Nova Scotia MP Chris d'Entremont said Wednesday he left the Conservative caucus because he no longer felt represented in leader Pierre Poilievre's party and was angered by his “negative” approach to politics.
D'Entremont said there are other Conservative MPs who are “in the same boat” and they could join him in defecting to the Liberals.
“In the last few months, I haven't felt like I share the ideals of what the leader of the opposition has been saying,” d'Entremont told Poilievre reporters after appearing with Prime Minister Mark Carney at a post-Budget news conference the day after he crossed the floor.
Asked what pushed him, d'Entremont said: “It's all about leadership style and whether we're doing the right thing for Canada.”
D'Entremont said Canada faces challenges and he believes it's better to be part of the solution to some of those challenges as a member of the government caucus “rather than continue to be negative.”
“It's time to lead the country to try to make it better rather than try to destroy it,” he said. “We have a great opportunity here in Canada, and instead of confusing people, we should try to find ways to work together, and that's what I've always tried to do in my career.”
Nova Scotia MP Chris d'Entremont, who left the Conservatives to join the Liberals on budget day, says he hasn't felt connected to the ideals promoted by the Conservative leader in recent months and wanted to work to build Canada rather than “continue to be negative.”
D'Entremont, a self-described Red Tory, said he was also influenced by Carney's first budget, which includes more money for infrastructure, fisheries, agriculture and the military. Those are critical industries in his rural Nova Scotia community, which is also home to a Canadian Forces base that would benefit from increased government defense spending.
D'Entremont said the Liberals did not promise him anything in exchange for him crossing the floor.
In an interview with CBC Power and politics On Tuesday, Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lanzmann said d'Entremont left because of past disagreements over who should serve as deputy speaker of the House of Commons, a position d'Entremont held in the last parliament but is now held by Conservative MP Tom Kmiec.
D'Entremont admitted that discussions about who should fill the role were an “awkward time” for him, but he had “moved on” and that was not what led him to his decision.
He said he just feels Carney is the best leader right now.
Carney said he admires d'Entremont for deciding to leave.
“This is a time when we need to act boldly,” Carney said, adding that he and d'Entremont were in “united agreement” on what's best for the country as it faces economic threats amid U.S. tariffs.
“It’s time for us to unite as much as possible in the interests of our country,” Carney said.
Asked if he had spoken to other MPs about joining the Liberals, Carney said: “We will speak publicly or otherwise to anyone who can support us.”
“I will talk to members of the House of Representatives, MPs.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he admires Chris d'Entremont's decision to walk down the aisle at “this crucial time for our country.” D'Entremont spoke later at the event, saying he did not share the ideals of opposition leader Pierre Poilevre. Carney's government presented its first budget on Tuesday.
Later Wednesday, d'Entremont was warmly embraced by the Liberals as he attended a party meeting with Carney.
The assembled MPs gave the Nova Scotian a rapturous ovation, applauding “Chris!” Chris! Chris!”, and some of them embraced him when he first entered this space as a liberal.
Carney and d'Entremont smiled broadly as they both shook hands with the caucus, which seemed to rejoice at the addition of another member, leaving the party just two seats short of a majority in the House of Commons.
Liberal MP James Maloney, the party's caucus chairman, said d'Entremont was “an outstanding MP, a great guy.”
“This is not about politics, but about people. The decision he has made is a difficult one and people should support him.”
Maloney said he has spoken with other deputies, but he is “not actively recruiting” other people.
Conservative MPs have reacted to news that the Annapolis Academy MP has defected to the Liberal Party ahead of Wednesday's caucuses.
Conservative MP Aaron Gunn, meanwhile, called d'Entremont's decision to quit “disgraceful.”
“I could never imagine doing something like this – misrepresenting myself to voters, lying to my volunteers. Only six months have passed since the elections, the leaders are the same, the policies have not changed. He campaigned against budgets that look like this,” Gunn said.
MP Ted Falk said he was “very disappointed” in his former caucus mate who switched sides. “This is a betrayal of the team.”
MP Michael Chong, another Conservative, said voters produced a minority government in the last election and Carney is now trying to “manipulate that result and get a majority that Canadians did not choose.”
