Damien Kurek

[Resignation of Member, June 17th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to briefly rise and acknowledge the letter I sent to you this morning outlining my intention to, at the earliest opportunity, which is today, resign as member of Parliament for Battle River—Crowfoot, as outlined in the letter.

It has been a true honour to serve the people of Battle River—Crowfoot over these last years. I will not repeat what I said in my farewell speech a number of weeks ago, but I will simply once again thank the people of Battle River—Crowfoot for the honour of being able to serve them.

I thank my team, both the campaign team and staff, who have become not just people I work alongside but truly friends in this process, and all the volunteers who make politics happen. Of course, I am so deeply appreciative of Danielle, my boys and my entire family.

I will be officially resigning, as outlined in my letter, at the end of the proceedings today, but prior to my departure, I will be voting no confidence in the government. I want to emphasize again that Canada needs Pierre Poilievre and common-sense Conservatives to continue the fight. As I trigger this by-election and Pierre Poilievre works hard to earn the support of the people of Battle River—Crowfoot in east central Alberta, I know that if the people of Battle River—Crowfoot make that choice, they will be incredibly well served by him.

I hope the Prime Minister will honour his word to me and his word publicly that he will call a by-election without delay, which according to my math could be as soon as 11 days from now, on June 28.

I want to emphasize once again that it has been a true honour to serve. I have an incredible team of Conservatives I have come to know and serve with over the last number of years, whether it is those I was just elected with in this election or those I have served with since being elected in 2019. It is an incredible team, and it is truly an honour to call them not just colleagues but also friends. At times, things can get partisan, but across the aisle, there are also those I count as friends in other parties.

As I conclude, I would simply thank everybody who makes Parliament happen, whether it is the translators, the tech people, security or those who often go unrecognized in the operations of how Parliament works. I am truly thankful and grateful for having had this opportunity.

While I intend to run again in the 46th general election, this will be the last time I rise in my place in the 45th Parliament. It will be up to the people, after the next general election, to choose whether I have the honour to set foot back in this place.

As I referenced before in my remarks in my farewell speech, I hope all will fight for Canada, will not stop fighting and will fight passionately, because that is the least we can do for those who send us to this place.

May God bless the people of this nation, may God bless all and may God bless Canada.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the kind words, truly. It is humbling to hear from colleagues. I may be one of the more partisan voices in this place. As I said to one of the Speaker's predecessors, my constituency and my electors elected me to be that way, and they expect it. However, it is humbling to hear from members from all parties in this place, regardless of our political differences, regardless of where we come from in our country, that we can fight for Canada. We can fight for what we believe is right.

I thought my previous words would be my last, but I appreciate this opportunity. I would simply like to put this on the record: To Danielle and my boys, Matthew, Emerson, and Winston, as well as the rest of my family, who have stood guard, including my dad, who is no longer with us, I cannot express my gratitude.

I was a farm kid from rural Alberta who had no real political background, outside of the fact that I liked politics and watched question period as a kid instead of doing my math homework. The fact that somebody like me could end up in this place is a testament to what democracy should be.

To Danielle, Matthew, Emerson, and Winston, and the many others who helped make this dream come true for me, who supported Danielle, me, and our family in the midst of this, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I plan to be back, God willing, but in the meantime, I look forward to being the best husband, the best dad and the best rural farmer I can possibly be. I hope to have some fun in the process.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the kind words.

As to how long it will be before I once again run to represent the people of Battle River—Crowfoot, I will leave that to the people who will remain in this place and the confidence votes coming forward.

When it comes down to it, we fight for what we believe is right. It has been an honour to serve the people of Battle River—Crowfoot in this place for the last five and a half years. I count it an honour to serve them in this way, as I step aside temporarily to trigger a by-election.

Let me assure everyone who may miss my voice and the volume and tenor that sometimes come along with it that if they listen carefully in the coming months, they may just hear me during question period from Alberta heckling the Prime Minister and other Liberals, who deserve it, quite frankly.

