Canadian Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre wins parliament seat
Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre has returned to the country's House of Commons after winning a special election.
"Back in the saddle," Poilievre posted to X Tuesday.
The election is known in Canada as a by-election, which are held to fill a vacancy in the House of Commons. The federal by-election was held in the Alberta riding, or electoral district, of Battle River-Crowfoot after Conservative Damien Kurek, elected in April, stepped down in June to give Poilievre an opportunity to regain a seat.
Poilievre lost the seat in the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton he held since 2004 in April to Liberal Party member Bruce Fanjoy.
Poilievre overwhelmingly won the deeply Conservative Battle River-Crowfoot by 80.4 %, defeating 213 other candidates, most of whom ran as Independents.
The Liberal Party won its fourth consecutive government in April, led by Mark Carney who was elected Canadian Prime Minister. The Liberal Party's victory was driven in part by anti-American sentiment inspired by President Donald Trump's tariffs and threats of annexation.
Regaining a seat gives Poilievre the opportunity to debate Carney in the House of Commons.
He used his victory speech Monday to attack Carney on issues such as the national deficit, gun rights, crime and the Liberal Party's intended electric vehicle mandate.
"Congratulations to Pierre Poilievre on returning to the House of Commons, and gaining the [honor] of representing the people of Battle River-Crowfoot in Parliament," Carney posted to social media Tuesday.
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