After Losing His Ottawa Area Seat, Poilievre to Run in Rural Alberta After Tory MP Resigns

Earlier this week, here is a small part what I wrote after commenting on Pierre Poilievre, leader of Canada's Conservative Party, losing his Ottawa area seat to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy:

I suspect that some poor Tory MP in Alberta (Poilievre was born and raised in Calgary) will have to fall on his or her sword so that Poilievre can run in a by-election.

Well, sure enough, Damien Kurek drew the short stick. Kurek, who has served as the MP for the riding of Battle River-Crowfoot since 2019, resigned so that Poilievre can run in a by-election. 

On Monday, Kurek was easily re-elected with 81.8% of the vote defeating his Liberal challenger by more than 45,000 votes. Battle River-Crowfoot, a rural riding in southeastern Alberta situated between Calgary and Edmonton, is probably the safest Conservative seat in the country. If Poilievre can't win this seat, then he can't win anywhere.

Legally, the new Carney Liberal government can wait six months before calling a by-election. Politically speaking, waiting the full six months could provide time for the opposition to organize against Poilievre in the hope of pulling off another Fanjoy like upset. However, Carney is publicly committed to scheduling a by-election promptly stating, "No games, nothing, straight."  

This is certainly not a politically expedient move on Carney's part. Indeed, he has effectively handed Poilievre a lifeline at the time when other Tories such as Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have publicly expressed discontent with Poilievre. 

However, it is clear that Carney doesn't believe that internecine battles among the Tories aren't his business. In pledging to call a by-election as soon as possible, it demonstrates Carney is truly demonstrated to civic discourse. I remember at one point during the English language leaders' debate, Carney actually shushed then NDP leader Jagmeet Singh because he wanted to hear what Poilievre had to say.

Of course, I don't expect Poilievre or the Conservatives to be grateful for Carney's sense of civic discourse. But one can hope that it would go some way in helping Canada have a united front against President Trump on the issue of both Canadian sovereignty and tariffs. However, I think it is a faint hope.