The result comes as little surprise in the rural Alberta riding, a long-standing Conservative stronghold that has consistently delivered some of the largest margins of victory in the country. In the 2021 federal election, the Conservatives won the riding with more than 70% of the vote, and Poilievre’s margin on Monday surpasses even that benchmark.The by-election was triggered earlier this year after former Conservative MP Damien Kurek resigned his seat. Battle River–Crowfoot spans a large portion of east-central Alberta, stretching from Camrose to Wainwright, and is considered one of the safest Conservative ridings in Canada.None of the other major federal parties posed a serious challenge in the riding. The Liberal candidate trailed far behind with 214 votes out of 6,667, while the New Democrats and smaller parties struggled to make inroads..Elections Canada announces change to Battle River–Crowfoot byelection ballot as number of candidates surpasses 200.Notably, independent candidate Bonnie Critchely was second in the polls. Critchley has strongly decried Poilievre’s decision to run in a riding where he does not live, after previously serving in Carleton, Ontario. She accuses him of being more focused on personal ambition than constituent representation, calling him a “carpetbagger.” She has also criticized the by-election as a waste of taxpayer dollars, noting the cost of a "mulligan" campaign to win a seat after Poilievre lost elsewhere. This win comes after a long list of candidates from smaller parties and independents, which Elections Canada, in turn, mandated that the election require write-in ballots to avoid confusion amongst voters. There were 207 total candidates, with a strong majority of them running as independents and receiving a total of 0 votes thus far. .Poilievre leverages national profile, still the front runner after Battle River-Crowfoot debate.The landslide win gives Poilievre a seat in the House of Commons under his own leadership, solidifying his position ahead of the next federal election.Political analysts note that while the result is not necessarily reflective of national trends, it provides a morale boost to Conservatives and reinforces the party’s dominance in Alberta.Now that the election has been securely grasped by Poilievre, the new Battle River-Crowfoot MP can return to Ottawa and resume his activities as the leader of the official opposition. He is facing a mandatory leadership review in January, and this win will surely assert his support with voters and help maintain his control over the Conservative Party. Elections Canada is expected to release official, confirmed results later this week.
