Poilievre was born in Calgary, Alberta, and studied international relations at the University of Calgary, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. He began his political career working for Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day and was first elected to Parliament in 2004, representing Nepean—Carleton and later Carleton. Under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Poilievre served as minister for democratic reform from 2013 to 2015, and minister of employment and social development in 2015. From 2017 to 2022, he was the shadow minister for finance and briefly for jobs and industry. On February 5, 2022, Poilievre announced his campaign for Conservative Party leader and was elected on September 10, 2022, winning on the first ballot.
In the 2025 Canadian federal election, Poilievre led the Conservative Party during its defeat, failing to win a majority of seats while also losing his own parliamentary seat to Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy.[4]
Poilievre was born on June 3, 1979, in Calgary, Alberta.[5] His mother, Jacqueline Farrell, was 16 years old when she had him and had recently lost her own mother.[6] She planned to name him Jeff but placed him for adoption.[7] He was adopted by Marlene and Donald Poilievre, two schoolteachers.[8] They later adopted his younger half-brother, Patrick. Pierre grew up in a modest home in Calgary, where he played ice hockey and went camping. He was raised as a Catholic.
Poilievre grew up in Calgary, where he worked as a paperboy and played hockey. He got interested in politics at 14 after attending a political meeting. He joined the Reform Party, helped with political campaigns, and sold party memberships. At 17, he was a delegate at the Reform Party's national convention. He graduated from high school in 1997 and later studied international relations at the University of Calgary. At 19, he protested against his student union, and later won a contest with an essay on individual freedom.[9] He became president of the Young Tories at his university, clashing with others over leadership. In 2000, Poilievre worked for Stockwell Day’s leadership campaign and later became Day’s advisor. He left university in 2002 to work for Day but finished his degree in 2008.[10] Poilievre co-founded a communications company, 3D Contact Inc., and ran for MP in the newly formed Conservative Party.[11][12]
Early political career
Poilievre won the Conservative nomination for the Nepean–Carleton riding in the 2004 election, defeating Liberal incumbent David Pratt. Despite Pratt being a two-term cabinet minister, the race was close, and Poilievre won the seat. At 25, he became the youngest member of the 38th Canadian Parliament.[13] Poilievre was known as a "libertarian-minded" member of his party and earned the nickname "Skippy" early in his career.[14] He introduced bills aimed at helping the Queensway Carleton Hospital and creating a recall system for MPs, though both were defeated.[15] Poilievre also criticized Michaëlle Jean's appointment as Governor General, leading to a petition asking for her dismissal.[16]
Re-elected in 2006 with over 50% of the vote, Poilievre was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board. He worked on the Federal Accountability Act and made controversial comments regarding residential school compensation, which he later apologized for. In 2008, Poilievre was re-elected and became Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister. He represented Canada at the alternative Conference Against Racism and attended the March of the Living. In the 41st Canadian Parliament, Poilievre served as Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities. He also supported ending mandatory union dues, aligning with right-to-work principles, which sparked concern among union supporters. [17]
2022 Conservative Party leadership election
After Erin O'Toole was removed as leader in February 2022, Poilievre quickly announced his intention to run for leadership, positioning himself as a frontrunner focused on freedom and reducing the cost of living.[18] He criticized rivals Jean Charest and Patrick Brown, accusing Charest of being too liberal and Brown of supporting a carbon tax. Poilievre’s campaign gained momentum, selling nearly half of the party’s total memberships and earning endorsements from 62 Conservative MPs and former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. His campaign also raised over $4 million, more than half of what all candidates combined raised. [19][20]
Opposition leader
Poilievre meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in March 2023
After becoming Conservative leader in 2022, Poilievre formed a leadership team and a 71-member shadow cabinet, including former rivals.[21] Under his leadership, the Conservatives supported some government bills, like funding for childcare, but opposed others over inflation and tax concerns. Poilievre pushed for audits of COVID-19 spending, called for investigations into government contracts with McKinsey, and introduced a housing bill.[22] His criticism of Liberal policies led to contentious moments, including his removal from the House for using unparliamentary language.
On March 23, Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Governor General Mary Simon and asked to dissolve parliament and call an election for April 28.[23] Poilievre entered the election polling behind Carney's Liberal Party, even though before Justin Trudeau's resignation, he was leading in most polls.[24] During the campaign, he promised that his government would reduce the lowest income tax bracket from 15% to 12.75%.[25] Carney and the Liberal Party would go on to win the election and form a minority government.[26] During the election, Poilievre would also go on to lose his own parliamentary seat to Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy.[4]
A few days after election day, Conservative MP Damien Kurek, who was re-elected with over 80% of the vote in the Alberta riding of Battle River—Crowfoot, one of the party's safest ridings, announced his plan to resign in order to allow Poilievre to run in the by-election.[27] Until Poilievre is officially back in the House, he will be ineligible to continue as Leader of the Opposition, requiring him to pick an interim leader in the House of Commons to be chosen when the 45th Canadian Parliament opens.[28]
Personal life
After moving to Ottawa, Poilievre dated Conservative political advisor Jenni Byrne until 2011.[29]
In December 2017, Poilievre married Anaida Poilievre, a Senate aide, in a ceremony in Portugal.[30] Their first child, a daughter, was born in October 2018.[31] In September 2021, the Poilievres welcomed their second child, a son.[32]
Poilievre at his Election campaign rally in Surrey, BC, March 2025
Poilievre attending a Holodomor memorial in Toronto, November 2022
Poilievre spoke at a protest marking 1,000 days since the IRGC shot down UIA Flight 752, October 2022. During the event, he criticized the government for not designating the IRGC as a terrorist group.
Poilievre and his wife Anaida at a campaign rally in April 2022
Notes
↑Office known as "Minister of State (Democratic Reform)" from July 15, 2013, to February 9, 2015.
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
