Jeff Burgar
A federal party leader losing their own seat doesn’t happen often! But, it indeed does happen!
Pierre Poilievre lost, as did Jagmeet Singh. Jonathan Pedneault was co-leader of the Green Party alongside Elizabeth May. He didn’t lose his seat. He never won his riding to even start with. Singh and Pedneault won’t be running again. Poilievre will now hoist his flag in a coming byelection.
One might blame his personal loss on federal civil servants increasingly populating his Ottawa riding. Although Ontario otherwise is a province where in fact the Conservatives did quite well, PP won’t run there. Instead, he is coming to Alberta.
It is already announced a Conservative MP in east-central Alberta will resign his seat so Poilievre can run there. It’s a safe wager he will easily win. As is often said, the Conservatives could run a jar of pickles in most parts of Alberta and win.
So how was this move to Alberta decided?
Did Poilievre’s people canvas across Canada, looking for a safe seat? And of course, somebody to give it up? Somebody willing to trade a possible senator’s seat, or ambassadorship, if Conservatives take power down the road? A juicy payoff might take years, even under this Liberal minority government, and no guarantee Conservatives would win to deliver.
Maybe something immediate. Maybe a nice job rubber stamping insurance sales at some party supporter’s office. Or clipping newspaper articles for the party, to some day appear in the National Archives. Just answering a phone in some party office.
Did party faithful, just elected, decide to get together and draw straws? Did a call even go out to all those elected? A polite inquiry about interest in resigning? No promises. No guarantees. Hopefully, loyal party members, not under duress, would still put their names up, just to be on the “good list.”
But in that, why not be on the “really, really good list?” Get your name as fast as possible in front of the glorious leader and party backroom folks.
But wait! Is there such a thing as “too fast?” Is it possible being first, or second, or even tenth, will be seen as too eager. Not a person to be trusted with, really you know, serious matters.
Ah, decisions, decisions, decisions! What to do, what to do?
Of course, there is always the sort of double McGuffin. Where you know you won’t be called on to deliver your seat, because it is just not workable.
Peace River – Westlock MP Arnold Viersen for example, has a huge riding. He can barely get around to places more than twice a year. Plus, there really isn’t a vote rich city where he has to make regular appearances. Viersen would be fairly safe putting his name up. Fort McMurray and Grande Prairie each have major centres, but they might not be too bad even at that.
But this place? Camrose is the biggest centre. Drumheller next. A cherry begging to be picked. Easy to get to and easy to visit often.Near to both vote rich Calgary and Edmonton.
The questions now are, “the list,” and will Liberals put up a fight? Generally speaking, kings don’t kill kings. It sets a very bad precedent.
Still, lots of story yet to come!