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OTTAWA — This week, the federal Conservatives are adding to their policy book for the first time under leader Andrew Scheer, and for the last time before the next election.

On the table for the rank-and-file to discuss at the party’s convention in Halifax are changes to positions on everything from immigration to abortion to freedom of speech to defence spending.

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The policies that ultimately get adopted can be a blueprint for the Conservatives’ next election platform — but the leadership doesn’t have to follow them to the letter, so Scheer and his people can still think up other ideas to prioritize in next year’s campaign.

Here’s the drill on how it works: On Friday, party members will split up to debate 76 resolutions, divided between three lists that were prioritized based on voting at regional meetings and by federal riding associations online. It’s unlikely that delegates will get all the way down each list. Out of those they debate, a maximum of 10 can be brought to a wider plenary on Saturday. To get to the plenary, they need 80 per cent support in the smaller groups. If more than 10 policies get such support, then those with the highest percentages go ahead. Finally, at the plenary, policies are formally adopted by the party if they get a simple majority plus a majority of support from six out of 11 regional groups (10 provinces plus another for the territories).