The potential new driving for federal Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre is residence to wheat fields, dinosaur bones and Nickelback.
It’s additionally Tory nation by way of and thru.
Battle River—Crowfoot in central Alberta is a good distance from the Ottawa driving that was Poilievre’s residence base for greater than 20 years, as he seeks to regain a seat in the House of Commons.
Damien Kurek, a three-time elected member of Parliament, is relinquishing his seat in Battle River—Crowfoot to permit Poilievre to run in a byelection there later this 12 months, the Conservative Celebration of Canada introduced Friday.
Kurek walked to victory in Monday’s election with 82 per cent of the vote, one of the crucial lopsided races in the nation. Poilievre misplaced his seat in the Ottawa-area driving of Carleton to Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy.
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated a byelection could be held as quickly as potential.
Mayors throughout the Alberta area stated they’re delighted.
“I’m sort of excited,” stated Danny Povaschuk, mayor of Hanna, the city northeast of Calgary that produced Flames legend Lanny McDonald and rock band Nickelback.
“We’re in Alberta. We’re blue, proper? I’ll name it a privilege, really, to have him in our driving right here, and I’m comparatively assured he ought to have the ability to win once more.”
Poilievre’s resolution to run in the driving will likely be considered by some as a homecoming for the born-and-raised Calgarian. Earlier than shifting to Ottawa in his early 20s to begin his political profession, he attended highschool in town’s southwest and graduated from the College of Calgary.
For driving locals, he’s acquainted solely by identify.
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Wainwright Mayor Bruce Pugh stated he has blended emotions.
“Is it going to be high-profile, low illustration? Is it going to be that sort of state of affairs? Proper off the bat, I don’t assume so,” Pugh stated.
Kurek’s departure will likely be a loss, Pugh added, as they labored intently collectively.
“We acknowledge scope is somewhat greater because the chief of His Majesty’s Opposition, however I don’t assume we should always anticipate or settle for any decrease stage of illustration,” Pugh stated of Poilievre.
Battle River — Crowfoot is an enormous and sparsely populated driving that, in line with Elections Canada, is nearly 53,000 sq. kilometres in dimension — bigger than international locations like Switzerland or the Netherlands. The inhabitants is about 110,000, placing inhabitants density at about two folks per sq. kilometre.
Heather Colberg, the mayor of Drumheller, residence to the Badlands and dinosaur fossils, stated she’s happy with Kurek for stepping down to permit Poilievre to hunt a seat in Parliament.
She additionally expects he’ll be again representing the driving in 4 years.
“Isn’t that wild? I feel Damien is simply an unbelievable, unbelievable individual. He’s been an excellent MP for us, however to truly surrender his seat for the betterment of the occasion is wow … simply admirable,” Colberg stated.
“Clearly I’m fairly honoured Pierre’s hopefully going to signify us. And he’s an Alberta boy initially, so I feel he utterly understands the general Alberta factor. I’m excited for him. I’m excited for all of us.”
She stated the driving is ideal for Poilievre to land in.
“I feel we’re probably the most Conservative seat in Canada for certain … clearly one of many prime. Undoubtedly it’s a mindset in rural Alberta.”
Camrose, a metropolis of about 20,000, is the driving’s largest neighborhood.
Its mayor, PJ Stasko, praised Kurek’s efforts in Parliament so as to add a pedestrian underpass to a railway crossing in the realm. If Poilievre wins, Stasko stated he hopes the chief will provide the identical illustration residents have come to anticipate.
“Being seen at many neighborhood occasions and particular occasions that we host round city is vital.”
Povaschuk added that Poilievre may get off to a great begin by following in Kurek’s footsteps and coming to Hanna’s Canada Day parade.
There are different choices this summer season too: the Hand Hills Lake Stampede and the one-day Hardgrass Bronc Match in Pollockville, Alta.
“Clearly being chief, there’s much more dedication apart from your driving. I feel which will have been what price him in his driving in Ontario,” stated Povaschuk.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Might 3, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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