Liberal hints at possibility of more opposition defections

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The Carney Liberals seem to be expecting an early Christmas gift with a federal cabinet minister saying they are getting “lots” of interest from other potential floor-crossers in their quest to form a majority government.

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Energy Minister Tim Hodgson dropped hints at the possibility of more opposition defections during a news conference in Toronto, mere days after former GTA Conservative MP Michael Ma crossed the floor to join the Liberals.

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“Let’s say I’m getting lots of inquiries,” said Hodgson, via The Canadian Press, after being asked if more opposition MPs are considering joining the Liberals.

Hodgson’s comments came less than a week after Ma, the federal representative for the Markham—Unionville riding, defected from the Conservatives to put the Liberals one seat shy of a majority government.

Conservatives reeling from 2 defections

It was the second Conservative defection in about a month after Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont left the party, citing concerns about Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre’s leadership style and policies, among other issues.

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Alberta MP Matt Jeneroux also announced days after d’Entremont’s defection that he was resigning from his seat to spend more time with his family.

Ma’s defection, however, was especially stunning considering he made the announcement less than a day after attending the Conservative Christmas party. He was then introduced to the Liberals by Prime Minister Mark Carney during their festive bash on Thursday – the night after the Conservative event.

“Michael Ma’s floor-crossing highlights a problem the (Conservative) party needs to confront: We must recruit candidates who aspire to more than taking a seat in a government caucus,” Conservative pundit Stephen Taylor told the Toronto Sun’s Bryan Passifiume after the Ma defection.

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Liberals 1 seat shy of majority government

Hodgson, meanwhile, wouldn’t comment on any role he may have played in courting Ma, whose Markham-Unionville riding borders Hodgson’s riding of Markham-Thornhill.

“Our prime minister is a former businessman and a pragmatist,” he said, via CP. “I’m a former businessman and a pragmatist. Michael Ma is a former businessman and a pragmatist.

“We all share a view that it is a time to unite, not to divide. And I’ll let Michael speak for himself.”

With Ma and d’Entremont in the fold, the Liberals control 171 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons, one shy of the 172 needed for a majority. To pass legislation and survive any confidence votes, they currently need two opposition members to abstain or one to vote with the government.

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Poilievre, who faces a leadership review next month during his party’s national convention in Calgary, told The Canadian Press last week he believes Carney is trying to secure a majority government through backroom deals.

“I think the prime minister should stop trying to manipulate a majority that Canadians denied him in democratic elections,” he said on Friday. “The vast majority of Canadians voted against his costly agenda of higher debt, taxes and inflation.”

— With files from The Canadian Press.

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