Latest news with #DamienKurek
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Battle River-Crowfoot candidates predict a tougher byelection for Pierre Poilievre than landslide April election win
Battle River-Crowfoot candidates say many voters are unhappy about having to go back to the polls less than four months after re-electing their Conservative Party of Canada MP. Residents of the rural Alberta riding overwhelmingly voted for Damien Kurek in April's general election, when the now former MP received more than 82 per cent of the vote. But following Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's defeat in his Ottawa-area riding in April, Kurek officially stepped aside in June to allow Poilievre to run in what's regarded as a safe Conservative riding. A byelection will take place Aug. 18 in Battle River-Crowfoot, a huge riding spanning close to 53,000 square kilometres that includes the communities of Camrose, Drumheller, Wainwright and Stettler. Independent candidate Bonnie Critchley, who lives in the central Alberta town of Tofield, in the northwest corner of the riding, says a surprising number of Conservative voters feel Kurek 'sold us out.' Enough are upset that Critchley, a small-c conservative, believes she has a shot at an upset against Poilievre. 'If Mr. Poilievre beats me in the upcoming election, it won't be by much,' said Critchley, who argues the riding needs a local candidate who understands their concerns. The needs of the Ottawa-area Carlton riding, where the Conservative leader held a seat for two decades, are much different than those of the rural Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, said Critchley. 'Very few of my neighbours that I've talked to are particularly happy about the idea of Mr. Poilievre just assuming we're going to vote for him because we voted for Mr. Kurek,' said Critchley, adding Kurek is a farmer and understood the riding's needs. Besides 'being tired and angry, and tired of being angry from the 'American-style politics that keep leaking over the border,' Battle River-Crowfoot residents are mainly concerned with the increasing cost of living, said Critchley, a retired military veteran who served more than 22 years. Critchley said some of her platform points, such as the right to repair, address ways to reduce this. 'As (appliances) become more and more proprietary, it costs us more and more, and we have lost work hours because we have to sit there and try to work around broken equipment that we can't repair on our own . . . because companies are refusing to provide parts.' Another independent Battle River-Crowfoot candidate, Sarah Spanier, says her frustrations led her to run for political office for the first time. 'We voted for Damien, over 82 per cent, and now we've had that taken away from us without as much as a conversation,' said Spanier, who was born and raised in Calgary. 'We're being called the easiest riding in the country (for the Conservatives), which is a little bit insulting.' Poilievre has many 'loud' supporters in his corner, but Spanier says she's been getting 'quiet support' from people worried about their personal safety or their business suffering if they publicly support her. Asked if there's a chance anyone other than Poilievre could win the byelection, Spanier replied: 'If enough people are willing to listen, then yes, 100 per cent. 'Obviously I'd like to come away with a win here, there's no denying that. As long as I can get people to really understand where I'm coming from and that I'm actually doing things to change, I think that will be a small win for me.' Spanier said she's worked in a wide range of fields, including security, supporting the unhoused and working with people with developmental disabilities. 'But the heart of my professional life has been in child care and management, especially working with kids who have learning and developmental disabilities,' Spanier said on her website. One anchor of her platform is reducing the cost of living, and she has written a bill, the Affordable Food Act for All, aimed at reducing the cost of groceries. 'It would kind of help reduce the price gouging that we see sometimes,' she said, adding it would also reduce food waste by ensuring edible food thrown out by grocers is instead donated. Spanier is also running on improving government accountability, wanting both the Conservatives and Liberals to do better, as well as rural economic development. '(Kurek) hasn't actually brought anything back for us,' she said. 'No grants, nothing. It's time that somebody actually does that.' People's Party of Canada candidate Jonathan Bridges said he's heard plenty of talk that residents aren't pleased the Conservatives have a parachute candidate — 'somebody who's coming from living so far away for so long, trying to just take the riding simply because it's the strongest in the country for his party.' While Bridges, who also ran this spring in Battle River-Crowfoot — finishing fourth — says the party's policies resonate with many in the riding, so they seem hesitant to 'make any real change.' 'Getting out and talking to people is an important thing, and helping people become more aware of what our party is and what we stand for,' he said. Bridges believes the level of support this time will return, or even surpass, the 10 per cent support that the party got in the 2021 general election. In the neighbouring riding of Bow River, Bridges received 10 per cent of the vote in a second-place finish to former Conservative MP Martin Shields. Bridges, a heavy equipment mechanic with a family, said he is unable to spend as much time campaigning as he would like, still having to work during the campaign. But the PPC has more volunteers this time around, so will be able to visit more places than this spring, said Bridges. The Longest Ballot Committee has also said it plans to field an 'enormous' number of candidates in the byelection. 