‘They came to us,’ Carney says on Conservative MPs crossing the floor

The former Conservative MPs who crossed the floor over to the Liberals “came to us,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said in an interview with Global News, adding that he did not “lure” them but that they were “attracted” to the work his government has been doing.

In a wide-ranging interview with Global National anchor and executive editor Dawna Friesen that will air in full on Dec. 25, Carney was asked if he was involved in luring or courting the Opposition MPs to join the Liberals.

“I wouldn’t have chosen that verb: lure, or courting. What I would choose is, they are attracted by what we are doing. And that’s a key element,” Carney said.

The prime minister said he did play a role in the process and was asked whether he expects others will make the same decision to join the Liberals.

1:58 MPs, constituents react to Michael Ma’s floor crossing

“I met with them. I met with them just at the end of what was the process,” he said of the MPs who have crossed the floor.

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“But in those cases, they came to us. They were interested in, they were attracted by what the government is doing. This is a positive vote for the government, supporting the government at a crucial time for a country.”

When asked if he would be receptive to more MPs from other parties joining the Liberals, Carney said: “You know, we’re open. We’re looking for that support because the country needs to move forward.”

Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont resigned from the Conservative caucus to join the Liberals last month. Last week, Conservative MP Michael Ma announced he was leaving that caucus to join the federal Liberals.

Later that same evening at the Liberal caucus holiday party in Gatineau, Que., Carney introduced and welcomed Ma and d’Entremont as the newest members.

2:53 Is Poilievre losing control of Conservative Party after 2 MPs quit?

Ma’s floor crossing puts the Liberals at 171 seats — one short of a majority in which the Liberal Speaker of the House of Commons would vote to break any ties, and two seats short of a majority where they do not need to rely on the Speaker to vote to break ties.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Ma “chose to endorse the very policies he was elected to oppose.”

“The people he let down the most are the ones who elected him to fight for an affordable future. He will have to answer to them,” Poilievre said.