Conservative campaign director Jenni Byrne’s absence from first national council meeting following election loss raises some eyebrows

Jenni Byrne, the Conservative campaign director under fire within the party over its April 28 election loss, has been representing the leader at national council meetings since 2022, but her absence from the June 14 quarterly meeting in Ottawa—the first since election—has raised eyebrows amongst senior Conservatives who are now closely watching whether she will continue to hold the same level of influence within the party. But Byrne told The Hill Times that she did not attend last weekend’s national council meeting because of a prior commitment, and that she will attend the next one. “I had a previous commitment that I agreed to in January before the meeting was set,” wrote Byrne in a message to The Hill Times. “I’ll be at the next one.” In place of Byrne, Rob Staley, chair of the powerful Conservative Fund Canada, represented the leader at the meeting. Byrne would normally have done that. Staley is also an ex-officio member of the council. The 20-member elected national council is the party's highest governing body that oversees all governance issues. Rob Staley, chair of Conservative Fund Canada, the fundraising arm of the party, represented Pierre Poilievre at the June 4 quarterly meeting of the national council. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade Byrne, a top adviser and confidante of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, is facing intense criticism—fairly or unfairly—within the party for failing to deliver victory in the April 28 election—despite national polls suggesting a potential landslide. In early January, some projections based on national polls had the Conservatives winning a super majority of more than 200 seats. Until that time, then-prime minister Justin Trudeau was adamant about leading his party in the next election, and the governing Liberals were worried about ending up in third- or even fourth-place behind the Bloc Québécois and NDP. This is one of the reasons why a significant number of Liberal MPs had announced at the time that they weren't going to seek re-election. However, Trudeau’s departure announcement in January, coupled with the United States President Donald Trump's trade war and his incendiary rhetoric about annexing Canada, created a rally-around-the-flag effect that in the end helped the Liberals secure a come-from-behind win. The Liberals jumped in the polls between January and April by about 20 points, while the Conservatives also failed to pivot. Although the Conservatives failed to form government, they garnered 41.3 per cent or nearly 8.1 million votes nationally, while the Liberals won 43.7 per cent or 8.6 million votes. The Conservatives also increased their total vote count compared to the 2021 federal election when they received 33.7 per cent or 5.7 million votes. Conservative MPs, unsuccessful candidates, and grassroots members are critical of the party's senior campaign team for failing to adequately address the issue of Trump tariffs, which was something Canadians were worried about. Poilievre is currently leading a post-election review by consulting unsuccessful candidates to hear their perspectives on what went right, what did not work, and what lessons should be learned. After leading the Conservative campaign in Ottawa, Byrne returned to her Public Affairs firm in Toronto. She told The Hill Times last month that she had taken a leave of absence from her company, and remains involved in helping the party. Two of her colleagues from her company—Andrew Kimber and Simon Jefferies— also worked in the Conservative war room during the election campaign. “I have always been based in Toronto, and only took a leave from my business for the campaign,” Byrne told The Hill Times in a text message on May 20. “Still helping the party same before.” Byrne played a central role as the chief architect of Poilievre’s 2022 successful leadership campaign. A former senior PMO staffer under then-prime minister Stephen Harper, she previously served as campaign director during the 2015 federal election when the Conservatives were defeated by the Trudeau Liberals. She was the national campaign manager in 2011 when the Conservatives won a majority government. Following Poilievre’s leadership win in 2022, Byrne led his transition team, advising him on staffing for the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and putting together his shadow cabinet. The leader’s inner circle is believed to include only Byrne. Both have been closely working together for close to a quarter of a century. Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre will have to face the mandatory leadership review at the next policy convention now set for the week of Jan. 26, 2026, in Calgary. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade Meanwhile, at the quarterly meeting back in January, the national council had approved the party’s plan to hold the next biennial policy convention in Ottawa in the spring of 2026. However, that changed at last weekend’s meeting when the party recommended moving the next convention out of Ottawa because Poilievre lost his own Ottawa-area seat, and the Conservatives failed to make any gains in the national capital region—where the Liberals won all ridings. Following consultations with the convention committee of the national council, party officials recommended that the next convention be held in Calgary, with the subsequent one in Toronto. The Convention Committee is chaired by Christina Mitas. Other members include Nathalie Clermont, Colette Stang, Danny Macdonald and Judy Manning. In the presentation, party officials said they were unable to secure a venue in Toronto for January, which is why they’re recommending Calgary instead. However, sources said that no councillor questioned whether other months—such as February or March—were considered as alternatives for a Toronto convention. The national council was told that the party was looking at the week of Jan. 26, 2026, for the convention in Calgary, according to sources. Poilievre will have to face a mandatory leadership review at the next convention, as required by the party constitution following an electoral defeat. The national council was expecting a post-election debrief from party officials on why they fell short, but none was provided—and according to sources, no one questioned why one is not provided. The party normally conducts a debrief after every election. arana@hilltimes.com The Hill Times

Conservative campaign director Jenni Byrne’s absence from first national council meeting following election loss raises some eyebrows

In place of Jenni Byrne, Conservative Fund chair Rob Staley represented Pierre Poilievre at the June 14 quarterly meeting, say Conservative sources.

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