'The LBC looks forward to the continued discussions regarding how elections are held in this great nation, and the continued gift-giving that is Long Ballots,' committee spokesman Donovan Eckstrom has said. While Bridges believes Canada needs some election reform, he said the LBC is going about it the wrong way. 'It creates a lot of confusion and a great deal of annoyance to the electors, which is their point,' he said. Meanwhile, Canada's three national parties, headlined by Poilievre, are all running different candidates than they did in the spring. Those candidates could not be reached for comment. On the Conservatives' Battle River-Crowfoot Association website, Poilievre and the party say their mission — 'to put you back in charge of your life' — remains. 'Give everyone who works hard a fair shot at an affordable home in a safe community. That includes fairness for the West by unleashing our oil and gas, supporting farmers, and cutting the size and cost of the federal government. A smaller federal government will make room for a bigger Alberta.' On the website, Poilievre also praised Kurek, whom he called a 'great Canadian patriot.' 'Pierre is working closely with Damien and his big team of volunteers on the local Conservative board, speaking to folks in the region, and continuing the fight to restore the promise of Canada.' Going up against Poilievre for the Liberals this time is Darcy Spady, a 'seasoned energy leader, community advocate and proud Albertan.' In April, Liberal candidate Brent Sutton finished a distant second to Kurek, receiving 11.7 per cent of the vote. According to a brief biography on the Liberal party's website, Spady spent most of his youth in Three Hills, a community in the riding, where he met his partner, Laurie. Spady's family farmed west of Acme, near the southwest corner of the riding. The professional engineer, who earned a bachelor of science degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Alberta, is currently the managing partner and co-founder of Carbon Connect International, a Canadian emissions reduction company with offices in Calgary, Ecuador and Chile. Spady also serves on several boards in Canada and internationally, 'advancing cleantech, energy poverty awareness, and more,' according to the website of Global Helium, where he's listed as a director. 'As the next Member of Parliament for Battle River-Crowfoot, Darcy will be a strong voice for the people and communities across the region, working tirelessly with Mark Carney and the Liberal team to bring down costs, create good-paying jobs, and build a stronger Alberta and Canada,' the Liberals say. The NDP have also got a new candidate contesting the byelection — Katherine Swampy, an Indigenous leader, advocate and academic. in the spring, the NDP's James MacKay ran for the party and received 3.2 per cent of the vote. 'As your MP, she will fight for everyday people in Battle River-Crowfoot struggling to buy groceries, pay rent and afford their electricity,' says the NDP. 'She believes that housing is a human right and will make affordable housing initiatives a priority.' Swampy, who served as a band councillor for the Samson Cree Nation for six years, is a business development manager, supporting Indigenous women in business. 'Katherine dances and teaches young girls the jingle dress dance and how to sew traditional regalia. Katherine also counsels youth in her community,' said the NDP. 'She is a fierce advocate for women's rights, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Indigenous Peoples, the environment, and LGTBQ2S+ rights.' Two other candidates are running in the riding — the Green Party of Canada's Douglas Gook, who received less one per cent of the vote in Battle River-Crowfoot in April, and Christian Heritage Party of Canada's Jeff Willerton, an author who says on his website that he's run in a dozen elections in Alberta and Saskatchewan. stipper@
CTV News
06-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Poilievre promises ‘strong voice' for west in Stampede speech
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre cropped by the Calgary Stampede Saturday to speak to the party faithful. Pierre Poilievre white-hatted himself at the Calgary Stampede Saturday, looking every bit the rural Alberta MP he hopes to soon become. The Conservative Party leader, who lost his Ottawa seat in the most recent federal election, is running in an Aug. 18 byelection in central Alberta's Battle River-Crowfoot riding. On Saturday at the Stampede, Poilievre sang the praises of former Conservative MP Damien Kurek, who resigned after winning an overwhelming majority in Battle River-Crowfoot in order for the party leader to get back into the House of Commons as a sitting MP. Poilievre was relaxed and animated Saturday, reminiscing about his youth growing up in Calgary, where he walked the family dog in Fish Creek Park, delivered the Calgary Sun newspaper and visited Heritage Park. 'Fight for oil and gas' Pierre Poilievre and wife Anna Pierre Poilievre and wife Anna at the Calgary Stampede, July 5, 2025 (Darren Wright, CTV Calgary) Poilievre said he stood for a strong voice for Western Canada in the House of Commons, in particular for Alberta. 'We'll fight for oil and gas, for farmers, for low taxes, for decentralization, a stronger military and a smaller federal government so that we can have a bigger Alberta,' he said. 'If elected in Battle River-Crowfoot, I'll use the platform of leader of the opposition to amplify the legitimate demands of Western Canada,' he added. 'The era of Ottawa telling Alberta to pay up and shut up must end,' he said. Carney was also in Calgary for the Stampede on Friday and Saturday, attending events, flipping pancakes, sampling fudge and chatting up Stampede visitors on the midway. NDP interim leader Don Davies also attended Stampede on Sunday, with Ontario premier Doug Ford scheduled to visit Monday, when he's expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with Alberta premier Danielle Smith concerning building new energy and interprovincial trade infrastructure.
