Poilievre pitches himself as rural Alberta’s fighter in Ottawa at byelection debate

Poilievre told voters in Battle River–Crowfoot that sending him to Parliament would give their local concerns a national voice, as he faced off against nine other candidates during a candidate forum.

Source: True North Wire (Isaac Lamoureux)

Author: Clayton DeMaine

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre told voters in Battle River–Crowfoot that sending him to Parliament would give their local concerns a national voice, as he faced off against nine other candidates during a candidate forum in Camrose, Alta., on Wednesday night.

Poilievre and nine other candidates made their case to Battle River–Crowfoot residents on August 18, 2025, during a live-streamed debate at the Camrose Chamber of Commerce. An organizer told True North that an estimated 500 people attended.

The discussion was marred by the actions of an electoral reform protest group, The Longest Ballot Committee, which led to a record over 200-candidate roster. Electors will now have to write their preferred candidate's name on the ballot as a result.

Candidates from eight federal parties and two independents answered questions on healthcare, education, the economy, immigration, and electoral reform.

Poilievre, the favoured candidate, argued that electing him would bring local Battle River–Crowfoot issues to the national stage for the party.

“I'll be honest, having a leader of a political party as your local member of parliament is a trade-off. On the one hand, the leader, in truth, lives in hotel rooms and low-budget hotel rooms across the country,” he told the audience. “The other side, though, is that leader can bring a very powerful megaphone to the local issues of the community.”

He added that issues such as building a pipeline from Prince Rupert to Kitimat, protecting gun rights, scrapping electric vehicle mandates, lowering immigration, and cutting taxes were "local issues that require national leadership to achieve."

“Letting our farmers have zero capital gains when they reinvest…Reforming our prisons so that our guards down in Drumheller are safe…fighting against the Chinese tariffs on our canola,” he said. “These local issues require strong national leadership, and it would be the privilege of my life to provide both the local representation and the national leadership for the community.”

Poilievre attributed inflation to government spending, which he said boosts demand and limits supply.

“They're boosting demand through out-of-control immigration and money printing that adds more money and people than new products for them to buy, and they're restricting the supply of things by blocking everything from home building to natural resource development,” Poilievre said.

He argued the government needs to curb “out-of-control” immigration, money printing, regulations, bureaucracy, corporate welfare and foreign aid, and eliminate government waste.

Grant Abraham, the founder of the United Party of Canada, argued in favour of an Alberta independence referendum, called for a full stop to immigration, and a complete rejection of globalism.

“(Poilievre’s) talking to you about unleashing our energy sector. I would like to know how Mr. Poilievre is going to do that when he refuses to tell us whether he'll leave the UN climate accord that completely restricts our carbon,” Abraham said.

Abraham argued that he represented an alternative to Poilievre’s CPC.

“What you're getting here is a bunch of narrative about symptoms, without looking at the real problems in our nation, the real root issues,” he said. “The Liberal government is betraying this nation, and the Conservative Party has continued to enable it by omission. I'm going to tell you the truth, and we're going to start with fixing Alberta.”

Jeff Willerton of the Christian Heritage Party claimed Conservatives were "working with the red team," veering it into a "climate change, carbon tax, Gaia worshiping, freedom of speech crushing hell." He added there was still hope to reverse the country's dire state.

Independent candidates Bonnie Critchley and Sarah Panier argued that electing an independent was the only way to ensure the electorate's will was heard, as they aren't tied down by party ideology. Critchley asserted she would represent community interests, unlike candidates from outside the riding, such as Poilievre. Panier wanted to curb government spending and advocate for grocery price controls.

Jonathan Bridges, the People’s Party of Canada candidate, called for lower taxes, a moratorium on immigration, and an end to equalization and the welfare state. He also said he wanted to "bring Canada back to a place where Alberta wants to be," but would stay in the province if it seceded.

Michael Harris, of the Libertarian Party, also supported an Alberta separation referendum. He criticized the welfare state and called for drastically cutting regulation and eliminating all taxes. Harris also demanded an immediate end to supply management, calling the protectionist policy an echo of Soviet central planning.

NDP candidate Katherine Swampy repeatedly said she would not win but used the opportunity to advocate for her party's agenda. She advocated for taking in more refugees and importing all illegal immigrants rejected by U.S. President Donald Trump, stating farmers need the labour.

“I think a handful of my colleagues up here need to check their privilege,” Swampy said. “Immigration is vitally important to our country, and when you look on a global scale, there's a war happening in Gaza, in Ukraine, and significant unrest in the United States. Where will these people be able to go? We should be welcoming people here in Canada.”

Green Party candidate Ashley Macdonald advocated for a proportional representation electoral system, arguing that while most riding electors voted Conservative, those who disagreed had no voice in Parliament.

Macdonald called for increased spending on social programs and for Canada to "phase out" natural resource exports, relying instead on domestic reserves. He stated Canada’s healthcare system was only “broken” because it was being “attacked by forces that want to privatize it.”

Liberal Party candidate Darcy Spady repeatedly claimed the status quo was worth keeping, stating he liked Prime Minister Mark Carney's government and policies. Each time he praised the federal government, Spady was met with boos from the audience.