Overview

• Damien Kurek, MP-elect for Battle River—Crowfoot, will resign his seat to allow Pierre Poilievre to run in a byelection.
• Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to call the byelection promptly, with procedural timelines suggesting Poilievre could return to Parliament by September.
• Poilievre lost his long-held Carleton seat in the recent federal election, where the Conservatives became the Official Opposition under a Liberal minority government.
• Battle River—Crowfoot, a Conservative stronghold, delivered 82% of the vote to Kurek in the last election, making it a safe seat for Poilievre.
• Local officials and mayors in the Alberta riding have expressed excitement about Poilievre’s candidacy, viewing it as a boost for the region.