Edmonton Journal
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Carney struggles to flip pancake at Stampede prompting an onlooker to say,' You're even worse ... than Trudeau'
Article content Article content Fresh off door knocking in rural Alberta, Poilievre hosted his own barbecue at Heritage Park in southeast Calgary Saturday evening and addressed a tent full of several hundred party supporters. Article content The Conservative leader is seeking to regain his spot in the House of Commons after losing his long-held seat in Ottawa in the recent federal election. Poilievre was introduced by Damien Kurek, the former member of Parliament who stepped aside so he could run for the seat. Article content Poilievre, wearing a cream-coloured cowboy hat, blue jeans and a belt buckle, started his remarks by chirping Carney's earlier performance on the griddle. Article content 'He thought he would be great at it because in his talks with Donald Trump, he's had so much experience flip-flopping,' Poilievre said. Article content Article content The party is still licking its wounds after its recent loss in the federal election, which appeared to be Poilievre's to lose at this time last year. Poilievre argued that in spite of the loss, his party has been responsible for many of the current federal government's policies, such as the decision to end the consumer price on carbon. Article content Poilievre will be back in Calgary this coming January for the Conservative national convention, where he will have his leadership tested in a party vote. Article content 'To be honest, I wanted to return here today with an election victory. Though we didn't win, we made extraordinary gains,' he said. Article content Closing out a speech that railed on the federal government's immigration, fiscal and environment policies, the Calgary-born leader leaned on a Western-themed metaphor. Article content 'When things get hard, we dust ourselves off, we get back in the saddle, and we gallop forward to the fight,' he said. Party members lined up shortly after to take photos with him onstage.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poilievre has to contend with Alberta separatists as he vies for a Commons seat
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's path back to the House of Commons runs through a rural Alberta riding that has become a hotbed for Western discontent and the independence movement — a potentially tricky situation to navigate for a leader with national ambitions. Poilievre, a Calgarian by birth who has lived away from Alberta for more than two decades, is running in the Aug. 18 byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot, a sprawling riding in the province's east where the oil and gas industry is a major employer. It includes the small town of Hardisty, which sits at the nexus of the North American oil pipeline system and is home to a huge petroleum tank farm. The riding is easily one of the most Conservative in the country. In the last general election, nearly 83 per cent of voters there cast a ballot for Damien Kurek, who stepped aside to give Poilievre a chance to get back into Parliament after he lost his own Ontario seat to a Liberal. Only one other federal riding, Souris-Moose Mountain in Saskatchewan, delivered a higher share of the vote to a Conservative candidate. Months after former prime minister Justin Trudeau resigned, homes and trucks still display "F--k Trudeau" signs, flags and decals — a testament to just how unpopular the last Liberal leader's environmental policies and COVID measures were among some in this riding. While Poilievre faces only token partisan opposition in this byelection, there's another challenge: How he contends with an increasingly vocal separatist movement in the Conservative heartland. Jeffrey Rath is a leader of the Alberta Prosperity Project. The group is trying to build support for an independent Alberta, which the province's premier says is at an all-time high. A recent poll found support at about 30 per cent. In an interview with CBC News, Rath said the byelection outcome is not in doubt. "People can't stomach voting for anyone else," he said. Still, Rath said, independence-minded voters are looking for substantive answers from Poilievre on the issues they care about most, namely how Alberta can be better treated in a federation some feel isn't working for them anymore. He predicts Poilievre will sidestep controversial issues and a close association with separatist voices so he can go back to Ottawa and vie for national power without any Alberta baggage. "Poilievre ran in the last election against the end of equalization. The dairy cartel-mafia has gotten to him — he says he's not going to touch supply management," Rath said. "He's pandering to Ontario and Quebec and I can tell you, a lot of Albertans, we're sick of it." Rath, a First Nations rights lawyer who has floated the idea of Alberta joining the U.S., also objects to what he perceives as Poilievre's