Scheer doesn't seem keen to move into Stornoway, but says talks are 'ongoing'

Darren Major · CBC News

· Posted: May 07, 2025 5:36 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

Newly minted interim Opposition person Andrew Scheer says talks are "ongoing" astir the existent Stornoway conundrum — but helium doesn't dependable anxious to determination into the authoritative residence.

The Saskatchewan MP was chosen to temporarily instrumentality implicit Pierre Poilievre's parliamentary duties arsenic the Conservative person seeks to reclaim a spot successful the House of Commons.

Poilievre mislaid his long-held Ontario riding connected predetermination night, which has raised questions astir whether oregon not helium would person to determination retired of Stornoway, wherever helium and his household person resided since soon aft helium became person of the Conservative Party successful 2022.

By law, that state-owned residence is reserved for the person of the Official Opposition, a presumption that tin lone beryllium held by a sitting MP. 

Scheer, who is acting arsenic the Official Opposition leader, told CBC's Power & Politics that "discussions are inactive ongoing" astir the Stornoway concern — but it doesn't dependable similar helium volition beryllium telling Poilievre to battalion his bags.

"It does outgo a batch of taxpayers' wealth to … determination idiosyncratic out, determination idiosyncratic in, conscionable to determination them out, conscionable to determination idiosyncratic successful again," Scheer told big David Cochrane.

"My ain presumption connected this is immoderate is astir efficient, the astir cost-effective for Canadian taxpayers. We don't privation this to adhd … immoderate other burden."

WATCH | Poilievre speaks to reporters for the archetypal clip since predetermination loss: 

The Privy Council Office told CBC News past week that Stornoway is reserved for the Opposition leader, but suggested it is up to the Conservative Party to grip the situation.

"Any questions connected however the Conservative Party volition negociate its enactment successful the House of Commons successful the future, and truthful who volition reside astatine the authoritative residence, should beryllium directed to the Conservative Party," the connection said.

Scheer said that helium hopes Poilievre tin instrumentality to the House arsenic soon arsenic imaginable to marque the Stornoway question irrelevant.

"We expect this is conscionable an eight-to-12-week scenario, and immoderate decisions are made astir bureau abstraction and residences and things similar that, successful the expansive strategy of things, volition beryllium moot precise quickly," helium said.

Conservative MP Damien Kurek announced he'll measurement speech truthful Poilievre tin tally successful his Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot. But the process of kickstarting that byelection could instrumentality immoderate time.

According to the Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons, Members of Parliament can't resign their spot until 30 days aft their predetermination effect is published successful the Canada Gazette, the national government's authoritative publication.

After the 2019 and 2021 national elections, it took astir a period earlier the main electoral officer's validated results were published successful the gazette.

Once Kurek is successful the wide to resign, it's the Speaker who informs the main electoral serviceman that a spot is vacant.

Then, the Governor General, connected the proposal of the premier curate and cabinet, tin acceptable the day for the byelection — betwixt 11 and 180 days aft an MP resigns.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said helium is committed to ensuring a byelection would instrumentality spot "as soon arsenic possible." Still, it is imaginable that Poilievre won't beryllium backmost successful the House until the autumn sitting.

Presuming that Poilievre wins successful Battle River-Crowfoot — considered 1 of the safest Conservative ridings successful the state — it sounds similar it volition lone beryllium a impermanent constituency for the Conservative leader. Scheer said the enactment expects Kurek to tally successful the riding successful the adjacent wide election, though it remains to beryllium seen wherever Poilievre would past question a seat.