Poilievre squares off in debate with 9 other candidates vying for seat in Alberta byelection
About 210 candidates registered to run as of Monday
Pierre Poilievre promised voters in Camrose, Alta., Tuesday night that his goal is to amplify local riding issues on a national scale, while his opponents in the candidate forum took aim at the high-profile politician who doesn't live in the region.
On the forum stage, 10 candidates made their pitches for why they would be the best to represent Battle River-Crowfoot. Candidates tackled issues like affordability, agriculture, immigration and how to best represent Alberta's interests to Ottawa.
The forum was hosted by Camrose and District Chamber of Commerce ahead of the Aug. 18 byelection in the city about 95 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.
"My mission here is to give national leadership to the issues that are of local importance," Poilievre told the sold-out audience.
Poilievre walked into the venue shaking hands, with an entourage of supporters chanting his name. On stage, he quipped that about 190 candidates were missing.
The Conservative leader is expected to win the riding in eastern Alberta, one of the safest Conservative ridings in the country.
Former MP Damien Kurek won in April with nearly 83 per cent of the vote, before resigning to allow Poilievre the opportunity to sit in Parliament after failing to win the Ottawa riding of Carleton — a riding he represented for two decades.
Poilievre will once again be running against a long list of candidates with the Longest Ballot Committee protest pushing it past the 200 mark.
Because of that ballooning number, Elections Canada has opted to use a write-in ballot instead of the traditional list of names.
About 210 candidates were registered to run as of Monday on Elections Canada's website, including Liberal candidate Darcy Spady, the NDP's Katherine Swampy, Independent Bonnie Critchley and dozens of others sponsored by the Longest Ballot Committee protest group.
The moderator kept a tight schedule, cutting off the microphones of anyone who ran over their allotted time as the candidates answered a range of questions submitted by the public about the economy, health-care privatization and electoral reform.
Poilievre noted he is originally from Calgary, but said he shares the same values as many in the riding.
"My Alberta values taught me about faith, family and freedom, hard work, helping your neighbours. And those values guided me to fight for the values of this region."
Critchley pointed out in her closing statement that several candidates, including Poilievre, won't be able to vote in the byelection because they don't live in the riding. She said those from outside the riding cannot understand the local issues.
"If you want to run for an area, you need to live here. This longest ballot crap, that's got to stop," she said.
Liberal candidate Spady said he also disagreed with the protest. He introduced himself by "I'm from Three Hills, and I don't want to be prime minister," a line that elicited chuckles from the crowd and from Poilievre when he repeated it.
Poilievre said that party leaders often spend much of their time outside their constituency.
"I'll be honest, having a leader of a political party as your local member of Parliament is a trade-off."
"At the other side though, that leader can bring a very powerful megaphone to the local issues of the community."
He said he'd champion local issues like pipelines, protecting firearm rights and fixing issues at the Drumheller Institution.
The forum also featured candidates from the People's Party of Canada, the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, the Christian Heritage Party and the United Party of Canada.
"I think we all know this is Pierre's riding to lose here; he's definitely going to win," Green Party candidate Ashley MacDonald said in his closing statement. "So please, take a chance."
The representation question
Poilievre's profile as Conservative leader was a hot topic among debate-goers Tuesday.
"I think he's going to be the same as he was for the Carleton riding," Susan Lahey told CBC while waiting in line outside.
"I think his focus is on being the leader of the Opposition and being in Ottawa and fulfilling his duties there, which is kind of sad, but it is what it is."
Malcolm Fischer from Stettler, Alta., said while he'd prefer someone from the riding, he's convinced Poilievre will represent them in good stead.
"He's a Calgary boy originally. And certainly I don't like it, but I understand it."
Others, like Larry Lewsaw, saw having the leader represent the riding as a benefit.
"I think we would have the best possible combination. We would have as our member of Parliament, the leader of the Opposition, who has a very strong voice in parliament."
With files from The Canadian Press