Poilievre to stay on as Conservative leader after by-election losses

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he will not step down following significant losses for the party in three federal byelections held April 13.

According to preliminary results, the Conservatives saw their vote share drop by more than 10 percentage points in all three ridings. The sharpest decline was reported in the Terrebonne riding in Quebec, where support fell from 18.2 per cent in the 2025 federal election to 3.3 per cent.

Dimitri Soudas, a former communications director to ex-prime minister Stephen Harper, described the results as a warning sign for the party. He said the drop in support suggests that, if a general election were held now, several Conservative MPs in Ontario could be at risk of losing their seats.

Speaking in the House of Commons of Canada on Tuesday, Poilievre acknowledged that Canadians may be frustrated with the current situation but urged supporters not to lose hope. He said he intends to continue advocating in Parliament and across the country, and confirmed he will lead the party into the next federal election.