As these are my last words in this place, it has been an honour. From Danielle and me, may God bless all members and may God bless Canada. Let us keep working to not just put Canada first as a slogan but truly put Canada first, for that is what I believe our country needs and deserves. Together we can do that.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague's remarks, and especially our work at the National Prayer Breakfast together, have always been something I have appreciated.

In the interim, I look forward to being able to spend a bit more time in a tractor cab. The one thing about being in a tractor cab is that it does not heckle, but like government, it requires maintenance, fuel and direction; it requires everything. If we do not take care of it, it breaks down, and we have to call the mechanic. Do members know who I think the best mechanic to fix our country is? I can say to my friends that his name is Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservatives.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the very kind words. They emphasize that in this place we can trade passionate, partisan barbs and can passionately disagree, but that does not mean there is hatred toward each other.

It is our job to passionately defend the people who send us here and the ideas that drive the very core of who we are. As a rural Canadian, I am very proud to have been that voice for rural east central Alberta over the last five and a half years. While I am stepping back now, I can assure those people that I will do everything I can to ensure that Pierre Poilievre is given the support he needs if he has the honour of sitting in the chair of Battle River—Crowfoot.

Let me simply conclude with this. All of us in this place, with humility, grace and passion, can represent our constituents well. I hope that is a lesson I have imparted on all members as I vacate this seat and offer it up for a by-election in the near future.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in my place and deliver what will be my farewell speech in this Parliament, for now.

I will, at the earliest opportunity, resign my seat to trigger a by-election, but let me start by first sharing my thanks. It is an honour to serve in this place. Being elected for the third time to represent the people of Battle River—Crowfoot truly is an honour, and for anyone who has had the opportunity to sit in this place, it truly is. Being able to serve our communities is something that is a profound honour and something that I hope each and every other member, all 342 of them, takes very seriously.

One never gets here by oneself. I am so thankful for a team that has supported me since I first put my name forward to run in a nomination in 2019, and for the three elections since. They were an incredible team of grassroots Conservative supporters who believe in common sense and in the things that we believe as a party, not simply because it is an election, but because they are the foundational things that they know our country needs and that they know is best. Those are the grassroots people I am so proud to call my teammates. Of course, there is the team that helps us, our staff who do the hard work and who help make us look good, whether it is in this place or in the communities in which we serve.

The deepest “thank you”, though, goes to a woman who is sitting in the front row, and I hope the Speaker gives me latitude to acknowledge that here today, since it is my farewell speech. I say to my wife, Danielle, that it is one person's name on the ballot and on the election sign, but it is a team sport. I cannot thank Danielle enough for her support and love through what has been a wild ride. I did not know it would be quite so much work to resign, but I know the work continues.

My boys have not seen their dad as much over the last number of years, and I certainly am looking forward to being able to spend some more time with Matthew, Emerson and Winston, those three boys Danielle and I are so very proud of.

We get into politics for a reason, and when I first put my name forward to run in 2019, there were things that I stood for and believed in, like putting Canada first no matter what the circumstances, and like ensuring that I was always going to put my country first when it comes to the deliberations in this place and when it comes to my actions. That is why I am so proud to stand with Danielle and with my family and offer to resign my seat to Pierre Poilievre, the leader of Canada's Conservatives. It is because that man, I truly believe, is the right man to lead this party and to lead the opposition in this Parliament. My belief before remains my belief today, that Pierre Poilievre is the right man to be Prime Minister of Canada.

The people in Battle River—Crowfoot overwhelmingly put their trust in me. I was honoured to receive more than 80% of the vote. It was an incredible affirmation, but not just of myself, because politics should never be about oneself, even though so many of the Liberals make it about that. Politics needs to be about doing what is best for one's country.

As for the people of Battle River—Crowfoot who put their trust in me, I have a simple request of all of them. I would ask that they trust me as I ask them to put their trust in Pierre Poilievre in this upcoming by-election and elect him as the member of Parliament for Battle River—Crowfoot for the remainder of this Parliament. He will fight for those in rural east central Alberta and represent Canadians with the common-sense vision that so many Canadians put their trust in for the first time in the election. More than eight million Canadians voted Conservative in the last election. More than 41% of the population voted Conservative in the last election. I am asking the people of Battle River—Crowfoot who trusted me to trust me once again as I ask them to support Pierre Poilievre when he runs in the upcoming by-election in Battle River—Crowfoot.

