From: Maloney, James - M.P. <James.Maloney@parl.gc.ca>
Date: Tue, Dec 9, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Subject: Automatic reply: Re Religious Freedom YO Mr Genuis I am in your Livestream right now
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Thank you for contacting my office. My team and I are here to help.
This is an automated message to acknowledge my office has received your email. Due to the high volume of emails my team receives, priority will be given to Etobicoke-Lakeshore constituents, so if you have not already provided your address please do so by responding to this email. Correspondence that has included an address and regards my roles and duties as a Member of Parliament will receive replies in a timely manner.
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Another Conservative MP defects to the Liberals | Power Play for Friday. Dec. 12, 2025
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Dec 9, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Subject: Fwd: Re Religious Freedom YO Mr Genuis I am in your Livestream right now
To: Marc.Miller <Marc.Miller@parl.gc.ca>, <david.bexte@parl.gc.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, <jonathan.rowe@parl.gc.ca>, <tamara.jansen@parl.gc.ca>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Tue, Dec 9, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Subject: Re Religious Freedom YO Mr Genuis I am in your Livestream right now
To: <garnett.genuis@parl.gc.ca>, Sean.Fraser <Sean.Fraser@parl.gc.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, <james.maloney@parl.gc.ca>, larry.brock <larry.brock@parl.gc.ca>, Rheal.Fortin <Rheal.Fortin@parl.gc.ca>, <anthony.housefather@parl.gc.
Date: Tue, Dec 9, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Subject: Acknowledgement – Email Received / Accusé de réception – Courriel reçu
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
On behalf of the Hon. Pierre Poilievre, we would like to thank you for contacting the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition.
Mr. Poilievre greatly values feedback and input from Canadians. We wish to inform you that the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition reads and reviews every e-mail we receive. Please note that this account receives a high volume of e-mails, and we endeavour to reply as quickly as possible.
If you are a constituent of Mr. Poilievre in the riding of Battle River - Crowfoot and you have an urgent matter to discuss, please contact his constituency office at:
Phone: 1-780-608-4600
Fax: 1-780-608-4603
Hon. Pierre Poilievre, M.P.
Battle River – Crowfoot
4945 50 Street
Camrose, Alberta T4V 1P9
Once again, thank you for writing.
Sincerely,
Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition
________________________
Au nom de l’honorable Pierre Poilievre, nous tenons à vous remercier d’avoir communiqué avec le Bureau du chef de l’Opposition officielle.
M. Poilievre accorde une grande importance aux commentaires et aux suggestions des Canadiens. Nous tenons à vous informer que le Bureau du chef de l’Opposition officielle lit et examine tous les courriels qu’il reçoit. Veuillez noter que ce compte reçoit un volume important de courriels et que nous nous efforçons d’y répondre le plus rapidement possible.
Si vous êtes un électeur de M. Poilievre dans la circonscription de Battle River - Crowfoot et que vous avez une question urgente à discuter, veuillez contacter son bureau de circonscription :
Téléphone :
Télécopieur :
L’honorable Pierre Poilievre, député
Battle River – Crowfoot
4945, 50 Street
Camrose (Alberta) T4V 1P9
Encore une fois, merci de votre message.
Veuillez agréer nos salutations distinguées,
Bureau du chef de l’Opposition officielle
Liberals FILIBUSTER their own budget motion for 2 hours straight until Tories & Bloc vote to adjourn
Boosted Liberals claim other Conservatives could defect, blame Poilievre's leadership
Conservative leader says floor-crosser Michael Ma 'let down' voters
Heartened after picking up another member in a surprise floor-crossing, Liberals claimed Friday there are other Conservative MPs increasingly disgruntled with Leader Pierre Poilievre who could soon be joining Prime Minister Mark Carney's ranks.
"I think there are some that will do some soul-searching during the vacation, the Christmas period," said Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne in an interview airing on CBC's Rosemary Barton Live Sunday.
The finance minister said that some in the Opposition "don't want to oppose" just for the sake of fighting the government at every turn.
Speaking Friday at a high-speed rail announcement, government House leader Steven MacKinnon told reporters he's spoken to other Conservative MPs who are unhappy with their party.
"There are lots of Conservatives, I assure you, who do not like Poilievre's approach," he said.
"You have seen two to date. There are others, for sure. Others exist."
Their comments came just hours after Greater Toronto Area MP Michael Ma announced he was leaving the Conservative caucus and joining the Liberals, bringing a shocking end to an already eventful fall sitting. It marks the second floor-crossing in as many months.
