You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Pierre Poilievre was far from faultless in losing his own Carleton seat in the Ottawa suburbs — a seat he had held for nearly 21 years, through six federal elections.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Don't have an account? Create Account

Leaders can’t take their own seats for granted, or at least their local organizers can’t. They have to develop a sense for when there is a voter uprising forming and warn the leader that he or she has to return home more often from cross-country campaigning.

Poilievre and his people — both locally and nationally — clearly missed doing that.

On the other hand, though, the Liberals broke a long-standing convention in Canadian politics of parties not challenging each other’s leaders too hard in their home ridings.

The Liberals weren’t playing dirty pool. There is nothing in any law book or political text that prohibits them from targeting Poilievre in his own riding. But target they did.

Poilievre should be a bit embarrassed by his personal loss (and I’m sure he is). But he hasn’t suffered a death blow to his political career or even to his continued leadership of the Conservative Party.

Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters?........

© Toronto Sun