Pierre Poilievre Defeated in Carleton, Ending Nearly 20-Year Parliamentary Career
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has been defeated in the riding of Carleton, marking the end of his nearly two-decade tenure as a Member of Parliament in the Ottawa area.
Liberal Party candidate Bruce Fanjoy secured victory in Carleton with 50.8 per cent of the vote, receiving 43,900 votes compared to Poilievre’s 38,675.
The upset loss raises questions about Poilievre’s future as party leader, even as the Conservatives gained more seats and increased their share of the popular vote nationally, finishing second to the Liberals.
Before the final results in Carleton were confirmed, Poilievre addressed supporters, vowing to remain as leader.
“To my fellow Conservatives, we have much to celebrate. Tonight we’ve gained well over 20 seats. We got the highest share of the vote our party has received since 1988,” he said.
Carleton was the only riding in the Ottawa area where an incumbent MP was defeated.
The contest between Poilievre and Fanjoy had been fiercely fought, with both candidates engaging in an intense ground campaign. Poilievre, originally from Alberta, was first elected in the Ottawa area in 2004. Carleton encompasses the western and southern parts of Ottawa.
Fanjoy expressed gratitude early Tuesday morning, writing, “Thank you, Carleton,” in a post on X.
“As we’ve said from the beginning, together we can. I’m grateful and humbled by everyone who contributed to our campaign. To all the people of Carleton, as your new Member of Parliament, I’ll work to bring us together. We are all Canadians. We have to look out for ourselves, and we have to take care of each other. Let’s get to work.”
According to his biography, Fanjoy, a father of two, has held leadership roles in the private sector and served on the boards of local community organizations.
Poilievre had previously held Carleton (and before that, Nepean-Carleton) since his first election win in 2004. He captured 50 per cent of the vote in the 2021 federal election.
This year’s race in Carleton was notable for its crowded ballot. Ninety-one candidates contested the seat, largely due to the efforts of the Longest Ballot Committee, a protest group advocating for electoral reform. Elections Canada reported that 90 of the 91 candidates received at least one vote.
Preliminary data shows voter turnout in Carleton was 81.6 per cent — the highest in eastern Ontario. Advance polling also broke records, with nearly 44,000 ballots cast during the Easter long weekend, the most advance votes recorded in the country.
Nationally, Mark Carney’s Liberals retained power, winning enough seats in the 45th federal election to form a minority government. Carney also secured his own seat in the riding of Nepean.
