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The Liberal convention, which begins Friday, promises to be a markedly different affair than previous party gatherings.

Gone are the days of a party war chest flush with corporate donations stacked up over years in power, where conventions served more as victory parties than policy debates or campaign strategy sessions. Instead of booking Science World for a private party like in 2016, or renting a mechanical bull to entertain guests like in Kelowna in 2014, Friday’s party convention is being billed as a more roll-up-your-sleeves opposition-style affair with the tag line “winning takes work.”

“I think you’re going to see a candid acknowledgment from Andrew and others that as much as we’re proud to have won a bunch of elections in a row through the 2000s, our vote share declined in each of those elections,” said party executive director Emile Scheffel, who has the new tag line tattooed onto his arm.

“We need to take a hard look at those loss of votes over time, and what to do to reverse that trend.”

The convention will be the first for Wilkinson since he was elected party leader in February. He won’t face any type of leadership vote during the weekend, but a major confidence test is on the horizon for Nov. 8 when he debates the proportional representation referendum with Premier John Horgan on live television.

“With a new leader, any organization has to find its new space in people’s minds and that will be not only the convention itself but also the debate with John Horgan next Thursday, so we can form impressions in people’s minds of what we stand for and who we are,” said Wilkinson.