Ma's move brings the Liberals up to 171 seats in the House, one shy of a majority government.
Liberal House leader asked about floor-crossing, suggests 'there are others’ but offers no namesMacKinnon, who plays a key role in stickhandling the government's day-to-day affairs, alleged he and his colleagues have spoken to Conservatives who are "extremely frustrated with the leadership of their party" and "extremely frustrated with the small games and the obstruction" in the House.
He described them as representing a "minority" in the party.
MacKinnon wouldn't bite on questions about who he has been talking to or whether his party is courting more MPs to secure a majority for when Parliament resumes in the new year.
"These are incredibly hard choices for those people to make, so I don't want to speculate," MacKinnon said.
The Liberals are keen to make the floor-crossing an attack on their main rival, Poilievre, whose leadership is up for review next month. He still enjoys confidence from a large swath of Conservatives in Canada.
Responding to MacKinnon's comments, the Conservatives accused Carney of "running a government like a shady backroom dealmaker rather than a principled leader."
"Michael Ma has rejected his community who voted for a Conservative vision of hope — one that opposes the Liberal policies driving up the cost of food, housing and everything else. He will need to answer to them," said the party in a statement.
"Mark Carney’s contempt for Canadians who elected a minority government cannot be any clearer. "
Hodgson befriended Ma at Markham events: sources
Ma wrote in a statement Thursday night that he made his decision after listening to constituents in his riding.
"This is a time for unity and decisive action for Canada's future," Ma wrote. "In that spirit, I have concluded that Prime Minister Mark Carney is offering the steady, practical approach we need to deliver on the priorities I hear every day while door-knocking in Markham-Unionville."
Conservatives have been quick to point out Ma had attended the Conservative holiday party Wednesday, just hours before marking the switch, and voted with the Opposition Thursday.
PM Carney introduces new Liberal MP Michael Ma at holiday partyChampagne and MacKinnon brushed off questions about Ma's integrity.
"What matters at the end of the day is that he made the choice to join the Liberal Party," said the finance minister.
Sources told CBC News Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson was involved in bringing Ma over. Ma met with Carney and Hodgson Thursday afternoon after the votes in the House, they said.
Those sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly, said the cabinet minister, who represents a neighbouring riding, befriended Ma in the late spring and early summer while attending events in Markham.
Conservatives express shock, disappointment
Conservatives said they were blindsided by the move and had believed they had clamped down on floor-crossers after their rough start to November.
Poilievre posted on social media that Ma had turned his back on voters who sent him to Ottawa as a Conservative.
"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," he said.
Another Conservative crosses, leaving Liberals 1 seat shy of majorityParry Sound-Muskoka Conservative MP Scott Aitchison said he is "incredibly disappointed" in Ma's decision to "betray his team and the people who went to the polls mere months ago."
"When you join a team, you work as a team. If you have a problem with your team, you work it out with your team," Aitchison said.
London-Fanshawe Conservative Kurt Holman posted on social media that he was Ma's secret Santa.
"I gave him an Amazon Fire Stick just hours before he crossed the floor. Now I want my gift back, just like the people of Markham-Unionville want their votes back!" he quipped.
The Conservative Party lost its foothold in Nova Scotia when Chris d'Entremont left the party to join the government benches last month.
Explaining his decision to leave, d'Entremont said he was no longer "aligned with the ideals of what the leader of the Opposition had been talking about."
At the time, d'Entremont hinted there were other Conservative MPs who "are in the same boat."
Carney also hinted others could follow.
Alberta Conservative leaving politics
That put focus on Conservative Matt Jeneroux.
After a flurry of rumours that he was considering crossing the floor, the Alberta MP announced in early November that he would be leaving politics altogether. Jeneroux hasn't officially resigned but hasn't voted since his announcement.
Conservative sources told CBC News at the time that Jeneroux had said he was under pressure to stay from some in the party. A senior Liberal source confirmed the MP met with Carney the week he announced his resignation.
Jeneroux said coercion played no role in his decision to leave federal politics.
Ma, a first-time MP, won his riding in April by about three percentage points.
Markham-Unionville had previously been held by Liberal Paul Chiang, who was set to run for re-election in the spring — but withdrew from the race over comments he made suggesting that another Conservative candidate could be turned over to the Chinese consulate to collect a bounty.
Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, said these Conservative departures speak to an issue MPs in swing ridings may be feeling.
"I think there is some concern about the longevity of the Conservative brand over the next, say, 18 months to two years in some of those places against the backdrop of Mr. Carney's leadership," she said.
