A federal byelection will take place in Alberta’s Battle River–Crowfoot riding on August 18, as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre seeks to regain a seat in the House of Commons. Poilievre is running in the riding after former Conservative MP Damien Kurek resigned to allow the party leader to contest the seat, one of the safest Conservative ridings in Canada.
Poilievre’s absence from the House has meant that Andrew Scheer, the party’s former leader, is temporarily leading the Opposition. Poilievre’s return would allow him to resume his role in question period and debate. He lost his seat in Ottawa’s Carleton riding to Liberal MP Bruce Fanjoy in the 2025 federal election, a surprising upset.
Prime Minister Mark Carney could have waited until December to call the byelection but opted for a swift decision to allow Poilievre to re-enter the political arena. This comes as Poilievre faces a leadership review within his party in January, following the Conservatives’ failure to form government in the last election. How the byelection unfolds could influence the outcome of that review.
