A newly re-elected Conservative member of Parliament is resigning his Alberta seat to allow Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to run again, the party announced Friday.
Poilievre lost his long-held seat in the Ottawa riding of Carleton in Monday’s federal election, leaving the Conservatives without a leader in the House of Commons despite forming the largest official Opposition in Canada’s history.
The resignation of Battle River-Crowfoot MP-elect Damien Kurek, who has held the seat since 2019, will allow Poilievre to run in a future by-election.
“Pierre Poilievre just finished a remarkable national campaign that received the highest vote share since 1988,” Kurek said in a statement issued by the party.
“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. This is what’s best for Canada, and is what’s best for Battle River-Crowfoot.”
Kurek said his resignation is only temporary, however, and that he intends to run in the same riding in the next general election.
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“The people of Battle River-Crowfoot will be represented well by Pierre for the remainder of this Parliamentary session, and 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,” he said.
The riding, which covers a portion of eastern Alberta between Edmonton and Calgary, has been held by a Conservative since it was created in 2015.
Kurek won re-election with over 80 per cent of the vote in Monday’s election.
Poilievre lost his Carleton riding to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy by less than five points, after holding the seat since 2004.
Many Conservatives have rallied behind him despite the party losing the election — which came after leading the Liberals in the polls by double digits last year — and Poilievre’s own defeat.
Prime Minister Mark Carney must call a by-election within 50 days after the writ is issued for the riding by the Chief Electoral Office, according to Elections Canada.
He told reporters earlier Friday he has spoken to Poilievre following his election win and assured him he won’t draw out the by-election call.
“I’ve already indicated to Mr. Poilievre that if it’s the decision of him and the Conservative Party to trigger, if I can put it that way, a by-election, I will ensure that it happens as soon as possible,” he said.
More to come…
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