Angus Reid Institute published a study Thursday, before the floor-crossing news, that found a majority of recent Conservative voters (58 per cent) still want Poilievre to lead the party into the next election. But that majority has shrunk by 10 points since the last time the question was asked.
"That represents a significant chunk of Conservative voters who are now looking ahead to the next election and saying maybe this isn't the guy," Kurl said.
"The challenge for the party, though, is trying to find the mathematical equation that keeps enough of the right-hand core of the base on side while at the same time appealing to enough of those more centrist swing voters."
The online survey was conducted between Nov. 26 and Dec. 1. The sample had a lower proportion of French-speakers and people from Ontario when compared to Canada's population.
Floor-crossing has a long history in Canada
Floor-crossing is as old as Confederation, with public polling in recent years suggesting Canadians are mixed on the controversial phenomenon.
There have been unsuccessful attempts to force a floor-crossing MP to seek re-election under the new party banner, but those bills failed to become law.
Over the years, hundreds of MPs have changed affiliations — some sit as an Independent or start their own party, while other high-profile cases involve joining their former rivals.
In 2018, the Opposition Conservatives welcomed Leona Alleslev. She left the governing party, condemning then prime minister Justin Trudeau's leadership. She was re-elected the next year but was defeated in the 2021 election.
One the most memorable floor-crossings in Canadian history belongs to Belinda Stronach, who not only joined the Liberals in 2005, a year after vying for the Conservative leadership, but ended a relationship in the process.
The next year saw another highly controversial switch.
Just days after winning the riding of Vancouver-Kingsway as a Liberal in the 2006 general election, David Emerson switched parties and joined Stephen Harper's Conservative cabinet.
Emerson argued joining government was the best way to serve his constituents. But the decision led to a chorus of outrage from Liberals and triggered an investigation from the ethics commissioner's office.
The commissioner, Bernard Shapiro at the time, found neither Emerson nor Harper contravened the Conflict of Interest Act. But his report suggested Canadians' "discontent" when it happens should be taken seriously.
"Fairly or unfairly, this particular instance has given many citizens a sense that their vote — the cornerstone of our democratic system — was somehow devalued, if not betrayed," Shapiro wrote.
With files from Ashley Burke and Darren Major
As the floor-crossing dust settles, Conservatives are bracing for more defections
'I expect two more, at least,' one Conservative caucus member told National Post
OTTAWA — If there’s one person who won’t be receiving any Conservative MP Christmas cards, it’s Markham–Unionville MP Michael Ma.
In fact, if anything, Conservatives want the floor-crossing new Liberal MP to return a Christmas gift he already received.
“I was Michael Ma’s Secret Santa. I gave him an Amazon Fire Stick just hours before he crossed the floor. Now I want my gift back, just like the people of Markham—Unionville want their votes back!,” Conservative MP Kurt Holman posted on social media Friday morning.
Though metaphors involving Santa and lumps of coal may be seasonally relevant, the atmosphere in the Liberal and Conservative camps going into the Christmas break is more akin to a tale of two cities.
For the Carney Liberals, it feels like the best of times. The party is now one seat away (171) from the slimmest of majorities (172 seats) after a difficult fall Parliamentary session in which only one minor bill received royal assent by the time the House of Commons rose.
“What’s everyone’s favourite number?,” Liberal MP James Maloney asked thousands of Liberals attending the party’s Christmas party Thursday evening, just hours after Ma announced he was crossing the floor.
“171,” his co-host and Liberal MP Mona Fortier replied with a smirk, earning a standing ovation from elated party staff and MPs.
For many Conservatives, it feels like some of the worst of times they’ve experienced since Pierre Poilievre was elected leader in 2022.
In the last five weeks, the caucus has lost three MPs — Ma and Chris d’Entremont crossed the floor to the Liberals, Matt Jeneroux announced that he will resign at some point — and many fear that more are to come.
“I expect two more, at least,” one Conservative caucus member told National Post. “Poilievre will continue to die a death of 1,000 cuts, because I’ve never seen a guy who’s so unaware of the room he’s in, and I’ve never seen a guy who just refuses to stop doing stupid things.”
National Post spoke to multiple Liberal and Conservative caucus members for this story. All were granted anonymity to describe internal caucus dynamics candidly.
On Friday, there was rampant speculation on both sides of the aisle that if there are more Conservatives joining the Liberals, it could happen after Poilievre faces his leadership review in mid-January.
The fact that Ma covered his tracks so carefully before leaving his former caucus adds to the surprise and dismay of his former Conservative colleagues.