hostility toward President Donald Trump. He said Poilievre should be looking to build bridges with Trump given the importance of the Canada-U.S. trading relationship. "He's sycophantically following the Liberals, trying to beat them at their own game," Rath said. "People in Alberta aren't overly impressed with Pierre right now." Rath wants a more aggressive stance on equalization in particular — long vilified in Alberta as sucking money out of the rich West. The federal program is designed to ensure all parts of the country have roughly the same level of public services by transferring money to places determined to be "have-not" provinces. Funded from the federal government's general revenues (such as federal income tax), provinces do not contribute to the program. Poilievre has promised not to make any "big changes" to the regime, if he forms a government. "These places need to operate within their own means to stop bleeding Alberta dry. Those days are over," Rath said. "If you can't say you're going to fight against equalization then you don't belong in Alberta. "Get the hell out. We don't want you anymore." Rath also wants Poilievre to back Senate reform, saying it's unconscionable that Alberta, with some five million people, only has six seats in the Red Chamber while P.E.I. and its roughly 180,000 people are represented by four senators. This constitutional arrangement has been in place for more than a century to give smaller provinces a voice in Parliament. "He could demonstrate that he's more than a one-trick pony stupidly repeating 'axe the tax,'" Rath said. "But, really, what Poilievre represents is a continuation of the status quo that all of us are fed up with." Still, Poilievre has his supporters in the riding. Drumheller Mayor Heather Colberg was by Poilievre's side as he took part in the town's Canada Day parade on Tuesday. The town of about 8,000 people, situated roughly an hour and a half northeast of Calgary, is one of the riding's largest population centres. It's known as the "dinosaur capital of the world," because of its rich fossil deposits and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. Colberg said Poilievre isn't phoning it in — he's showing up to meet voters and hear their concerns, which she said are focused on fairness for Alberta. In addition to Drumheller, Poilievre was also in Hanna, wearing a red and white "True North, strong and free" T-shirt for the nation's birthday, according to social media posts. Even before the byelection was called, Poilievre was stumping for votes in Camrose, Hay Lakes, Hardisty and Wainwright, among other places. "Mr. Poilievre seems very honest and genuine," Colberg said. "And if Damien believes this is the right decision for our area, I trust Damien's choice," she said, referring to the outgoing MP. Kurek said he wasn't available to speak but told CBC News in a message the "good people of Battle River-Crowfoot love Pierre Poilievre." Poilievre's Alberta ties are what sold Colberg on his potential as an MP for the riding. "If somebody came from the far east and never been part of Alberta, then that would be a bit different. He does have some roots," she said. "He understands rural Alberta. We are one of the bluest constituencies in Canada but he's not taking that lightly and that's huge." With so many local jobs tied to the energy sector, Colberg said she wants Poilievre to fight for the oil and gas industry. She also expects Poilievre to help tell Alberta's story to the rest of the country to try and tamp down regional resentment, saying she's a proud Canadian who just wants Confederation to work better for her province. "We gotta remember how blessed we are with all of these resources. We have the ability to use them to help us all, not just in Alberta," she said. "I love Canada and I don't want to see it split. But at the same time there has to be somebody at the top who understands Alberta." Poilievre says he's that somebody — telling reporters recently he's against Alberta separation but understands Albertans have "a lot of legitimate grievances." The last Liberal government's decision to kill one major pipeline, Northern Gateway, and tie up another, Energy East, in red tape before its eventual cancellation, plus the federal emissions cap and the industrial carbon price are the root causes of the Alberta independence movement, Poilievre said. "Frankly, Albertans have the right to be frustrated," he said. "They deserve to be honoured for the immense contributions they make to this country. I will be a unifier." A spokesperson for Poilievre did not respond to a request for a comment for this story. WATCH | Poilievre says Albertans 'have a right to be frustrated': Michael Solberg, a past political staffer and campaigner for conservative parties in Alberta and elsewhere, said the separatist movement won't be much of a factor in Poilievre's race. Pointing to the recent provincial byelection in rural Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills where