List of candidates running in Pierre Poilievre byelection passes 200
The number of candidates in the running for an August byelection the Conservative Party of Canada hopes will restore its leader's position in the House of Commons has surpassed 200.
Elections Canada listed 209 confirmed candidates in the Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot as of Monday morning, only seven of which have political party affiliations. Monday is the close of nominations for the Aug. 18 byelection, and a complete list will be available Wednesday, the elections agency said.
The vast majority of candidates who've signed up to run are listed as independents.
Located in central-eastern Alberta, the riding includes the municipalities of Camrose, Drumheller and Wainwright. Elections Canada lists an approximate 84,515 voters living within the area of about 52,600 square kilometres.
Conservative candidates won the two previous federal elections in Battle River-Crowfoot – most recently Damien Kurek, who had held the seat since 2019 but resigned in the weeks after April's general election. Kurek said his decision to resign, which allowed Poilievre to run after the leader lost his long-held seat in the Ottawa riding of Carleton, was a way to 'practically serve' his riding and the country.
Kurek's former riding has since been targeted by the electoral-reform-minded group that targeted Poilievre. The Longest Ballot Committee contributed 85 of the 91 names on the ballot in Carleton, reported The Canadian Press, an effort spokesperson Tomas Szuchewycz said was meant to boost interest in reform.
Others, including Carleton University political scientist and reform proponent Jon Pammett, said the effort likely did not garner much support, telling The Canadian Press the stunt was more of a 'nuisance' than likely to prompt meaningful discussion.
The Longest Ballot Committee is now targeting Poilievre's next attempt to get into the House, with Szuchewycz listed as the 'name of official agent' on 199 of the 209 nominations.
Poilievre called for action last week when the list neared 150 candidates, calling the stunt 'a deliberate attempt to manipulate the rules,' and 'a blatant abuse' of the electoral system in an open letter to House leader Steven MacKinnon.
Other independent nominees told CTV News they signed up out of frustration with the resignation of Kurek, saying they'd elected the candidate and not necessarily the party at large.
Party leaders in Canada are expected to have a seat in the House or seek one 'as soon as possible,' according to the House of Commons Procedure and Practice. But just how 'soon' has varied in the past.
With files from The Canadian Press, CTV News' Lynn Chaya and CTV News Edmonton's Angela Amato
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