Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre makes his way into West Block on Parliament Hill for a meeting of the Conservative caucus following the federal election, in Ottawa, on May 6.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Pierre Poilievre is staying put in the residence of the leader of the Official Opposition even though the federal Conservative Leader lost his riding in the recent election.
Andrew Scheer, now acting as the interim Official Opposition leader in Mr. Poilievre’s absence, confirmed the plans on Monday.
The fact that the Conservative Leader no longer sits in the House of Commons has raised questions about whether he is entitled to live in Stornoway. But Mr. Scheer says it doesn’t make sense for Mr. Poilievre and his family to move out of the home in Ottawa’s Rockcliffe neighbourhood, given Mr. Poilievre’s chances of winning a seat in a pending Alberta by-election.
“It would be more costly to taxpayers to move the family out and then right back into the residence later this summer,” Mr. Scheer said in a statement on Monday.
“I have no intention to move into the residence and so we expect the family will just remain there through this short transition phase,” he said.
Mr. Poilievre was defeated in his Ottawa-area riding of Carleton in last month’s federal election after having represented the riding and its predecessors in the area for 20 years.
The Official Residences Act, which governs Stornoway and other official properties including the prime minister’s residence, notes that Stornoway is to be provided for the person holding the position of “Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons.”
Mr. Poilievre is now poised to run in a by-election in the Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot where voters elected Conservative Damien Kurek with 82.8 per cent of the vote.
Mr. Kurek has announced he will step down so Mr. Poilievre can run in the riding.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he will call a by-election as soon as possible, providing the opportunity for Mr. Poilievre to win a seat so he can return to the House of Commons and his Commons leadership post.
Upon winning the Conservative leadership in the fall of 2022, Mr. Poilievre moved into Stornoway with his family.
The 9,500-square-foot house, which was built in 1913, has been the official residence of Canada’s Official Opposition leaders since 1950.
The first resident was George Drew, who came to federal politics after serving as Ontario premier for five years.
Since 1970, the residence has been owned by the federal government. The National Capital Commission has managed the property since 1988.