(Libertarian.ca)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

wants voters to focus local

Libertarian candidate in Battle River-Crowfoot also calls out Poilievre

Jul 22, 2025 | 3:47 PM

Michael Harris, the Libertarian Party candidate in the upcoming federal byelection for Battle River-Crowfoot, is calling out Pierre Poilievre in a new statement.

Harris is up against 178 candidates (as of 3 p.m., July 22), most of whom fall under the Longest Ballot Committee protest movement.

In an emailed statement, Harris says Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party who lost his seat in the Ottawa area riding of Carleton in April, isn’t really running to be an MP for the riding.

“He’s running to be Prime Minister. Battle River–Crowfoot is just a stepping stone for his national ambitions. That leaves our communities from Acme to Stettler without real representation,” Harris says.

“We deserve an MP who lives here, knows the issues, and will fight for us every day, not someone who treats this riding like a safe fallback or political insurance. If Poilievre truly respects the people here, he’d fight for the policies that’d actually help the people of the riding. If not, he should run in his own backyard, not ours.”

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Harris’s campaign, he says, is about putting liberty and ‘Alberta First’ back on the ballot.

He believes Conservatives have also ignored the real concerns of rural Albertans for decades.

“The CPC refuses to touch policies like centralized agriculture, equalization payments, or self-determination. I’m the only candidate in this race calling for a full end to equalization and supply management, which keeps milk and poultry prices artificially high and locks young farmers out of the market,” adds Harris.

“That’s a conversation Poilievre won’t have, because his party still prioritizes Quebec over affordability.”

More on the byelection slate is at elections.ca.

For more news coverage on the upcoming Aug. 18 byelection, view the stories below:

• Podcast: Who the heck is Bonnie Critchley? She’s the opponent of Pierre Poilievre in federal byelection who’s now up against 100+ others
• Poilievre calls for law to block long ballot protests ahead of Alberta byelection
• Longest Ballot Committee adds 132 names onto candidates list for Battle River-Crowfoot byelection