Paul Tuns:

The Conservative Party’s Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC) did not verify two candidates green-lit by Campaign Life Coalition by discerning fundraising rules in a novel way to block the pair of pro-life candidates from being on the ballot when members vote for a new leader later this summer.

While MP Marc Dalton did not raise enough money to cover the $200,000 entrance fee and the $100,000 compliance fee and thus did not make the April 29 deadline to become a verified candidate, two others — Joseph Bourgault and Grant Abraham — did submit more than $300,000 and 500 signatures from party members across the country. LEOC claimed that leadership candidates were docked a 15 per cent fee to the party for all monies raised and thus the actual dollar amount they had to submit was at least $345,000. 

Section 4.3.6 of the leadership rules notes that “all contributions directed to the Conservative Fund Canada are subject to the administrative fee” of 15 per cent on the first $1 million in contributions. There is no indication in sections 3.3.1 and 3.4.1 that the entrance fee and compliance deposit would be subject to the 15 per cent take. Bourgault says he submitted more than $360,000 so would have had the 15 per cent administrative fee covered.

Leslyn Lewis, who became a verified candidate well before the April 29 deadline, tweeted in support of the those that were deemed not qualified to be verified: “We want a fair race. I’m not afraid of a hard fight, and the Conservative Party is not one that should be cancelling legitimate contestants,” saying the party “should let them run.”

Joel Etienne, a candidate who lost in the 2021 federal election riding of York Centre and was supported by Canada Christian College president Charles McVety, was also not verified. CLC was not able to contact Etienne to rate him.

Jack Fonseca, director of political operations for Campaign Life Coalition, criticisms of the “Red Tory Swamp” and the party’s “cheating and corruption” in calling out party executive director Wayne Benson for coming up with the “make believe number” that was not in the clearly stated rules.

In a message to supporters, Fonseca said “we cannot let this skullduggery go on” and called upon CLC supporters who were Conservative Party members to contact LEOC members, National Council members, and Conservative MPs to “demand the reinstatement of Abraham and Bourgault.”

The leader will be selected by members (in good standing as of June 3) in a ranked ballot in early August and the winner announced on Sept. 10.

Lewis is the only candidate green-lit by CLC to make the ballot and CLC encourages pro-lifers to only vote for Lewis, saying that pro-abortion candidates do not deserve the support of pro-lifers. CLC national president Jeff Gunnarson told The Interim “by backing pro-abortion candidates it sends the message that politicians can take the pro-life and pro-family vote for granted.”

The other five candidates on the ballot are MPs Pierre Poilievre and Scott Aitchison, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, Ontario independent MPP Roman Baber, and former Quebec premier Jean Charest.

Poilievre used to be green-lit by CLC as pro-life and pro-family, but in an aborted leadership campaign bid in 2020 and again this time around, he vowed to not reopen the abortion issue if he becomes leader. 

Aitchison, Brown, and Charest are all proudly pro-abortion and pro-LGBTQ, and vow not to permit social issues to be brought forward by caucus members. Baber, who is pro-abortion and pro-LGBTQ, says he would allow free votes and permit Conservative MPs to bring forward private members’ bills on moral issues.

During the English-language leader’s debate, each candidate was asked by moderator Tom Clark whether they would support legislation around abortion.

Jean Charest said, “I am pro-choice and my government would not bring in or support to change or restrain the rights of women,” defending the status quo. Aitchison said, “I will always defend a woman’s right to her personal reproductive health choices.” Brown said, “I’m pro-choice, I support a woman’s right to choose and any government I lead would not revisit the issue. Poilievre said, “A Poilievre government would not introduce or pass legislation restricting abortion.” Baber said, “I don’t believe that government has a role in how people start and grow their families.” Lewis said “I’m pro-life” and was the only candidate to receive applause from the audience for her answer.

Charest would later criticize Poilievre: “On this issue can we be clear about one thing? Every candidate in this race needs to tell the women of Canada where they stand, whether they’re pro or against, and Mr. Poilievre’s answer quite frankly does not fit that test.” Lewis also attacked Poilievre for his evasiveness on the issue: “He cannot just be the minister of finance if he wants to be prime minister. He is going to have to deal with social conservative issues, which he has been running away from for this entire campaign.” The next day in response to reporters, Poilievre stated unequivocally he believes in “freedom of choice” when it comes to abortion.

On CTV’s Question Period, Brown told Evan Solomon that “there’s a place for all conservatives in the Conservative family, and you’ll note that when I was leader of the Ontario Conservative party, there were a number of prominent social conservatives who got nominated,” adding, “Certainly, you know, I value their place.” Lewis reminded Conservatives that Brown had a “different tone” in the recent past, quoting from his 2019 memoirs in which he advised new Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford that social conservatives were “dinosaurs who are becoming less and less relevant every single day … they are people yelling at the sky … I don’t think they represent conservatism of any stripe … social conservatism is an oxymoron.” Lewis called on Mayor Brown to retract his comments “lest they become a stinking albatross for him in this leadership race.”

Lewis said that while her opponents hint that there is “room in the party for social conservatives,” she poignantly asked: “room in the party … to do what?” She charged the other five leadership candidates of wanting social conservative votes and donations but expecting them to “keep their opinions to themselves.” Lewis challenged her opponents “to be specific about how they would truly respect and include all wings of the Party in policy discussions and Parliamentary operations.”

Lewis said “because I hail 

from the social conservative wing of our Party, let me be crystal clear for those who
hold different views than
me,” that “everyone will be able to table private member bills of their choosing, and vote according to their conscience.”

Lewis is the only candidate to list pro-life and pro-family policies on her website, including an end to sex-selective abortion, criminalizing coerced abortion, funding pro-life pregnancy centres, ending overseas abortion funding, starting child benefit payments at 12 weeks of pregnancy, increasing parental leave to two years, doubling the Canada Child Benefit for families that have children under six years of age who are not in government-run daycare, reintroducing the Family Tax Cut income-splitting program, and enshrining parental rights in law.