In the weeks leading up to his defection, Ma repeatedly voted with the Conservatives and lambasted the Liberals’ 2025 budget extensively.
He even attended the party’s private Christmas party Wednesday, had his picture taken with Poilievre and can be seen on the dance floor in videos shared online.
(Though, MPs will say, he did not buy a gift for his own Secret Santa recipient.)
One Conservative caucus member described Ma’s departure as a “gut punch”. Another said they were “very shocked” to hear the news.
“I am really trying to just absorb what all has transpired over the last few days,” said one MP. “I think we’re all probably just processing it.”
Among Liberal MPs, chatter has now turned from “if” more Conservative MPs will join their ranks to “when.” Among Conservatives, the focus is on “how” to stop the bleeding.
“They want to demoralize you. Don’t let them,” Conservative MP Jamil Jivani posted on X a few hours after Ma’s announcement. “You are right to believe our country needs better leadership. The status quo isn’t working. Keep fighting until we get a federal government that the great Canadian people deserve.”
On Friday, Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon claimed he is aware of a “minority” within the Conservative caucus that is unhappy with the leadership and direction of their party.
“Many Conservative MPs speak to me, speak to my colleagues about their frustration with Pierre Poilievre’s obstruction and little games,” he said in French.
“There are others like Mr. Ma who share the kind of view that I just described,” he later added.
If another floor crossing to the Liberals happens, it will likely be done in total secret, much like with Ma. The secret was so tightly held that minutes before Christmas party co-hosts Fortier and Maloney took the stage, they were scrambling to rewrite their speech in light of the floor-crossing they never knew was coming.
Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley reported Friday that even Ma’s staff didn’t know until the last minute that he was crossing the floor.
“In caucus Wednesday… there was zero, zero, zero hint,” one Liberal MP told National Post. “Everything is done very, very underground.”
National Post
cnardi@postmedia.com
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LILLEY: Liberals flipping MP Michael Ma in secret deal a major blow to Poilievre
Poilievre clearly has a caucus management problem, and if he loses one more, it is highly doubtful that he will survive the leadership review in January.
Another floor-crossing bookends a transformational year in Canadian politics
'You remember the mood in the room last year?' James Maloney asked his fellow Liberals on Thursday
To illustrate the incredible upheaval that federal politics in Canada has experienced over the last 12 months, one could do worse than to simply look at the last two Liberal caucus holiday parties.
A year ago, the Liberal caucus — then numbering 152 members — gathered just a day after Chrystia Freeland's stunning resignation from cabinet. Justin Trudeau tried to keep up appearances — "Like most families, sometimes we have fights around the holidays," he joked — but the end of his time as prime minister was now clearly in sight.
A poll published by Abacus Data earlier that month showed Trudeau's Liberals trailing Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives by 23 points and leading Jagmeet Singh's NDP by just one.
On Thursday night, Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the Liberal caucus. It now numbered 171 members — indeed, partway through his remarks, Carney introduced the latest addition, Michael Ma, who until a couple hours earlier had been the Conservative MP for Markham-Unionville.
On its own, Ma's arrival is obviously not nearly as seismic as Freeland's departure. But for narrative purposes, their dramatic moves neatly bookend a remarkable year for Ottawa and the country.
And you may ask yourself, how did we get here?
The simplest answer is Donald Trump. Everything, to some extent or another, flows downstream from that.
'A time for unity'
The spectre of Trump was part of the story in Freeland's resignation and it was implicit in the statement Ma released on Thursday evening.
"This is a time for unity and decisive action for Canada’s future," he said.
Trump's arrival, in tandem with Trudeau's exit, reframed the national discussion and changed the ballot question, at least for many Canadians.
The simple result of Trump's arrival was a Carney government.
But even while Trump fundamentally reshaped the federal election, Carney's Liberals still had to win that contest, and Poilievre's Conservatives still had to lose it. And both deserve full credit for doing so.
The consequences of that election result are numerous and varied, but include the apparent fact that Carney has fashioned a government which at least two now-former Conservative MPs felt comfortable supporting. If many voters thought the election was about Trump, a lot of other voters thought the election was about change. And Carney seems willing to offer at least some measure of change.
And where Poilievre once seemed poised to lead the Conservatives to a smashing majority in the House of Commons, he is now apparently struggling to hold his caucus together.
Where does Poilievre go from here?
It is no doubt easier to hold a caucus together when you can hold out the promise of either victory or power. But the departure of another MP — bringing the total to three, if you include Matt Jeneroux — will renew questions about both Poilievre's ability to win and his approach to political leadership — an approach that is not entirely unlike the approach of Trump.
