CALGARY—Former Conservative MP Damien Kurek told the party’s national convention that he made the right decision by stepping down to allow Pierre Poilievre to run in his Alberta riding in a byelection.
“I haven’t had a moment of doubt since my wife, Danielle, and I did what we did. Pierre Poilievre is the right man to lead this country forward,” Kurek told Conservative Party members in Calgary on Jan. 31.
Poilievre also said that he would remain committed to conservative values, and that the government needs to listen to the grievances of those who want Alberta and Quebec to separate, while calling for unity and self-sufficiency to ensure prosperity.
Kurek told the audience that it was “great to see that the Conservative movement remains united and driven in its mission to get Canada back on track with hope and common sense.”
Following the federal election on April 28, 2025, Poilievre lost his Ottawa-area seat, which he had held for nearly two decades, to Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy. Poilievre received over 39,000 votes, while Fanjoy received almost 44,000 votes.
Poilievre suggested following this loss that it was because of his stated plans to reduce the size of the federal government, which were unpopular with the many government workers in his riding.
Kurek, who became the MP for the Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot back in 2019, resigned from his seat on June 17 so that Poilievre could run in a byelection.