the separatist candidate got 18 per cent of the vote and placed third behind the NDP, Solberg said the independence movement is "far more bark than bite." Plus, with dozens or potentially hundreds of candidates expected on the byelection ballot as part of an electoral reform protest, anti-Poilievre choices could split the vote and dilute the power of separatists, he said. "I've seen no evidence that indicates western or Alberta separation will be a hurdle for the Conservative movement here," he said. But Poilievre will be forced to address the core issue of the separatists, Solberg said, which is "ensuring Alberta gets a fair shake from Ottawa." And that's something Poilievre can do, he said, pointing to the leader's past ties to the Reform Party, which had "the West wants in" as its mantra in the 1990s. "Pierre is certainly no stranger to speaking to the issues that folks care about in a riding that's the beating heart of Conservatism," Solberg said. "I think this is a cakewalk scenario for him. He's going to win in a landslide."
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poilievre has to contend with Alberta separatists as he vies for a Commons seat
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's path back to the House of Commons runs through a rural Alberta riding that has become a hotbed for Western discontent and the independence movement — a potentially tricky situation to navigate for a leader with national ambitions. Poilievre, a Calgarian by birth who has lived away from Alberta for more than two decades, is running in the Aug. 18 byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot, a sprawling riding in the province's east where the oil and gas industry is a major employer. It includes the small town of Hardisty, which sits at the nexus of the North American oil pipeline system and is home to a huge petroleum tank farm. The riding is easily one of the most Conservative in the country. In the last general election, nearly 83 per cent of voters there cast a ballot for Damien Kurek, who stepped aside to give Poilievre a chance to get back into Parliament after he lost his own Ontario seat to a Liberal. Only one other federal riding, Souris-Moose Mountain in Saskatchewan, delivered a higher share of the vote to a Conservative candidate. Months after former prime minister Justin Trudeau resigned, homes and trucks still display "F--k Trudeau" signs, flags and decals — a testament to just how unpopular the last Liberal leader's environmental policies and COVID measures were among some in this riding. While Poilievre faces only token partisan opposition in this byelection, there's another challenge: How he contends with an increasingly vocal separatist movement in the Conservative heartland. Jeffrey Rath is a leader of the Alberta Prosperity Project. The group is trying to build support for an independent Alberta, which the province's premier says is at an all-time high. A recent poll found support at about 30 per cent. In an interview with CBC News, Rath said the byelection outcome is not in doubt. "People can't stomach voting for anyone else," he said. Still, Rath said, independence-minded voters are looking for substantive answers from Poilievre on the issues they care about most, namely how Alberta can be better treated in a federation some feel isn't working for them anymore. He predicts Poilievre will sidestep controversial issues and a close association with separatist voices so he can go back to Ottawa and vie for national power without any Alberta baggage. "Poilievre ran in the last election against the end of equalization. The dairy cartel-mafia has gotten to him — he says he's not going to touch supply management," Rath said. "He's pandering to Ontario and Quebec and I can tell you, a lot of Albertans, we're sick of it." Rath, a First Nations rights lawyer who has floated the idea of Alberta joining the U.S., also objects to what he perceives as Poilievre's hostility toward President Donald Trump. He said Poilievre should be looking to build bridges with Trump given the importance of the Canada-U.S. trading relationship. "He's sycophantically following the Liberals, trying to beat them at their own game," Rath said. "People in Alberta aren't overly impressed with Pierre right now." Rath wants a more aggressive stance on equalization in particular — long vilified in Alberta as sucking money out of the rich West. The federal program is designed to ensure all parts of the country have roughly the same level of public services by transferring money to places determined to be "have-not" provinces. Funded from the federal government's general revenues (such as federal income tax), provinces do not contribute to the program. Poilievre has promised not to make any "big changes" to the regime, if he forms a government. "These places need to operate within their own means to stop bleeding Alberta dry. Those days are over," Rath said. "If you can't say you're going to fight against equalization then