Poilievre's populist politics seemed to meet the moment of 12 months ago. But if the calculus flipped with Trump's arrival, the Conservatives still seemed to come away from April's election not believing that they needed to change much about what they were doing.
The Breakdown | Another Conservative joins the Liberals + At IssueThere was some logic to that. Poilievre's Conservatives won 41.3 per cent of the vote, a bigger number than Stephen Harper ever managed. And perhaps, they could tell themselves, Carney's coming to power was merely the product of a fleeting moment, his star destined to fade.
But that now looks like an increasingly risky bet. Not because Carney is proving to be perfectly successful at everything he touches — he isn't — but because members of the Conservative caucus keep wandering away and the general public's feelings about Poilievre don't seem to be improving.
The threat posed by Trump — and the uncertainty he has created — is also unlikely to go away anytime soon, even assuming he relinquishes the White House in 2029. The world of 2016 — or December 2024 — is not coming back, at least not anytime soon.
The vibe shift
But that is a challenge for every political leader in Canada, not least the nominal winner of this year's federal election.
In between adding two MPs from the Opposition side of the House this fall, Carney suffered his own resignation from cabinet — this time it was Steven Guilbeault, who 12 months ago was environment minister in Justin Trudeau's cabinet. Not that Guilbeault's departure was ever going to topple Carney the way Freeland's exit knocked over Trudeau's teetering administration.
But Guilbeault's resignation was its own testament to how much has changed — motivated by the contents of Carney's deal with Alberta, which is itself most easily justified as a response to the threat this country now faces from Trump. Guilbeault's decision to resign in protest was also a reminder of how hard it can be to hold everything together.
Nonetheless, one might excuse the Liberals their Christmas spirit on Thursday night.
"It's a special night. I mean, look … a year ago," Liberal MP and caucus chair James Maloney said on stage on Thursday night.
Beside him, Liberal MP Mona Fortier jokingly cringed.
"How many people were at this event a year ago?" Maloney asked. "You remember the mood in the room last year? You feel the mood in the room this year? Eh? There's good reason for that."
After Maloney relayed a joke about the Liberals celebrating a resurrection in April, Carney later quipped that some of the Liberals in the room had come back from the dead.
But the last 12 months are a reminder that present circumstances should not be taken for granted.
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Another Conservative crosses the floor, bringing Liberals 1 MP shy of majority
Ontario MP Michael Ma says he's joining Liberal caucus
Ontario MP Michael Ma announced Thursday that he is leaving the Conservative caucus and joining the Liberals.
The MP said in a statement that he made the decision after listening to his constituents in the riding of Markham-Unionville in the Greater Toronto Area.
"This is a time for unity and decisive action for Canada's future," he wrote.
"In that spirit, I have concluded that Prime Minister Mark Carney is offering the steady, practical approach we need to deliver on the priorities I hear every day while door-knocking in Markham-Unionville."
Ma's move comes just a few weeks after former Conservative Chris d'Entremont also left the Conservatives to join the government benches.
The new addition to the Liberal caucus means Carney is one seat away from a majority government.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre posted on social media shortly after Ma's announcement, saying the MP had gone back on his election promises.
"Michael Ma was elected as a Conservative by the constituents of Markham-Unionville to fight against Liberal inflationary spending driving up the cost of living in his community. Today, he chose to endorse the very policies he was elected to oppose," Poilievre wrote on X.
"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."
Ma was elected as an MP for the first time in April. Markham-Unionville had previously been held by Liberal Paul Chiang who was set to run for re-election in the spring — but withdrew from the race over comments he made suggesting that another Conservative candidate could be turned into the Chinese consulate to collect a bounty.
Ma secured just over 50 per cent of the vote in his riding, beating Chiang's replacement, Peter Yuen, by about three percentage points.
Rumours swirled in the days following d'Entremont's defection that more Conservatives would follow the Nova Scotia MP — but none had switched sides until Ma.
There were suggestions that Conservative Matt Jeneroux could also cross the floor, but the Alberta MP abruptly announced in early November that he would be leaving politics altogether. Jeneroux hasn't officially resigned but hasn't voted since his announcement.
Jeneroux said coercion played no role in his decision to leave federal politics.
Conservative strategy is to 'obstruct' bills, says MacKinnon as fall sitting endsMa's defection came just hours after the House wrapped up the fall sitting, meaning MPs will be heading back to their ridings for six weeks.
The House is scheduled to return in late January, just days before Poilievre faces a leadership review — and will likely have to defend having lost a number of MPs as it approaches.
