Two years later, the career for the leadership of CCPConservative Party of Canada occurring in conjunction with phasing out the restrictions placed to combat COVID-19.

However, the last 25 months of the pandemic have exerted a definite influence on the current career for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

The very idea of ​​talking about freedoms was certainly a direct result of the pandemicsaid Chris Chapin, a director of Upstream Strategy Group.

MP Pierre Poilievre, who seeks to succeed Erin O’Toole, has said he wants to make Canada the most independent country in the world. Opposition to forced vaccinations and wearing a face mask was an important part of his speech. He reiterated this, especially in front of many people against sanitary measures.

Last week, he gave a speech to a crowd of more than 250 people, many of whom were not wearing face masks despite provincial regulations, in a hall of a hotel in western Quebec.

Dissatisfaction with the channel

According to Mr. Chapin, candidate Poilievre clearly trusts the grief and anger felt by part of the population during the pandemic. This anger resulted in the siege of downtown Ottawa that lasted several weeks in February.

Leslyn Lewis, who finished third in the 2020 race, is also campaigning against mandatory health measures. He also opposed an agreement with the World Health Organization aimed at strengthening prevention, preparedness and resistance to possible pandemics.

The MP for Haldimand – Norfolk declined to disclose his vaccination status in principle. He has vowed to put in place a bill to protect the unvaccinated from alleged discrimination if he becomes Canada’s prime minister.

Mr. Chapin recalled that another candidate, Patrick Brown, had become a champion of religious freedoms, which could attract those unable to go to their church because of the pandemic.

According to her and conservative strategist Mélanie Paradis, the idea of ​​opposing various restrictions is to sell membership cards to new supporters, which has always been key to a leadership race.

Candidates have until June 3 to bring new members to the party.

The strategy against restriction

Ms. said. Paradis that focusing on restrictions is an effective way to gain momentum in the leadership career. However, the party threatened to spend too much energy on policies that would no longer take effect at the time of voting. Most of the population has already moved. He recalls that Conservatives however need to expand their electoral base.

We put a lot of emphasis on issues that are no longer important when it comes to general election timehe pointed out, this is the complete opposite of a good strategy.

Ontario MPP Roman Baber’s anti-lockdown rhetoric has garnered him enough support to keep him in the race. The man expelled from the Progressive Conservative caucus for publicly and strongly opposing his government’s incarceration measures, got $ 300,000 and the 500 signatures needed for his presence on the ballot.

My detractors criticized me for just talking about COVIDhe said recently on Twitter, Really? Millions of Canadians are still subject to unprecedented discrimination.

John Aladin, a 22-year-old Haitian immigrant living in Quebec, said he was impressed by the consistency of Mr. Poilievre’s message. This is a significant change from what he sees as the position vague champion of former chef Erin O’Toole during the pandemic.

If he had been our leader, the position of our party would have been clearer.he says.

Mr. Aladdin came to listen to Mr. Poilievre’s speech in western Quebec. Convinced, he bought a membership card and even offered to work as a volunteer.