BATTLE RIVER—CROWFOOT, AB – May 2, 2025 – Conservative MP-elect Damien Kurek has announced that he will resign his seat in the House of Commons to allow party leader Pierre Poilievre to run in a by-election in the Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, as reported by several news outlets.
Kurek, who won re-election with 80% of the riding’s vote in the recent federal election, made the announcement Friday, citing conversations with his family and caucus colleagues. He was only 6 months short of being eligible for the MP’s pension, and makes a considerable sacrifice by moving aside for Poilievre.
“It has been a tremendous honour to serve the good people of Battle River—Crowfoot,” Kurek said in a public statement. “After much discussion with my wife Danielle, I have decided to step aside for this Parliamentary session to allow our Conservative Party Leader to run here in a by-election.”
Kurek has represented the riding since 2019 and won re-election by over 46,000 votes this past Monday, according to reporting by the Western Standard. The riding is among the safest Conservative seats in the country, making it a strategic location for the party leader to regain entry into Parliament after being defeated in his Carleton riding.
Poilievre led the Conservatives to their highest national vote share since 1988 but was narrowly defeated in his own Ottawa-area riding. The Liberal party and third-party organizations waged a less-than-clean battle against Poilievre before and during the election, including amalgamating the riding with a neighbouring Liberal-voting riding in order to turn the riding red, and adding dozens of independent candidates to the ballot – most of whom were all represented by the same agent. His absence from the House of Commons would pose a significant challenge for the Official Opposition, requiring a positive effort from within the party to ensure Poilievre returns to Parliament.
Kurek framed his decision as a contribution to the party’s broader mission.
“We need [Poilievre] in the Commons — now more than ever — to hold the Liberal minority to account,” he said. “An unstoppable movement has grown under his leadership… This move ensures that Battle River—Crowfoot plays a key role in bringing that strong leadership to the national stage.”
Though stepping aside, Kurek stated he is not retiring from politics. He confirmed plans to seek re-election in the next general election and said he will remain active in constituency affairs in the meantime.
“I will keep working with our incredible local team to do everything I can to remain the strong voice for you,” he said.
Mark Carney responded Friday by saying he will call a by-election “as soon as possible,” according to the Western Standard. “No games,” Carney reportedly added, though given Carney’s history of misleading statements, and the Liberal Party’s proclivity to fight dirty in elections, this remains to be seen.