D'Entremont said that he left because of Poilievre's leadership style.
In his statement on Thursday, Ma didn't mention Poilievre other than to say he informed the Conservative leader that he would be leaving.
"I entered public service to help people — to focus on solutions, not division. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Carney," Ma's statement said.
The new House standings give the Green Party, with its one seat, more sway in the House of commons.
Leader and MP Elizabeth May could be enough to push Liberal legislation over the edge in the House — though she has expressed doubts about backing the government going forward.
Another Conservative crosses the floor, bringing Liberals 1 MP shy of majority
Ontario MP Michael Ma says he's joining Liberal caucus
Ontario MP Michael Ma announced Thursday that he is leaving the Conservative caucus and joining the Liberals.
Ma said in a statement that he made the decision after listening to his constituents in the riding of Markham-Unionville in the Greater Toronto Area.
"This is a time for unity and decisive action for Canada's future," he wrote.
"In that spirit, I have concluded that Prime Minister Mark Carney is offering the steady, practical approach we need to deliver on the priorities I hear every day while door-knocking in Markham-Unionville."
A Liberal source told CBC News that Ma met with Carney Thursday afternoon before announcing that he would join the government caucus.
Ma's move comes just a few weeks after Chris d'Entremont also left the Conservatives to join the government benches.
The new addition to the Liberal caucus means Carney is one seat away from a majority government.
Carney introduced Ma at the Liberals' holiday party on Thursday night.
"Some of you — and I salute you — have been Liberals your whole life … some may have just joined our party, like literally just joined our party," he said before introducing Ma and bringing him on stage.
Ma received a standing ovation from the room before offering quick holiday well-wishes to the crowd.
PM Carney introduces new Liberal MP Michael Ma at holiday partyConservative Leader Pierre Poilievre posted on social media shortly after Ma's announcement, saying the MP had gone back on his election promises.
"Michael Ma was elected as a Conservative by the constituents of Markham-Unionville to fight against Liberal inflationary spending driving up the cost of living in his community. Today, he chose to endorse the very policies he was elected to oppose," Poilievre wrote on X.
"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."
Conservative MP Todd Doherty posted a photo on X of Ma and Poilievre, suggesting that the former had attended the Conservative holiday party on Wednesday, the night before his defection.
Ma was elected as an MP for the first time in April. Markham-Unionville had previously been held by Liberal Paul Chiang who was set to run for re-election in the spring — but withdrew from the race over comments he made suggesting that another Conservative candidate could be turned into the Chinese consulate to collect a bounty.
Ma secured just over 50 per cent of the vote in his riding, beating Chiang's replacement, Peter Yuen, by about three percentage points.
Rumours swirled in the days following d'Entremont's defection that more Conservatives would follow the Nova Scotia MP — but none had switched sides until Ma.
There were suggestions that Conservative Matt Jeneroux could also cross the floor, but the Alberta MP abruptly announced in early November that he would be leaving politics altogether. Jeneroux hasn't officially resigned but hasn't voted since his announcement.
Conservative sources told CBC News at the time that Jeneroux had said he was under pressure to stay from some in the party. A senior Liberal source confirmed the MP met with Carney the week he announced his resignation.
Jeneroux said coercion played no role in his decision to leave federal politics.
Conservative strategy is to 'obstruct' bills, says MacKinnon as fall sitting endsMa's defection came just hours after the House wrapped up the fall sitting, meaning MPs will be heading back to their ridings for six weeks.
The House is scheduled to return in late January, just days before Poilievre faces a leadership review — and will likely have to defend having lost a number of MPs as it approaches.
D'Entremont said that he left because of Poilievre's leadership style.
In his statement on Thursday, Ma didn't mention Poilievre other than to say he informed the Conservative leader that he would be leaving.
"I entered public service to help people — to focus on solutions, not division. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Carney," Ma's statement said.
The new House standings do give the Green Party, with its one seat, more sway in the House of Commons.
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Rob Lantz resigns as P.E.I. premier to run for provincial PC Party's permanent leadership
Bloyce Thompson will be sworn in as province's next premier Friday
After months of speculation, Lantz steps down as premier to run for P.E.I. PC leadershipRob Lantz officially resigned as Prince Edward Island's 34th premier Thursday night and announced his bid for the permanent leadership of the province’s Progressive Conservative Party.
“It’s been the honour of my life to serve Islanders as premier,” Lantz said during the announcement in Charlottetown.
“This province has given me every opportunity I’ve ever had. That’s why I care so much about it’s future.”
