Rural Alberta byelection has some conservative voters questioning party loyalty

The upcoming federal byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot has Jennifer Fossen in unknown territory.

Fossen is the president of the Camrose & District Chamber of Commerce. In the April federal election, it held a candidate forum. Only one nominee showed up to speak to a half empty room.

Three months later, Fossen is hosting another candidate forum, this time in a byelection race featuring Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and the response is, well, off the hook.

Fossen said phones at her office have been ringing constantly with people inquiring about the July 29 candidate debate.

But all seats are booked and 10 candidates have signed up to speak.

“(It) has definitely taken everything to the next level,” Fossen said this week in an interview.

“It’s fantastic to see the voter engagement and just the interest in the democratic process.”

Poilievre is a vying to win the Aug. 18 vote in Battle River–Crowfoot, a sprawling rural riding that takes up the entire eastern side of Alberta from Edmonton down to Calgary.

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Alberta MP steps aside for CPC leader Pierre Poilievre to run in byelection

The writ was dropped last month after Conservative Damien Kurek, who overwhelmingly won the seat in the April general election, stepped down to allow Poilievre to run.

Poilievre lost his long-held Ottawa seat of Carleton in the April vote.

Poilievre’s signs can be seen scattered on lawns and the farm gates along a highway leading into the city of Camrose, the riding’s largest municipality.

His party said he has opened his campaign office in Camrose and he has attended town halls, rodeos, parades and a car show in the riding in recent weeks.

He said in a statement he’s coming home ready to take the voices of the riding to Ottawa.

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