Our country faces significant challenges that require real action and a real plan. We face a national unity crisis. It is not something that can be flippantly dismissed by those in other parts of the country who would suggest that Alberta, for example, should simply pay up and shut up. No, I am sorry; that is not what Alberta should do. Alberta deserves a fair voice in the federation, just like every province. I heard earlier that a new colleague from Newfoundland had a similar sentiment. I have heard the same thing when I have spoken with colleagues from every region of our country. There are challenges our nation faces, and they deserve more than platitudes and a decade of the same failed ideology that got us into the disastrous position we find ourselves in now.

This is a debate on the throne speech. As I listened to the throne speech, I noted there was an interesting mix of things. There was a co-opting of some of our ideas for political benefit, but at the very root of it, we saw that the Liberals are simply the same old ideologues we have seen for the last decade who have eroded trust in our institutions, held back our economy, shut down our resources and told Canadians that their voices, their freedoms and who they are as people do not matter. As I shared my decision and offer a number of weeks ago and as I spoke with Canadians from coast to coast to coast over the last number of weeks, I saw so clearly how the vision that Conservatives brought forward with leader Pierre Poilievre in the last election proposes the solutions that our country truly needs.

As I stand here to offer my farewell address, I look to the Conservative team. I can look back to the class of 2019, but the class of 2025 is pretty incredible. There is a depth of talent and esteem that we should and can be proud of. I know this team will do incredible things. I look forward to championing the cause from outside the House in the interim. Many of my constituents have asked whether I am retiring from politics, and the simple is that, no, I do not plan to retire from politics, but I am stepping aside to ensure that this by-election gets triggered.

I will go back to where I started, with a note of thanks, reflection and humility. One is driven by things in one's life. There are things in people's hearts that drive them. I think of my faith, the fact that Jesus is my Lord and Saviour, the fact that foundational beliefs were taught to me by my dad, my mom, family members, my grandparents and my grandpas, who are not with me any longer. There is so much that we have to be proud of in this country.

As I conclude, and as Danielle and I move on to what is a bit of an unexpected chapter of our lives, I would ask each and every person in this House to fight for Canada, fight for what is right and do so boldly and strongly because that is the least we can do for the people who send us here.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I would simply ask my fantastic new colleague from Newfoundland if she has any final comments she would like to put on the record for the constituents she stands for in this place.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Certainly, I know that I and many of my colleagues want to hear the very important words that this new member from Newfoundland has to share. There is a reason it is called questions and comments. There is latitude given in the questions, and I hope you will ensure there is latitude given in the response, which certainly fits with not only the context of what the member's speech was, but the overall context for what the speech from—

[National Livestock Brand, May 28th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, in the last Parliament, I introduced a private member's bill, which will be reintroduced soon. This bill, an act to recognize a national livestock brand as a symbol of Canada, aims to acknowledge and promote the role of farmers, ranchers and the whole agriculture and animal husbandry sector, plus so many in our history, such as pioneers, indigenous peoples, those in resource industries like mining and the oil patch, hunters, trappers and anyone else who played a role in building our country from coast to coast to coast.

As I plan to step down as soon as possible, I hope to see the conversation on this important issue continue. This livestock brand, a heraldic symbol added to the national inventory of Canadian symbols, would be a fitting way to recognize a huge part of our country's history. At a time when national unity is at stake, this bill would be important to show that western and frontier culture played and still plays a prominent role in the building of Canada. The Conservatives get this. I hope the whole House will join in supporting this bill.

[Petitions, December 16th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting, because the next two petitions I table are on issues that are important to constituents but are actually on both sides of a particular issue when it comes to energy development and how to take meaningful action on the environment. As we know, this is the place where we can have those conversations. It is an honour to, on behalf of constituents, table both of these petitions, although from different perspectives, on issues related to the environment today.

Because I am on my feet and this may be my last chance, I simply wish the Speaker, all members of Parliament and all Canadians a very merry Christmas.