you don't belong in Alberta. "Get the hell out. We don't want you anymore." Rath also wants Poilievre to back Senate reform, saying it's unconscionable that Alberta, with some five million people, only has six seats in the Red Chamber while P.E.I. and its roughly 180,000 people are represented by four senators. This constitutional arrangement has been in place for more than a century to give smaller provinces a voice in Parliament. "He could demonstrate that he's more than a one-trick pony stupidly repeating 'axe the tax,'" Rath said. "But, really, what Poilievre represents is a continuation of the status quo that all of us are fed up with." Still, Poilievre has his supporters in the riding. Drumheller Mayor Heather Colberg was by Poilievre's side as he took part in the town's Canada Day parade on Tuesday. The town of about 8,000 people, situated roughly an hour and a half northeast of Calgary, is one of the riding's largest population centres. It's known as the "dinosaur capital of the world," because of its rich fossil deposits and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. Colberg said Poilievre isn't phoning it in — he's showing up to meet voters and hear their concerns, which she said are focused on fairness for Alberta. In addition to Drumheller, Poilievre was also in Hanna, wearing a red and white "True North, strong and free" T-shirt for the nation's birthday, according to social media posts. Even before the byelection was called, Poilievre was stumping for votes in Camrose, Hay Lakes, Hardisty and Wainwright, among other places. "Mr. Poilievre seems very honest and genuine," Colberg said. "And if Damien believes this is the right decision for our area, I trust Damien's choice," she said, referring to the outgoing MP. Kurek said he wasn't available to speak but told CBC News in a message the "good people of Battle River-Crowfoot love Pierre Poilievre." Poilievre's Alberta ties are what sold Colberg on his potential as an MP for the riding. "If somebody came from the far east and never been part of Alberta, then that would be a bit different. He does have some roots," she said. "He understands rural Alberta. We are one of the bluest constituencies in Canada but he's not taking that lightly and that's huge." With so many local jobs tied to the energy sector, Colberg said she wants Poilievre to fight for the oil and gas industry. She also expects Poilievre to help tell Alberta's story to the rest of the country to try and tamp down regional resentment, saying she's a proud Canadian who just wants Confederation to work better for her province. "We gotta remember how blessed we are with all of these resources. We have the ability to use them to help us all, not just in Alberta," she said. "I love Canada and I don't want to see it split. But at the same time there has to be somebody at the top who understands Alberta." Poilievre says he's that somebody — telling reporters recently he's against Alberta separation but understands Albertans have "a lot of legitimate grievances." The last Liberal government's decision to kill one major pipeline, Northern Gateway, and tie up another, Energy East, in red tape before its eventual cancellation, plus the federal emissions cap and the industrial carbon price are the root causes of the Alberta independence movement, Poilievre said. "Frankly, Albertans have the right to be frustrated," he said. "They deserve to be honoured for the immense contributions they make to this country. I will be a unifier." A spokesperson for Poilievre did not respond to a request for a comment for this story. WATCH | Poilievre says Albertans 'have a right to be frustrated': Michael Solberg, a past political staffer and campaigner for conservative parties in Alberta and elsewhere, said the separatist movement won't be much of a factor in Poilievre's race. Pointing to the recent provincial byelection in rural Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills where the separatist candidate got 18 per cent of the vote and placed third behind the NDP, Solberg said the independence movement is "far more bark than bite." Plus, with dozens or potentially hundreds of candidates expected on the byelection ballot as part of an electoral reform protest, anti-Poilievre choices could split the vote and dilute the power of separatists, he said. "I've seen no evidence that indicates western or Alberta separation will be a hurdle for the Conservative movement here," he said. But Poilievre will be forced to address the core issue of the separatists, Solberg said, which is "ensuring Alberta gets a fair shake from Ottawa." And that's something Poilievre can do, he said, pointing to the leader's past ties to the Reform Party, which had "the West wants in" as its mantra in the 1990s. "Pierre is certainly no stranger to speaking to the issues that folks care about in a riding that's the beating heart of Conservatism," Solberg said. "I think this is a cakewalk scenario for him. He's going to win in a landslide."
