Damien Kurek, the Conservative MP-elect for Battle River-Crowfoot, just announced he’s stepping down to allow Poilievre to run in a by-election.
The riding, which Kurek has held since 2019, occupies a vast territory in Alberta between Calgary and Edmonton and has been a Conservative stronghold since it was created 10 years ago.
Kurek was first elected in the riding in 2019. In an emailed statement, Kurek said the decision is temporary, saying he’d hand over his seat to Poilievre “for the remainder of this Parliamentary session” and “run again here in Battle River-Crowfoot in the next general election.”
It’s unclear what that means for Poilievre afterward.
“Pierre Poilievre just finished a remarkable national campaign that received the highest vote share since 1988,” Kurek said in the statement.
“An unstoppable movement has grown under his leadership, and I know we need Pierre fighting in the House of Commons to hold the Liberal minority government to account.”
To all those who say local representation is important, so we must not implement proportional representation.
How does this justify Pierre Poilievre, who represented Carleton, Ontario, now potentially applying to be a candidate for an Alberta electoral district? This is halfway across the country.
Our current system does nothing particular for local representation.
How would MMP/STV handle a situation like this? Can candidates running locally also be on the party list?
How would MMP/STV handle a situation like this?
This issue falls out of the scope of these electoral systems. It’s like asking “how would MMP/STV handle foreign interference”, when neither MMP/STV are supposed to handle foreign interference. So, if what you really want to know is how local representation maintained regardless of electoral system, the answer is to have stronger rules and regulations surrounding elections. Particularly, banning “parachute” candidates, which are candidates that run in electoral districts of which they are not local to.
Can candidates running locally also be on the party list?
Under MMP, no. It would be like if a candidate was allowed to run in multiple electoral districts.
Kurek: Eastern Alberta, you voted for me to bring your voice to government. Now, I’m stepping aside so that a career politician from Ottawa who has sucked the government teat for decades and gives no fucks about you or your area can take my place. Thanks.
Be funny if pp lost this one too
This would be perfection. Please.do this to him, Canada.
Unstoppable? Bitch please.