Lantz made the announcement in front of a group of supporters and flanked by the PC caucus at the Delta Prince Edward, one day after the P.E.I. PC Party announced the date for its leadership convention, which will be held Feb. 7 at the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown.
Under the PC Party constitution, Lantz had to resign as interim leader within 10 days of the leadership convention announcement in order to be eligible to run.
Lantz had been the interim leader of the PC Party and the province's premier since February, when former premier Dennis King resigned.
Since then, he has given mixed signals on whether he would seek the permanent leadership.
Speaking to reporters Thursday night, Lantz said he only made the decision to run on Monday after the byelection in District 2, Georgetown-Pownal. PC candidate Brendan Curran won that seat, overcoming P.E.I. Liberal Leader Robert Mitchell in a nail-biter.
"I made the decision 100 per cent on Monday after the byelection that, yeah, I think Islanders still have confidence in this government and I want to have a role in that," Lantz said.
However, he said he's been speaking with Islanders, party members and the PC caucus "for months" about running.
"It’s hard to consider making a decision like this when you’re so focused on the work at hand and the responsibility of being premier."
Lantz also confirmed Thursday that the province's 35th premier will be current deputy premier Bloyce Thompson, who will be sworn in Friday afternoon. Thompson is also the minister of justice and public safety and minister of agriculture.
He will become the province’s third premier in a single year.
2 declared candidates
With Lantz throwing his hat in the ring, there are now two candidates in the leadership race. The other is lawyer Mark Ledwell, who put his name forward in May.
When asked whether he has an unfair advantage over Ledwell, Lantz said definitely not.
“I have been focused on nothing but doing the job of premier, I haven’t been campaigning. You know, Mark Ledwell’s got quite a head start," he said.
"We’ve got a lot of work to do, I would suggest that we’re running from behind."
CBC News has learned that most of the current PC MLAs will back Lantz, while many politicians from from former premier Pat Binns’s era, are supporting Ledwell. They include Binns himself, former environment minister Jamie Ballem and former PC interim leader Jamie Fox.
The deadline for candidates to enter the leadership contest is Dec. 24. Party officials have said they expect a “competitive race.”
The party plans three public forums, one in each county, beginning in mid-January.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Wayne Thibodeau
David Amos
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Methinks many think he should try to get Poilievre's job N'esy Pas?
Pretty crazy watching a party implode in real time.
David Amos
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Reply to Ken MacDonald
Its just another circus The clowns would be truly upset if we did not enjoy their crazy ways such as the high-diving act etc
Permanent is a pretty hopeful word in politics.
David Amos
Reply to David Novak
I CONcur
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Methinks many liberals think that Lantz should go for Poilievre's job N'esy Pas?
Anthony Iommi
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Reply to David Amos
No, we are very happy with Pierre's "leadership".
Brian Dufoe
Reply to Anthony Iommi
LOL,
I hope your being cynical !
David Amos
Reply to Anthony Iommi
Too Too Funny
Bob Seusers
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Reply to Anthony Iommi
Hilarious coming from someone who thought no. 23 was a great leader
Anthony Iommi
Reply to Bob Seusers
Who?
David Amos
Reply to Anthony Iommi
The dude who is gone but not forgotten
Bob Seusers
Reply to Anthony Iommi
I wouldn't admit it either.. I feel your pain.
Anthony Iommi
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Reply to David Amos
Maybe Pierre should try to be the leader of the BC cons
David Amos
Reply to Anthony Iommi
Everybody knows his job is secure no thanks to the people who wrote the recent national food price report by Dalhousie University in Halifax.
William James
Reply to David Amos
Sure, everyone loves a quitter.
David Amos
Reply to William James
Surely you jest
The plot thickens
Darren MacDonald
Reply to David Amos
It's odd that the interim Premier wants to be become the official Premier.
Perhaps it's Russian interference or maybe President Xi has a hand in this.
Or maybe he is Trump's hand picked nominee for the Island.
David Amos
Reply to Darren MacDonald
Obviously the lawyer Mark Ledwell has upset him
Walter Vrbetic
"Progressive Conservative"....
Amazed that there's any left!
When ON's Bill Davis passed away, I recall an interview with one of his biographer's where he said Davis refused to be referred to as a Conservative and insisted that he be referred to as a Progressive Conservative...
I found that quite telling!
David Amos
Reply to Walter Vrbetic
Me too
BD Morgan
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Poilievre drove another MP to cross the floor and yet another wants to become Rustad II.
