POILIEVRE'S PARTY — Conservative Party members are in Quebec City to debate policy. But this weekend isn't really about geeky debates over Robert's rules. It is, as one Tory reminded Playbook, an infomercial.
The headliner is PIERRE POILIEVRE. His Friday night speech is the biggest draw. A close second: The convention's hospitality suites, stocked to serve thirsty networkers hyped up on their party and spending a couple of days away from home. — Consistency, if nothing else: When Poilievre won the party crown last September, most Tories insisted the brash rhetoric of his leadership campaign was a feature, not a bug. They insisted he wouldn't pivot to the center. He didn't. Poilievre still wants to obliterate the federal price on carbon. He still wants to cut funding to the CBC as part of a sustained reduction in government spending. He finds new bureaucrats every week worthy of the "gatekeeper" epithet. Don't expect him to stop. What else have we learned about the man? Here's what. → He'll fundraise everywhere. Poilievre lashes out at Laurentian elites who allegedly run the country, but he also takes their checks. The Tory leader has headlined events in some of Canada's most gilded rooms, including the oldest private club in Canada in the heart of Toronto's financial district. He once gathered a crowd at a Forest Hill mansion that included a Jackman, a Bronfman and a Weston. Just last night, Poilievre was at Quebec City's Garrison Club — the oldest members-only club in town — for a convention eve gathering. But Poilievre hits up just as many community centers and banquet halls, and he was on the road all over Canada much of the summer. A day after he rallied donors at Halifax's historic Ashburn Golf Club in mid-August, Poilievre was railing against Trudeau's Canada at the Cymbria Lions Club on Prince Edward Island. Sure, there's occasionally a cringe factor when Poilievre tries to connect with the working class. But if the point is to fill a warchest, well, donations are pouring in. → He writes his own zingers. You know a Poilievre catchphrase when you hear it. They can be awkwardly unconventional. Exhibit A, from 2021: "Make more, cost less. Paychecks, not debt." Exhibit B from 2023: "Bring home more powerful paychecks by building more and paying less." People close to Poilievre insist he is the author of many of his public remarks, relentless catchphrases and rehearsed anecdotes included. This gets the Tory leader in trouble from time to time. Poilievre's off-the-cuff approach to media relations produced his most embarrassing summertime flub. At a July press conference, he referred to a modest home in southern Ontario as a "tiny little shack" and recited the address. He later apologized to the home's tenant. Poilievre is said to be writing much of his own convention speech — which, yes, is what leaders' teams often say to hype up the boss. → He might not be as unlikable as his opponents hope. Liberals and New Democrats are banking on the notion that Poilievre is fighting a losing battle with approval ratings. Abacus Data has tracked Poilievre's popularity since April 2022, when he was the frontrunner to lead his party. His negatives grew to 40 percent in June 2023, compared to 32 percent who had a positive impression. But the trend shifted during the summer. Last month, Abacus measured just a one-point gap between Poilievre's fans and his haters. Today, the pollster released a survey — first published by the Toronto Star — in which Poilievre has achieved a net-positive rating. But if a C$3 million Tory ad campaign meant to define Poilievre as a family man is resonating with voters, the Liberal brain trust doesn't appear to be in a rush to fight back. The governing party has yet to spend big sums on its own volley of ads. PARTY TIME — Hospitality suites at political conventions don't come cheap. If anybody can afford to splash around a little donor dough on a big party, it's Canada's Conservatives. Still, party budgets that balloon into five digits are a heck of a deterrent for aspiring organizers. Here's what Playbook knows is happening in and around the convention. — Tonight: Earnscliffe hosts an 8 p.m. party at Le Grand Café. RSVP. PAA Advisory is at L'Atelier from 9:15. RSVP. The Equal Voice Foundation will be at the Hilton at 8:30 p.m. RSVP. | 
