MP crosses floor from Conservative to Liberals, citing “better path”

Conservative MP Chris d’Entremont has left the party to join the Liberals after he officially resigned from the Conservative caucus and joined the Liberal government.

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Conservative MP Chris d’Entremont has left the party to join the Liberals after he officially resigned from the Conservative caucus and joined the Liberal government.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, d’Entremont, the Member of Parliament for Acadie—Annapolis, said he informed Conservative leadership and the Speaker of the House of Commons of his decision upon reviewing the budget.

“After serious consideration and thoughtful conversations with constituents and my family, I came to a clear conclusion: there is a better path forward for our country — and a better path forward for Acadie-Annapolis,” he said.

“Prime Minister Mark Carney is offering that path with a new Budget that hits the priorities I have heard most in my riding, to build strong community infrastructure and grow a stronger economy. That is why I am joining the Government caucus.”

Multiple Conservative Party sources told the media his departure was due to a “personal grievance.”

Prior to the crossing becoming official d’Entremont told POLITICO he disagrees with right-wing populism and that his views align more with Carney, who leans further right than former Liberal prime minister Justin Trudeau.

“After five years of serving in opposition, the people of Acadie-Annapolis and all Canadians know that the moment we face today needs all of us to lead — not with complaint, but with confidence in a strong future,” he said in an official statement.

His resignation marks a loss of representation in the House of Commons for the Conservatives and potentially fewer Opposition votes to pass the Liberal budget.

According to d’Entremont, he wanted to do what was best for his constituents after winning his riding by only 1.1 per cent against his Liberal counterpart.

However, Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman argued his decision betrayed his constituents.

“Chris made a choice and I think the choice is to not fight inflation, not to fight to lower grocery prices like his constituents elected him to do,” Lantsman told CBC News.

The Liberals have long been trying to court centrist Conservatives but have not publicly disclosed who.

The Nova Scotia MP, a former deputy speaker, allegedly had a falling out with his party after the Conservative caucus refused to back him for Speaker of the House of Commons.

He had been a longtime Conservative, serving as a Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative MLA for 16 years before being elected to the House of Commons in 2019.

“He’s going to have to explain to all the people that he looked in the eye, took their donations, put signs on their lawns, and then explain why he betrayed them just a few months later,” said Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer.