Chris d'Entremont's floor crossing met with mix of admiration, admonition at home in N.S.

Reaction to MP Chris d'Entremont's determination from the Conservative Party to the governing Liberals is making waves backmost location successful Nova Scotia, with immoderate afloat supporting his determination and others saying helium misrepresented his intentions to voters.

D'Entremont, the typical for Acadie-Annapolis, told reporters Wednesday helium near the Conservative caucus due to the fact that helium nary longer felt represented successful person Pierre Poilievre's party.

"That does not astonishment me," Linda Gregory, warden of the Municipality of the District of Digby, told CBC News connected Wednesday. "I deliberation of Poilievre arsenic a right-winger. I personally would tally too."

Still, Gregory — whose municipality falls wrong d'Entremont's southwest Nova Scotia riding — said the longtime politician's power was unexpected due to the fact that he's ever been known arsenic a "staunch Conservative."

"But he's besides got a batch of integrity. He's besides a precise caring person, caring astir his community, caring astir what's best. And to me, erstwhile helium walked crossed the floor, helium made a determination that was precise heart-wrenching for him to marque the champion prime for our community," Gregory said.

D'Entremont was archetypal elected to the Nova Scotia Legislature successful 2003 arsenic a Progressive Conservative. He was re-elected 4 times and held aggregate furniture positions earlier eyeing the national spot of West Nova, present Acadie-Annapolis. He became the lone non-Liberal MP elected successful Nova Scotia successful the 2019 national election.

Gregory said she hopes having d'Entremont successful the Liberal caucus volition pb to enactment connected important section issues, including the twinning of Highway 101.

"We request the feds connected broadside with the state to get this done," said the warden.

'Maybe it's a bully thing, possibly it's a atrocious thing'

John Cunningham, the warden for the Municipality of the District of Yarmouth, said helium was amazed by Tuesday's level crossing and that the radical he's spoken to person mixed feelings.

Cunningham, who erstwhile ran unsuccessfully for the provincial Progressive Conservatives, said he's not definite however d'Entremont's determination volition interaction his municipality, wherever the apical issues see fisheries, infrastructure and tourism.

"I've yet to talk with him connected however our priorities are going to beryllium brought distant to the government, truthful possibly it's a bully thing, possibly it's a atrocious thing. Until I talk with him, I person nary idea," Cunningham told CBC News, adding that helium had already reached retired to d'Entremont successful a substance message.

'It's not astir the party, it's astir leadership'

Pam Mood, politician of the Town of Yarmouth, said d'Entremont is simply a person and she supports his decision.

"I deliberation it was a bully move, obviously. He knows what the assemblage needs," said Mood, who concisely pursued the national Liberal information successful West Nova successful 2019. "It's not astir the party, it's astir leadership."

Mood said determination would beryllium "better opportunity" to unafraid national backing for projects with an MP connected the authorities side.

"When you've got things aligned, it's overmuch better," she said.

Constituents' absorption mixed

Some 189 kilometres away, constituents successful Kingston, N.S., were divided.

"It's upsetting," said Steve Mosher. "I supported Chris successful the past predetermination nether Pierre Poilievre's leadership, arsenic did my wife. So we were some benignant of upset to spot it happen, honestly."

Len Gregory said helium was gladsome d'Entremont switched to the Liberal caucus, giving the MP recognition for taking "his clip to deliberation astir the things that helium wanted, and helium felt that we wanted."

Another constituent, Fred Huntley, said helium was "kind of neutral connected it."

"Not worried," said Huntley. "He's done a batch of bully for us."

Sense of betrayal

Rob Batherson, the erstwhile president of the Conservative Party of Canada, said d'Entremont betrayed his voters.

He said d'Entremont's determination leaves Nova Scotia with a "Liberal monopoly."

"I stood connected a wharf successful West Dover with Chris d'Entremont and [former Tory MP] Rick Perkins and others with fishermen during the national predetermination wherever we promised them we would combat for them, and Chris has walked distant from that fight," Batherson told CBC News successful an interrogation connected Wednesday.

WATCH | Former CPC president weighs successful connected Chris d'Entremont:

Kevin Surette, a Conservative insider who has been portion of astir each of d'Entremont's campaigns, said it wouldn't person been an casual determination to permission caucus.

"Chris has been a adjacent idiosyncratic person for a agelong clip — I knew Chris good earlier politics, and I volition proceed to telephone him a person agelong aft helium leaves politics," Surette told CBC News successful an email.

"I cognize that, successful making this decision, helium would person been weighing what helium fundamentally, heavy down believes is close for his constituents and for Canada, contempt the idiosyncratic consequences for him."

Why determination was shocking

Alex Marland, a Canadian authorities prof astatine Acadia University successful Wolfville, N.S., said d'Entremont's determination was astonishing fixed the timing — announcing it astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic the national budget.

"Crossing the level is specified a polarizing, upsetting happening that it would beryllium much apt that we'd spot radical sitting arsenic Independents to explicit their discontent. As an Independent, you tin inactive ballot with the government," Marland said.

"It is acold much shocking to maine that you saw Chris d'Entremont transverse the level straight from the Conservatives close implicit into the Liberals."

Marland said successful his research, the No. 1 crushed for crossing the level is unhappiness with leadership.

With d'Entremont gone, determination are nary longer immoderate Nova Scotia Conservatives successful caucus.

Marland said the Conservative Party volition person to bash much to amended align itself with the Atlantic region.

WATCH | Chris d'Entremont's constituents react:

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