Prime Minister Mark Carney and his fellow Liberal MPs said Wednesday the party is open to talking to any opposition MPs interested in joining their team — a day after Nova Scotia MP Chris d'Entremont quit the Conservatives to join the government caucus.
Carney and d'Entremont were met with thunderous applause and cheers as they walked side by side into Wednesday's Liberal caucus meeting on Parliament Hill. Some Liberal MPs began chanting the former Conservative's name.
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said the Liberals had been courting d'Entremont behind the scenes for five years.
"We've been trying to recruit him for a long time," Joly said in French. "Finally, he saw the light."
D'Entremont, who has been an MP for six years, was first elected in the 2019 election.
Ahead of Wednesday's caucus meeting, D'Entremont joined Carney at a post-budget media conference in Ottawa's south end. He told reporters he didn't believe his values as a "red Tory" were being "represented" in the current Conservative caucus.
"I didn't find I was represented there … my ideals of an easterner, of a red Tory and quite honestly of trying to find ways to find solutions and help the community rather than trying to oppose everything that's happening," he said.
D'Entremont said there are probably other Conservative MPs "in the same boat" but he would let them share their stories "if the time comes."
Carney would not bite when asked whether he is approaching other opposition MPs in an attempt to overcome the two-seat margin keeping his government in minority status.
He thanked d'Entremont for joining the Liberals after the budget's release on Tuesday and told reporters it was "an honour" to welcome him to his caucus. He said global economic uncertainty calls for a unified approach to strengthening Canada's economy.
"We'll speak to anyone publicly or otherwise that can support us," he said.
A senior Liberal government source, speaking on background because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, confirmed there have been discussions with additional MPs, though they would not say who.
Publicly, Liberals were tight-lipped Wednesday about whether they have been actively trying to poach from the opposition benches — or if more could follow d'Entremont.
Liberal MP Kody Blois — who, like d'Entremont, represents a riding in Nova Scotia — said that the two have spoken “for a long time about the ways in which we can collaborate.”
Blois did not explicitly say he was part of an effort to enlist d'Entremont, adding that if the government was trying to recruit more MPs, that "wouldn't be a conversation I'm going to have right here in front of the media." He said the Liberals are offering a big tent and there's room for more "moderate" conservatives.
"It's great to see Mr. d'Entremont join. If there’s other members of Parliament feeling the same way, again, I think we’re always welcome to those conversations,” Blois told reporters.
Some Liberal MPs still voiced lingering concerns about whether the minority government can get the additional two votes its needs to pass the budget and avoid a winter election.
Government House leader Steven MacKinnon said a Christmas election is still a possibility and stopped in front of TV cameras Wednesday to encourage opposition MPs to vote for the budget.
"I know what happened in the last 24 hours. What the next 24 hours hold, I've become used to waking up to surprises every day," MacKinnon said.
Conservative MPs have been lashing out at d'Entremont for crossing the aisle.
MP Jamil Jivani called d'Entremont "an idiot" when asked on Wednesday about losing his caucus colleague. On Tuesday, Conservative MP Aaron Gunn called d'Entremont a "coward.”
Ontario Conservative MP Michael Barrett quoted d'Entremont's past criticisms of the Liberal government and said the newest Liberal MP had described the anticipated federal deficit as "monstrous."
"Mr. d'Entremont is a man, if he plans to vote for this budget, that can't be taken at his word. And that should be incredibly disappointing, and I'm sure it is for his constituents," Barrett said.
Conservative Whip Chris Warkentin said in a statement Wednesday the party caucus is "disappointed he let his own personal grievances of not getting elected deputy Speaker get in the way of his promises, and that he agrees with Liberals that Canadians will have to sacrifice more for their failures."
Several Tory MPs also made a point of stating that they remain steadfastly behind the party's current leader, Pierre Poilievre.
Liberal MP Marc Miller said he does not know what motivated the floor-crossing but d'Entremont has always been seen as a moderate in the House and is well-liked across party lines.
"It's a testament to how miserable the attitude is in the Conservative party currently, particularly with a miserable leader like Pierre Poilievre, to attack Chris," Miller said. "He's universally liked and appreciated and he's seen as a good guy."
When d'Entremont was asked about the criticisms coming from his former caucus colleagues, he said they should try to build something instead of "knocking people down."
"I think they should look at themselves and see if they're offering the right thing to Canadians, of trying to build for the world. We have a great opportunity here in Canada and rather than knocking people down, we should try to find ways to work together, and that's what I've always tried to do in my career," he said.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
