Carney says ex-NDP floor-crosser Lori Idlout is ‘invaluable’ for Liberals

Nunavut MP Lori Idlout brings an “invaluable contribution” to the Liberal caucus, Prime Minister Mark Carney said a day after she crossed the floor from the NDP to the Liberals.

“I’m honoured to welcome Nunavut Member of Parliament, Lori Idlout, to the team as the newest member of our Liberal caucus,” Carney said in a social media post, along with a picture of him with Idlout.

Idlout is the Liberals’ fourth floor-crosser, putting the minority government in position to gain a majority in the House of Commons should the Liberals win at least two of three byelections set for April 13.

Idlout follows former Conservatives Chris D’Entremont, Michael Ma and Matt Jeneroux from the opposition benches to the government side.

“At this important moment in our history, Canadians are coming together to build a strong future. Lori’s voice and leadership will make an invaluable contribution to this work as part of Canada’s new government,” Carney said Wednesday morning.

Speaking to reporters as he and Idlout headed into the Liberal caucus meeting in Ottawa, Carney said the two of them have had conversations about how to do “big and small” things in Nunavut, and called Idlout “very down to earth.”

Idlout said her decision to leave the NDP for the governing Liberals was “complicated” and not based on “just one thing that happened.”

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“There were a variety of many things that have allowed me to really reflect on this, and I’m very thankful to be so warmly welcomed,” she said.

Cheers could be heard from inside the Liberal caucus meeting as Idlout and Carney entered.

0:44 Nunavut MP Lori Idlout met with cheers from Liberal caucus after floor crossing

Idlout said overnight that she decided to cross the floor after receiving feedback from constituents and her family telling her that this is a “crucial moment” for both the territory and the country.

“With new threats against our sovereignty and pressures on the well-being of people throughout the North, we need a strong and ambitious government that makes decisions with Nunavut — not only about Nunavut,” she said in a written statement issued by the Liberal party.

Idlout, a lawyer who is an Inuk person, was elected twice as a New Democrat, in 2021 and again in 2025. As recently as last Thursday, she spoke at an Avi Lewis NDP leadership campaign event in Ottawa.

The party is set to vote on a new leader to replace Jagmeet Singh later this month in Winnipeg.

NDP interim leader Don Davies told reporters alongside his remaining five caucus members that the party has long opposed floor crossing, reiterating his statement from Tuesday evening that MPs who wish to join another party should allow voters to approve that decision.

“I’m becoming increasingly concerned by the way that Mr. Carney is trying to stitch together a majority government in this country,” Davies said.

“Whether or not there’s a majority government is fundamentally a decision of the Canadian people at the ballot box, and it should happen that way, not through backroom deals cut behind closed doors in Ottawa.”

Davies, in French, called Idlout’s decision “anti-democratic.”

Recent Ipsos polling for Global News found 70 per cent of Canadians agree that floor-crossing MPs should face “immediate” byelections. A slightly smaller majority said switching parties after a general election shouldn’t be allowed at all.

1:35 Canadians want floor-crossing MPs to face immediate byelections, new polls show

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said in a social media post Wednesday that Carney is “using back room deals to seize a costly majority that voters rejected.”

Several Conservative MPs on their way into a caucus meeting Wednesday simply shrugged when asked for their thoughts on the latest floor-crossing and the prospect of a majority Liberal government.

“Looks like that’s their game plan,” Saskatchewan MP Kevin Waugh said.

Others like B.C. MPs Dan Albas and Bob Zimmer, however, noted their own constituents have voiced anger and disappointment about Idlout’s move and floor-crossing in general.

“My voters have said that they view this as a betrayal,” Albas said.

Zimmer wouldn’t say if there should be a rule change to prevent MPs from switching parties, but he suggested Idlout had lost her constituents’ trust.

“The next time when they choose a representative, are they going to choose Laurie, who’s crossed the floor? I think there’s trust issues there now,” he said.

“Even though I would call Laurie a friend — we were in many meetings together around northern issues — but I think, again, the voters that I’ve heard from sure aren’t happy with her decision.”

Liberal MP Karina Gould said on her way into Wednesday morning’s Liberal caucus meeting that it’s “extraordinary” to see so many floor-crossers during a session of Parliament.

She said it indicates the Liberals are a “big tent” party that draws support from both the left and right sides of the political spectrum.

—With files from the Canadian Press