Voter support for Pierre Poilievre was heavily concentrated in southern Alberta

Pierre Poilievre became leader of the Conservative Party of Canada over the weekend and a lot of his support came from southern Alberta.

With his wife and one-year-old son by his side, Poilievre gave his first speech to the national Conservative caucus as leader on Monday.

“Canadians are hurting and it is our job to transform that hurt into hope, and that is my mission,” he said.

Poilievre also issued a challenge to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“If you really understand the suffering of Canadians, Mr. Prime Minister. If you understand that people can’t gas their cars, feed their families or afford homes for themselves, if you really care, commit today that there will be no new tax increases on workers and on seniors, none,” he said.

Speaking from the Liberal caucus retreat, Trudeau congratulated Poilievre on his win, but didn’t hold back when describing the leadership Canada needs.

“Buzz words, dog whistles and careless attacks don’t add up to a plan for Canadians,” Trudeau said.

“Attacking the institutions that make our society fair, safe and free is not responsible leadership. Telling people they can opt out of inflation by investing their savings in volatile cryptocurrencies is not responsible leadership.”

Poilievre, who grew up in Calgary, won a decisive majority on the first ballot.

He received 68.15 per cent of the vote, far out-pacing how closest rival and runner-up, Jean Charest, who only got 16 per cent of the vote.

This map made by University of Calgary economics professor Trevor Tombe shows the party’s national vote distribution for all candidates in the leadership race. 

The highest concentration of votes is marked in yellow and was particularly strong in Alberta and for Poilievre, who came in first in every riding in the province. 

“It does remind us that the Conservative Party of Canada really is in many ways, an Alberta-based party,” said Lisa Young, political science professor at the University of Calgary.

The Foothills region, just south of Calgary, cast the largest number of ballots. Poilievre received most of them — 4,239 out of the 5,062 total.

John Barlow, the MP for the riding, campaigned hard for the Ottawa MP and said his success doesn’t come as a surprise.

“Giving Canadians back control of their lives and their wallets and being a true champion of the Canadian taxpayer and hardworking families. I think that truly was the message that my constituents and certainly those in southern Alberta wanted to hear,” Barlow said.

While Poilievre handily won the leadership, some people in Calgary say it’ll take more to do the same nationally.

“Gotta win that east somehow,” Adam Schellenberg said.

Brandon Beavan added, “He would really have to become a lot more progressive and actually not just bow to the wills of the caucus.”

Gina Williams, however, believes Poilievre is already in a good position.

“Considering where we’re at right now, maybe not too much because we’re not in a good place right now,” she said.

“We need to be better and I think he can do better for us.”

Young said Poilievre’s support of the freedom convoy protests could follow him into the next federal election.

“One of his many challenges as leader is going to be to keep those really more ideologically-extreme supporters on board while crafting a message that appeals to a broader range of the population,” she told CTV News.

Young said Poilievre’s discussions around affordable housing have been successful, so if he makes himself a key voice on that issue and offers a plausible way forward, it could help him in the race for prime minister.