Pierre Poilievre’s election-night setback went far beyond watching his party finish a close second nationwide: the Conservative leader was personally turfed from the House of Commons after losing Carleton, the Ottawa-area riding he’d held since 2004. Unofficial tallies released by Elections Canada show Liberal challenger Phyllis Fanjoy capturing roughly 39 per cent of the vote (about 28,400 ballots), edging Poilievre’s 37 per cent (just over 26,200) by nearly 2,200 votes.
Poilievre’s defeat ends a seven-term run that began when he was elected at just 25 and robs the Conservatives of their most recognisable voice on Parliament Hill. Local analysts point to a surge in advance-poll turnout among suburban voters frustrated by his combative style as the decisive factor; Poilievre carried rural polls handily but lost every box in the fast-growing communities of Barrhaven and Riverside South by margins approaching ten points.
Speaking to subdued supporters in Ottawa, the 45-year-old insisted he will “stay on and fight,” yet senior Tories acknowledged the party must now pick an interim parliamentary leader before the House reconvenes. While Conservatives improved their national popular vote to 41 per cent and gained two-dozen seats overall, the optics of a leader without a seat have already fuelled caucus whispers about whether Poilievre should remain at the helm after three straight general-election losses.
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