Bob Seusers
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Reply to BD Morgan
What does our former Minister of the Environment want?
Another pipeline?
Steve Brockhouse
Reply to BD Morgan
Were the floor crossers promised cabinet positions, or did they just want to participate in constructive government rather than destructive opposition.
Jimmy Cocerell
Reply to BD Morgan
This is good news for those of us who are seeking to illustrate and illuminate the divide in this country.
As long as there is a “Canada” dominated by Ontario and Quebec we will have Liberal governments.
David Amos
Reply to Jimmy Cocerell
I agree
Duncan MacLeod
Reply to BD Morgan
He keeps on going like this the Block will be the Royal Opposition
David Amos
Reply to Duncan MacLeod
Wouldn't that be special?
David Amos
Reply to BD Morgan
Welcome back to the circus
John Lydon
Reply to Jimmy Cocerell
Ontario and Quebec have always dominated the country yet the PC's and Conservatives have had good runs at governing.
BD Morgan
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Reply to John Lydon
Another slogan of Poilievre with no backup. Others creating division.
Bob Seusers
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Like Elbows Up?
How's that working out?
Edward Peter
Moving from the front room to the bigger desk in the Backroom, Puppeteers section.
Bob Seusers
Reply to Edward Peter
Yes.. those Quebec Liberals are something else, eh?
Quebec Liberals are something else, eh?
David Amos
Reply to Bob Seusers
Methinks all Liberals are something else N'esy Pas?
Rae Swearengen
Oooooo it's gettin' interesting! People are starting to gun for Poilievres job. Wonder if there will be any more floor crossing before that happens..go Carney Go!
Ingrid Raudsepp
Reply to Rae Swearengen
Red Team Rules! (Especially at this time of the year hohoho!) (Green works too... lol)
Bob Seusers
Reply to Rae Swearengen
He already went.. to Egypt for two days and cost taxpayers $730,000 to rent a jet.
Something's never change..
Edward Peter
Reply to Rae Swearengen
PC not CPC
Scott Telfer
Reply to Bob Seusers
Just curious if you were also upset when PM Harper took a trip to India, decided he didn't like the armored vehicle they offered, so shipped the one he used here. That was a $1.2M bill in 2012...so that's about $1.75M today. Kinda makes the $730K seem like peanuts...doesn't it?
Bob Seusers
Reply to Scott Telfer
Harper had no say in what vehicle was used.. it's strictly up to the RCMP security detail.
David Amos
Reply to Rae Swearengen
"go Carney Go!"
Surely you jest but I will lay odds that Mr Outhouse will make certain Poiievre keeps his job and that Carney will have a writ dropped before Parliament sits again
Julia LeBeau
Reply to Scott Telfer
Ultimately, none of that debt will get paid back and there is no serious plan to do so. We're headed to a complete break in currency to digital form and this change will completely restructure our concept of money as we know it.
David Amos
Reply to Bob Seusers
I disagree
David Amos
Reply to Julia LeBeau
Bingo
Frank Cash
Seems like the PC party is more interested in saving grace than serving the taxpayer's of PEI
Ingrid Raudsepp
Reply to Frank Cash
Or Canada.
David Amos
Reply to Frank Cash
Who is Grace?
Is Pierre Poilievre’s leadership in trouble?
The Conservative party is reeling from a pair of resignations that happened during budget week.
First, Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont crossed the floor to the Liberals, citing disagreement with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s approach to politics.
Two days later, Edmonton MP Matt Jeneroux resigned from his position, citing the need for more time with his family. According to a senior Liberal source who spoke to the CBC, Jeneroux was in talks with Prime Minister Carney about defecting.
Longtime federal politics reporter Stephen Maher walks us through the high stakes political drama. Maher is also the author of “The Prince: The Turbulent Reign of Justin Trudeau”.
For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
MP Michael Ma leaves Conservative caucus to join Liberals
Updated:
Published:
Conservative MP Michael Ma, who represents the riding of Markham-Unionville, is crossing the floor to the Liberal Party, according to a statement released Thursday night. (Michael Ma website)
Conservative MP Michael Ma, who represents the riding of Markham-Unionville, is crossing the floor to the Liberal Party, according to a statement released Thursday night.
“After listening carefully to the people of Markham–Unionville in recent weeks and reflecting with my family on the direction of our country, I have informed the Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition that I will be joining Prime Minister Mark Carney in the government caucus. This is a time for unity and decisive action for Canada’s future,” he writes.
Ma now brings the Liberals one seat shy of a majority with 171 seats.
This is a breaking news story. More details to come…
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