates of interest, whereas the federal government of the day decides on the nation’s fiscal coverage. The suggestion Poilievre would hearth a Financial institution of Canada governor over a disagreement on financial coverage drew hearth from Charest.

“In case you’re an investor taking a look at coming to Canada and also you hear that sort of assertion coming from a member of the Home of Commons, you’d assume you’re in a third-world nation,” Charest charged.

“We can’t afford to have any chief who goes on the market and intentionally undermines the boldness in establishments. Conservatives don’t do this.”

The Edmonton debate was the primary and solely time all six authorized management contestants will seem on the identical stage for an English-language debate.

Final week, Patrick Brown skipped an unofficial debate to conservative motion devoted on the Canada Sturdy and Free networking convention in Ottawa. The occasion, previously generally known as the Manning Centre convention, drew younger rank-and-file Tories from throughout the nation.

Some wags instructed Brown gained the fractious debate by failing to indicate up. The talk — which featured Poilievre accusing Charest of being a closet liberal, which quantities to a slur in conservative circles — foregrounded the fractures inside the social gathering and the stakes of this management contest.

Brown’s participation Wednesday didn’t considerably change the dynamic, with Poilievre and Charest making an attempt to tear one another down, Leslyn Lewis and Roman Baber competing for the anti-lockdown crowd, and Scott Aitchison interesting for moderation and unity.

Poilievre is extensively thought of the frontrunner within the Conservatives’ management race. However of the three earlier management contests the trendy iteration of the social gathering has held, just one — the 2004 management that chosen Stephen Harper to guide the social gathering — has seen the early frontrunner assume the highest job.

The Carleton MP and former cupboard minister is anticipated to spend the remainder of the race with a goal painted on his again — with Charest and Brown arguing he’s unpalatable to the broader Canadian voters, and Lewis suggesting he’s insufficiently dedicated to the Conservative base.

Aitchison has positioned himself because the voice of moderation within the contest. On Wednesday night time, as with final week’s debate, it was troublesome for him to get a phrase in edgewise.

The Conservative management candidates are scheduled to satisfy in Laval, Que., for a French language debate on Could 25. They’ve till June 3 to enroll new members to help their bid, earlier than hitting the summer time barbecue circuit forward of the Sept. 10 vote.