Pierre Poilievre donned a white cowboy hat at the Calgary Stampede on Saturday, leaning into his Alberta upbringing as he campaigns for a political comeback in the upcoming Battle River–Crowfoot byelection.
The Conservative leader, who lost his Ottawa-area seat in the last federal election, is now running in central Alberta with hopes of re-entering the House of Commons as a sitting MP. He’s seeking to fill the seat vacated by Damien Kurek, who stepped aside after securing a dominant victory in the riding—making way for Poilievre’s return.
At the Stampede, Poilievre praised Kurek’s sacrifice and reflected on his Calgary roots, recalling childhood memories of walking the family dog in Fish Creek Park, delivering newspapers, and visiting local attractions like Heritage Park.
He promised to be a strong voice for Alberta and Western Canada, outlining priorities such as defending the energy sector, supporting farmers, lowering taxes, reducing federal power, and strengthening the military.
“We’ll fight for oil and gas, for farmers, for low taxes, for decentralization, a stronger military and a smaller federal government so that we can have a bigger Alberta,” he said.
“If elected in Battle River–Crowfoot, I’ll use the platform of leader of the opposition to amplify the legitimate demands of Western Canada,” he added, declaring, “The era of Ottawa telling Alberta to pay up and shut up must end.”
Also making appearances at the Stampede were former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, NDP interim leader Don Davies, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who is expected to sign an agreement with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on Monday to advance energy and trade infrastructure.
