Also, the NP gives a preview of some of the motions to be brought forward at the convention.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre may be hyper-focused on cost of living and housing but delegates have other priorities in mind.
nationalpost.com
One can also peruse the full suite of policy proposals and motions that have been made public here:
I've just read the CPC Convention package for Quebec 2023. I won't go into a summary of the whole package, but I just to highlight in
Red Italics two particular items of interest.
V – National Defence and Security/ Défense nationale et sécurité A – 15- 1213
Submission ID / Numéro de la proposition : 1213
Sponsoring EDA / Circonscription parrainante : Wellington – Halton Hills
Type of Submission / Type de proposition : MODIFICATION / MODIFICATION
Submission #1213 - 171.North Atlantic Treaty Organization
171. Deterrence and Strength through Collective Defence
The Conservative Party of Canada supports Canada’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the principle of collective security.
A Conservative Government will work towards spending at least the NATO recommended two (2) percent of our GDP on National Defence.
As an Indo-Pacific nation,
Conservatives support Canada joining the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD Group) for strategic military cooperation, as well as charting a path to membership in the new elite defence pact AUKUS.
Proposition # 1213 – 171.Organisation du Traité de l’Atlantique Nord (OTAN)
171. Dissuasion et force par la défense collective
Le Parti conservateur du Canada soutient la participation du Canada à l’Organisation du Traité de l’Atlantique Nord (OTAN) et le principe de la sécurité collective. Un gouvernement conservateur cherchera à dépenser au moins les deux (2) pour cent du PIB recommandés par l’OTAN pour la Défense nationale.
En tant que nation indo-pacifique, les conservateurs soutiennent l'adhésion du Canada au
Dialogue quadrilatéral sur la sécurité (groupe QUAD) pour la coopération militaire stratégique, ainsi que
de tracer la voie vers l'adhésion au nouveau traité de défense d'élite AUKUS.
Notes:
(1) Conservatives, like the Liberals, will work towards spending at least the NATO recommended 2% of the GDP. This is not a firm commitment to spending 2%. I take it to mean that the CPC will not make any fiscal cuts to the defence budget as a minimum, but that doesn't mean any significant increases either. This will depend on the overall fiscal situation.
(2) I'm not sure what conditions would be for Cda to join AUKUS. I'm not sure if the general public will even support it especially if it means nuclear submarines or a substantial increase in the defence budget.
In brief, same old news as the Liberals, with their proposed defence and veterans' policies as last time, and before that. Lots of grand ideas but no firm commitment.
Anyway, we'll see after the convention what the platform will be after the party votes on the convention package. Like any good political party there will be very little commitment to spend money, but there will lots of implied new focused spending.
