Canada's Conservative leader faces key test in comeback bid

Desmond Milligan · August 18

Canada's Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre campaigns in April 2025 (Andrej Ivanov)

Canada's Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre is looking to clinch his return to parliament in a by-election on Monday, with voting underway in one of the country's most right-wing districts.

Poilievre had been on track to be his country's next prime minister until US President Donald Trump's return to power upended Canadian politics.

Poilievre's Conservatives blew a massive polling lead in the run-up to Canada's April general election, as voters backed the new Liberal leader, Prime Minister Mark Carney, to confront Trump.

In a stinging humiliation, Poilievre lost to a Liberal in his own constituency, an Ottawa-area district he had represented for two decades.

He vowed to stay on as the Conservative party head, but needed a seat in parliament before he could return as leader of the opposition.

The MP for Battle River-Crowfoot -- a rural district in the western province of Alberta where Conservatives dominate -- offered to step down so Poilievre could run for his seat.

Polls have opened in Monday's vote, with Poilievre the favorite to win.

Elections Canada has been forced to use a special ballot after a protest group successfully nominated 214 candidates for the vote.

The Longest Ballot Committee group, which wants election law reform, says it is not motivated by partisan ideology, but has targeted Poilievre previously.

Voters on Monday will have to write the name of their preferred candidate on their ballot, not tick a box, a measure designed to spare people finding the correct name on a 214-candidate list.

Assuming he returns to parliament, experts say Poilievre may struggle to rebuild momentum in a political arena heavily shaped by Trump.

Analysts say some voters still view Poilievre as a Trump-aligned figure, a major liability in Canada, where attitudes towards Washington are at historic lows after the US president threatened to annex his northern neighbor and imposed punishing tariffs.

bs/aha

View the full article