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An Alberta MP is resigning so Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre can run for office in a by-election.
The announcement came shortly after Prime Minister Mark Carney said he would act quickly to call a by-election if the Conservatives had a member resign for the leader.
“I will ensure that it happens as soon as possible,” Carney told reporters in Ottawa on Friday morning. “No games.”
An hour later, Battle River—Crowfoot MP Damien Kurek said he would step aside to allow Poilievre a shot at re-election.
Battle River—Crowfoot is a safe riding for Poilievre: the Conservatives have held the riding since it was created in 2015 and Kurek received nearly 82 per cent of the vote this election.
Poilievre accepted Kurek’s “selfless” offer “with humility and appreciation” in a post to social media site X.
“The people of Battle River—Crowfoot will be represented well by Pierre for the remainder of this Parliamentary session,” Kurek said in a written statement in the Conservative Party of Canada’s press release.
“I will keep working with our incredible local team to do everything I can to remain the strong voice for you as I support him in the process, and then run again here in Battle River—Crowfoot in the next general election.”
Liberal MP Bruce Fanjoy defeated Poilievre by more than 4,300 votes in Carleton, a riding the Conservative leader held for 20 consecutive years prior (from 2004 to 2014 it was Nepean—Carleton).
A by-election must be called within six months of the Chief Electoral Officer being informed that there's a vacancy. The prime minister gets to call the by-election and set the dates it will take place.
Carney’s willingness to make a by-election happen quickly makes sense, Stephen White, an associate professor of political science at Carleton University, said in an interview with Canada’s National Observer.
“It's better … to be, or to appear at least, kind of magnanimous, right? Given that you're not going to win that seat anyway and Mr. Poilievre is going to be there, whether it's in two, three months or six months,” White said.
“Sometimes as well, the governing party declines to even run a candidate.”
The Liberal Candidate for Battle River—Crowfoot received 11.4 per cent of the vote compared to Kurek’s 81.8 per cent so “What would be the point in running a Liberal candidate there?” White asked.
Kurek’s statement pointed out that although the Conservatives failed to form government, Poilievre’s national campaign resulted in the federal Conservatives’ highest vote share since 1988 with 42 per cent of the popular vote.
“An unstoppable movement has grown under his leadership, and I know we need Pierre fighting in the House of Commons to hold the Liberal minority government to account,” Kurek said.
Natasha Bulowski / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer
Comments
Time and again the pundits were expressing a phenomena never before seen in elections. Women were not voting for Poilievre in numbers never before seen. I am wondering why that isn't being taken into consideration when it comes to giving him a seat when he just lost a huge riding he held for 20 years. Why are women not being listened to? They are telling the people something, and that something is they do not think he would make a good PM. Why is no one listening to their warning?
The answer to that lies in the assessment of the American election as coming down to "bros vs hos," and we know who won.
Panning out, the right wing represents the former, the left the latter, and world-wide, "guy guys" and their cheerleaders are having a moment, thanks to social media.
So sexism/misogyny never went anywhere (look at domestic abuse statistics; and the lasting patriarchy of religion) any more than racism did because both are apparently endemic to human nature.
The loser talk from that party... "Highest vote share since 1988!" but still lost the popular vote, still lost the election, still lost his seat. All thanks to his incompetence, his inability to think on his feet, his toxic trumpian uncharismatic personality, his grotesque narcissism. Now he is "triumphantly" retreating to one of the safest conservative seats in the country, maybe the CPC can have a gold-plated statue of him made to soothe his bruised ego.
And of course, the "party of transparency" won't reveal what they offered Kurek to step down.
That crowd is starting to look a little like a cult in my opinion. They scrambling to get him back in the HofC as quickly as possible because 1. They don't know how to speak for themselves anymore, or 2. They like being told what to do, how to behave, how to be silent and what to say. Weird to say the least.
And Smith starting the Separation baloney while Carney will be away. They are so greedy it is unbelievable.
Kurek's first word in describing himself is that he's a "Christian."
When will the link between this whole backward conservative "movement" in Canada and Republican's appallingly religious "Project 2025" be made?
There IS a final "Handmaid's Tale" series on right now, but the elephant in the room remains firmly seated.
And where oh where is "Pussy Riot," or SOME political iteration of what would be the TRUE resistance, historically justified like no other, i.e. atheist WOMEN?
If TRUTH can't have a moment now, then when?
One word.
Pathetic.