From the Conservative leadership debate to panels on the future of the Canadian right, watch the goings-on at the Manning Centre Conference live
Manning Networking Conference in Ottawa March 6, 2015. Photograph by Blair Gable
Enter stage right: The Manning Centre Conference, one of the biggest annual gatherings of Canada’s conservatives, is taking place from Feb. 24 to Feb. 25. It will feature speakers like Donald Trump’s Canadian speechwriter F.H. Buckley and interim Tory leader Rona Ambrose, and also will include a debate of the hopefuls running for the Conservative leadership on Friday at 3 PM ET. Maclean’s is covering it all weekend, from Kady O’Malley’s frequent dispatches to our Ottawa bureau’s stories to the live broadcast below. Watch the stream below, and scroll down for the schedule.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24
8:45am – 9:30am Opening Session
Location: Ottawa Salon
SPEAKERS:
• Preston Manning
• Rona Ambrose
9:45am – 10:45am Leading the Response to Islamist Extremism and its Ideology in Canada
Location: Ottawa Salon
SPEAKERS:
• Thomas Quiggin
• Raheel Raza
• MODERATOR: Rick Ekstein
9:45am – 10:45am The Millennial Mindset
| A look into public opinion research on millenial views towards politics
Location: 206/208
SPEAKERS:
• Heather Scott-Marshall
• Ted Kouri
9:45am – 10:45am The Impact of Debt (FR)
Location: 207
SPEAKERS:
• Gérard Deltell
• Youri Chassin
• MODERATOR: Jean-François Béland
10:45am – 11:15am COFFEE BREAK
11:15am – 12:15pm Down with the Elites? | Understanding the rise in anti-establishment sentiment
Location: 206/208
SPEAKERS:
• Matthew Elliott
• Doug Ford
• Georganne Burke
• MODERATOR: Anthony Furey
11:15am – 12:15pm NationBuilder Workshop | Whether you’re running for your town council or President of the United States, NationBuilder helps you engage with voters and build your database. This comprehensive workshop is a masterclass on how to use the world’s most popular political campaign software.
Location: 205
SPEAKERS:
• Peter Wrinch
• Sorcha Rochford
11:15am – 12:15pm School Choice – Power to the Parents? | How can school choice be improved in each province in Canada? Should this be a priority for political advocacy for conservatives?
Location: Ottawa Salon
SPEAKERS:
• Beth Green
• Deani Van Pelt
• Angus McBeath
• MODERATOR: Aaron Blumenfeld
11:15am – 12:15pm Islamist Extremism Discussion Group | A continued discussion of the issue with panelists for interested registrants
Location: 207
SPEAKERS:
• Raheel Raza
• Thomas Quiggin
• MODERATOR: Rick Ekstein
12:15pm – 1:15pm LUNCH |
Location: Trillium Ballroom
12:15pm – 1:15pm Youth Lunch: Stifling Dissent-Conservatism on Campus | Being a conservative on campus has never been easy, but it’s now becoming impossible. Hear from young leaders and their experiences in pushing back against the left on campus.
Location: 207
SPEAKERS:
• Allyson Grant
• Paige MacPherson
• Garnett Genuis
• MODERATOR: Marisa Maslink
1:15pm – 2:00pm A Trump Movement in Canada?
| Can Trumpism be exported to Canada? Or is it already here?
Location: Ottawa Salon
SPEAKERS:
• F. H. Buckley
3:00pm – 5:00pm CPC Leadership Debate | Candidates for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada debate the issues
Location: Ottawa Salon
SPEAKERS:
• Meet the candidates!
5:00pm – 8:00pm CPC Leadership Reception | Meet and greet with the CPC leadership candidates
Location: Atrium
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
8:30am – 9:30am The Future of Alberta Conservatism
Location: Ottawa Salon
9:45am – 10:45am Censorship on Campus |Taking the lead on freedom of expression
Location: Ottawa Salon
SPEAKERS:
• John Carpay
• Jordan Peterson
• Gad Saad
• MODERATOR: Christine Van Geyn
9:45am – 10:45am US Election – Digital Winners and Losers | Every US election cycle takes a digital leap forward – come hear from US digital expert Vincent Harris as he reviews the digital winners and losers from the 2016 US election.
Location: 205
SPEAKERS:
• Vincent Harris
9:45am – 10:45am Dealing with Deficits: Taking the Lead on Deficits in Canada
Location: 206/208
SPEAKERS:
• Larry Berman
• Joe Oliver
• Adrienne Batra
• MODERATOR: Robin Martin
11:15am – 12:15pm Journalist Panel: Political Communications in the Age of Social Media | Paul Bunner, editor of the Manning Centre’s C2C Journal, will lead a discussion about the transformation of the media landscape and its impact on political communications.
Location: Ottawa Salon
SPEAKERS:
• Elamin Abdelmahmoud
• Tom Clark
• Vassy Kapelos
• MODERATOR: Paul Bunner
11:15am – 12:15pm Religious Freedom and the Imperative of Human Dignity
Location: 205
SPEAKERS:
• Andrew Bennett
• MODERATOR: Ray Pennings
11:15am – 12:15pm Carbon Pricing Debate | Modern Miracle Network
Location: 206/208
SPEAKERS:
• Michael Binnion
• John Williamson
• Mark Cameron
• David McLaughlin
• MODERATOR: Andrew Lawton
1:15pm – 2:15pm CBC: Time to Pull the Plug? | The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has played a key role in Canada’s media history. It was created and funded by the federal government to provide a wide range of distinctively Canadian programming to inform, enlighten and entertain. This panel will debate whether there is a role or even a need for the CBC in Canada in a shifting digital media age.
Location: Ottawa Salon
SPEAKERS:
• Brian Lilley
• James Baxter
• Dwayne Winseck
• MODERATOR: Michele Austin
2:15pm – 3:30pm Taking the Digital Lead in Politics: Canadian and US Perspectives | The US Election Cycle saw digital media topple broadcast television as the biggest influencer of voter behaviour and campaign narrative. Join digital experts from Twitter, Facebook, and NationBuilder as they share their insights on the role of digital in the US election, and what it means for Canada going forward.
Location: Ottawa Salon
SPEAKERS:
• Jennifer Hollett
• Sorcha Rochford
• Vincent Harris
• MODERATOR: Chad Rogers
4:00pm – 5:00pm The Mark Steyn Show live with musical guest Tal Bachman! A live taping of the Mark Steyn Show, featuring a monologue by Mark, a one-on-one interview, and live musical entertainment. All the hallmarks of Mark’s popular CRTV show brought to the Manning Centre audience.
Location: Ottawa Salon
5:00pm PROGRAM CONCLUDES