Clock starts on timing of byelection Poilievre hopes to use to return to Parliament
The Next Steps for Pierre Poilievre’s Return to the House of Commons
The Conservatives have gained more insight into the timeline for their leader’s return to the House of Commons, with Damien Kurek officially declared as the member of Parliament for Battle River—Crowfoot.
Kurek, who secured over 80 per cent of the vote in the rural Alberta riding, has pledged to step aside to make way for Pierre Poilievre to run for a seat.
The results of the riding became official upon publication in the Canada Gazette on Thursday.
Under federal law, Kurek must serve as a member of Parliament for 30 days before he can submit his resignation.
Following this, the Speaker of the House of Commons must notify the chief electoral officer of the vacancy, giving the government a window of 11 to 180 days to call a byelection.
Byelection campaigns must last a minimum of 36 days, meaning the earliest Poilievre could be elected is in early August.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has affirmed his commitment to not delaying Poilievre’s opportunity to become an MP.
If Kurek’s resignation is promptly reported to the chief electoral officer and Carney opts for the shortest possible byelection period of 36 days, the vote could take place on the Monday following July 31.
Given that Aug. 4 is a holiday, it is probable that the byelection will be rescheduled for Aug. 5.
In the recent April 28 election, voters in the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton elected a Liberal MP, leaving Poilievre without a seat in the House of Commons and unable to fulfill his role as the Opposition leader during question period or engage in debates.
As an interim solution, the Conservative caucus has appointed former party leader Andrew Scheer to lead the Opposition in the House of Commons temporarily.
The upcoming Parliament is scheduled to commence on May 26 with the selection of a new Speaker, followed by King Charles III delivering the throne speech for the Carney government on May 27.
