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Ex-Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux crosses floor to join Carney’s Liberals

Click to play video: 'Jeneroux says ‘couldn’t sit on the sidelines’ after Carney’s Davos speech'
Jeneroux says ‘couldn’t sit on the sidelines’ after Carney’s Davos speech
Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed Alberta MP Matt Jeneroux, who crossed the floor from the Conservative Party to join the Liberal caucus on Wednesday. "Matt brings a wealth of experience, despite his young demeanour," Carney said. Jeneroux said that he "couldn't sit on the sidelines" after seeing Carney's "ambitious agenda". He added that after Carney's Davos speech, he felt it was "disingenuous and quite simply wrong to be sitting on the sidelines anymore."

Ex-Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux has crossed the floor to the Liberals, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday.

“I am honoured to welcome Matt Jeneroux to our caucus as the newest member of Canada’s new government,” Carney said in a social media post.

In a letter posted to social media, Jeneroux said he came to his decision after “several conversations around the dinner table” with his family since he announced his resignation in November as the MP for Edmonton Riverbend.

“After further reflection with my family, and conversations with colleagues and constituents, I will be continuing to serve in Parliament — and I will be working with Prime Minister Mark Carney as a part of his new government to help build our country’s strength as we face the challenges ahead,” he wrote.

Click to play video: 'Ex-Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux to join Carney’s Liberals'
Ex-Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux to join Carney’s Liberals

Jeneroux later told reporters ahead of a meeting with Carney in Edmonton that his resignation was due to “family reasons,” but that he could no longer “sit on the sidelines” as Carney pursues an “ambitious agenda” at home and abroad.

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“Quite honestly, it was the speech in Davos where you took everything head-on, and I think for me that’s where a lot of the world changed,” he told Carney.

“I think it opened a lot eyes for Canadians, Albertans, Edmontonians, just how serious this national unity crisis truly is. And for me, it felt disingenuine and quite simply wrong to be sitting on the sidelines anymore. So I reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office and will be joining his caucus, and I couldn’t be more proud to be sitting next to you.”

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Carney said he has appointed Jeneroux as “a special advisor on economic and security partnerships” and will be relying on his international affairs experience, including as co-founder of the Canada-ASEAN Parliamentary Friendship Group.

The prime minister noted Canada is currently negotiating a free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Jeneroux also currently serves as vice-chair of the Canada-United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association and has served within parliamentary associations for NATO, Africa, Japan and Europe.

“I’m very fortunate Matt is going to be lending some of that expertise directly to me as we’re building our partnerships,” Carney told reporters at the meeting.

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Jeneroux is now the third Conservative, after Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont and Toronto area MP Michael Ma, to switch to Carney’s Liberals.

Jeneroux’s crossing brings Carney’s government to the cusp of a majority, with the Liberals now at 169 MPs in the House of Commons.

Three byelections are set to be held in ridings previously held by the Liberals. If the Liberals regain all three seats, this would bring them to 172 MPs — the majority mark, but reliant on the Speaker to break tie votes.

The MP for Edmonton Riverbend since 2015, Jeneroux was previously the Conservative critic for supply chains, innovation, infrastructure, health and housing before announcing that he was resigning as an MP in November, just ahead of a crucial vote on the federal budget in the House of Commons.

“It was not an easy decision, but it is, I believe, the right one,” he said at the time.

Jeneroux said he had hoped Canadians would “put their faith” in a Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre in the last federal election, but added he has “great admiration” for his fellow MPs “on both sides of the aisle.”

Poilievre responded to the news on Wednesday, saying that Jeneroux has “betrayed” his constituents and accusing Carney of “trying to seize a costly Liberal majority government that Canadians voted against in the last election through dirty backroom deals.”

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Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc dismissed Poilievre’s comments when asked about them during a virtual media briefing from Mexico, where he was concluding a Canadian trade mission.

“I never cease to be amazed by the hypocrisy of Mr. Poilievre on these issues,” he said, pointing to times Liberals crossed the floor to join the previous Conservative government.

“He should look in the mirror and ask himself why he’s having these challenges in his caucus. It’s easy to somehow make up a phrase like ‘backroom deals,’ he would be the expert in that sort of stuff.”

Click to play video: 'LeBlanc tells Poilievre to ‘look in the mirror’ as ex-Conservative MP crosses floor to Liberals'
LeBlanc tells Poilievre to ‘look in the mirror’ as ex-Conservative MP crosses floor to Liberals

LeBlanc added that Jeneroux’s decision to join the Liberal caucus “is good for the people of Edmonton, the people of Alberta, and for Canada,” noting that more representation from Alberta “is positive for us.”

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“I look forward to working with him,” he said.

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