MP Chris d'Entremont says he joined Liberals because of Poilievre's leadership style

John Paul Tasker · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 05, 2025 10:04 AM EST | Last Updated: November 6

Nova Scotia MP Chris d'Entremont said Wednesday helium near the Conservative caucus due to the fact that helium didn't consciousness represented successful person Pierre Poilievre's enactment anymore and bristled astatine his "negative" attack to politics.

D'Entremont said determination are different Conservative MPs who "are successful the aforesaid boat" and they whitethorn articulation him successful crossing implicit to Liberals.

"In the past fig of months, I wasn't feeling I was aligned with the ideals of what the person of the Opposition had been talking about," d'Entremont told reporters of Poilievre aft appearing with Prime Minister Mark Carney astatine a post-budget quality conference, the time aft helium crossed the floor.

Asked what pushed him out, d'Entremont said: "It's conscionable looking astatine enactment styles and whether we're doing the close happening for Canada."

D'Entremont said Canada is facing challenges and helium felt it was amended to beryllium portion of the solution to immoderate of those troubles arsenic a subordinate of the authorities caucus "and not proceed to beryllium negative."

"It's clip to pb a state to effort and marque it amended and not effort to sound it down," helium said. "We person a large accidental present successful Canada and alternatively than knocking radical down, we should effort to find ways to enactment together, and that's what I've ever tried to bash successful my career."

WATCH | Chris d'Entremont connected wherefore helium joined the Liberals:

A self-described Red Tory, d'Entremont said helium was besides swayed by Carney's archetypal budget, which includes much wealth for infrastructure, the fishery, farming and the military. Those are important industries successful his agrarian Nova Scotia riding, which besides includes a Canadian Armed Forces basal that stands to summation from the government's defence spending hike.

D'Entremont said the Liberals promised him thing successful instrumentality for crossing the floor.

In an interrogation with CBC's Power & Politics connected Tuesday, Conservative lawman person Melissa Lantsman alleged d'Entremont near implicit a past disagreement implicit who should service arsenic lawman Speaker of the House of Commons — a presumption d'Entremont held successful the past Parliament but 1 that's present occupied by Conservative MP Tom Kmiec.

In a akin written statement, MP Chris Warkentin, the party's whip, said d'Entremont "let his ain idiosyncratic grievances of not getting elected lawman Speaker get successful the mode of his promises" to the voters who sent him to Parliament.

D'Entremont acknowledged discussions implicit who should service successful that relation were an "awkward time" for him, but helium did "move on" and that's not what brought him to this decision.

He said helium conscionable felt Carney was a amended person for the moment.

Carney said helium admires d'Entremont for making the determination to leave.

"This is simply a clip wherever we request to enactment boldly," Carney said, adding helium and d'Entremont person "alignment" connected what's champion for the state arsenic it faces economical threats amid U.S. tariffs.

"This is the clip for america to travel unneurotic arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable successful the involvement of our country," Carney said.

Asked if helium has had conversations with different MPs astir joining the Liberals, Carney said: "We'll talk to anyone publically oregon different who tin enactment us."

"I'll talk to members, deputies throughout the House."

WATCH | PM says helium admires Nova Scotia MP for crossing aisle from Conservatives:

Later connected Wednesday, Liberals warmly embraced d'Entremont arsenic helium entered the party's caucus gathering alongside Carney.

The MPs assembled gave the Nova Scotian an enthusiastic lasting ovation, cheered "Chris!" Chris! Chris!" and immoderate of them hugged him arsenic helium entered that abstraction for the archetypal time as a Liberal.

Carney and d'Entremont were smiling broadly arsenic they some shook hands with a caucus that seemed jubilant astir adding different member, which brings the enactment to conscionable 2 seats distant from a bulk successful the House of Commons.

Still, Government House person Steven MacKinnon says a Christmas predetermination is inactive a anticipation if capable absorption members balk astatine voting for the budget.

WATCH | Nova Scotia MP says he's not the lone disaffected Conservative:

"Look, you know the mathematics arsenic good arsenic I do," MacKinnon told reporters. The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois person already said they volition ballot against. The NDP is taking clip to determine what its small, seven-member caucus volition do.

"I cognize what happened successful the past 24 hours. What the adjacent 24 hours clasp … I've go utilized to waking up to surprises each day," MacKinnon said.

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said the Liberals had been courting d'Entremont down the scenes for 5 years.

"Finally, helium saw the light," Joly said successful French.

Liberal MP James Maloney, the party's caucus chair, said d'Entremont is an "outstanding MP, he's a large guy."

"This isn't astir politics, it's astir people. The determination helium made is simply a hard 1 and radical request to enactment him."

Maloney said he's had conversations with different MPs — but he's "not actively recruiting" different floor-crossers.

WATCH | Conservative MPs respond to Chris d’Entremont crossing the floor:

Conservative MP Aaron Gunn, meanwhile, said d'Entremont's determination to permission was "shameful." On Tuesday night, Gunn called him a "coward."

"I could ne'er ideate doing thing similar that — to misrepresent yourself to voters, to prevarication to your volunteers. It's lone been six months since the election, the leaders are the same, the policies haven't changed. He campaigned against budgets that look conscionable similar this," Gunn said.

MP Ted Falk said helium was "very disappointed" successful his erstwhile caucus mate for making the leap to the different side. "It's a betrayal of the team." 

MP Michael Chong, different Conservative, said voters delivered a number authorities astatine the past predetermination and present Carney is trying to "manipulate that effect and get a bulk that Canadians did not elect."