"F or my party-the Conservative Party of Canada-2025 was an annus horribilis. We suffered a string of strategic missteps, failed to break through to voters on the issues that dominated the national conversation, and paid the price in both public confidence and political momentum. I won't revisit every episode here, but we must acknowledge the reality of a very difficult year and learn from it."
"It's important to acknowledge that Conservatives set the agenda on most of the critical issues facing Canada. From working with Alberta to get Canadian energy to market, to a focus on sovereignty in the Arctic, to a more serious approach to trade negotiations with the Americans, to the cost-of-living crisis facing Canadian households, Conservatives have generally been the first to point out the issues on the horizon facing the country and our place in the world."
"I know, on a personal level, how challenging it can be to lead the federal Conservative Party in a country where being "conservative" means different things to different people depending on their background and where they live. It is also extra challenging in this new age of social media polarization, where algorithms create a blend of news and entertainment that only seems to harden people's views."
2025 was an annus horribilis for the Conservative Party of Canada, marked by strategic missteps and loss of public confidence and political momentum. Conservatives led on major issues including getting Canadian energy to market with Alberta, Arctic sovereignty, trade negotiations with the Americans, and the cost-of-living crisis affecting households. Setting the national agenda is a core opposition role, but the party must overcome barriers to winning a general election and earn trust to govern. Leadership challenges include regional differences in what "conservative" means and social media polarization that hardens views and hinders compromise. The leader struggled to balance the base with swing voters, particularly on health measures during unique challenges.
#conservative-party-of-canada #election-strategy #social-media-polarization #energy-and-arctic-sovereignty
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