House Leader says there are other frustrated Conservative MPs

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Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon says there are other Conservative MPs who are frustrated with Pierre Poilievre’s leadership, beyond the two who have already crossed the floor to the Liberals.

Mr. MacKinnon, who is also Minister of Transport, made the comments Friday morning after the surprise announcement the night before that Ontario MP Michael Ma was leaving the Conservatives to join the Liberals. Mr. MacKinnon did not name other Conservative MPs.

Mr. Ma’s announcement means the Liberals now have 171 out of 343 seats. A party needs 172 to form a majority government.

Mr. MacKinnon said that Liberals have heard from some Conservative MPs who are frustrated with Mr. Poilievre’s “small games and obstruction” during a trade war with the U.S. that requires “serious solutions.”

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“Some of them – smart people, upstanding people – are going to make it known that they are dissatisfied,” Mr. MacKinnon told reporters at an unrelated announcement. “You’ve seen two to date. There are others, that is for sure.”

When asked if the Liberals would be able to convince more Conservatives to join them and have a majority by the time the House of Commons returns in late January, Mr. MacKinnon declined to speculate. He said the decision to cross the floor is intensely personal, complex and sometimes disruptive.

Responding to Mr. MacKinnon’s comments Friday, Conservative spokesperson Sam Lilly said Mr. Carney’s contempt for Canadians who elected a minority government is clear.

“Instead of working in cooperation as voters demanded, Mark Carney rejected all budget suggestions from other parties. They shut down committees. They obstructed their own agenda and even blocked their own bail legislation,” he said in a statement.

“Mark Carney is running a government like a shady backroom deal-maker rather than a principled leader.”

After announcing his decision via statement on Thursday, Mr. Ma appeared onstage that evening with Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Liberal Party’s holiday celebration. Mr. Carney appeared to jokingly hint at more developments.

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“We welcomed over 300,000 – and one – new Liberals,” he said. As some in the crowd laughed, he added: “The year’s not over. The year’s not over. That’s all I’m saying.”

Mr. Ma, who represents Markham-Unionville, is the second MP to cross the floor in recent weeks. Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont joined the Liberals in November, citing Mr. Poilievre’s leadership style.

The defections are taking place weeks before Mr. Poilievre faces a leadership review in January.

Mr. Ma was first elected in April with 50.7 per cent of the vote. In announcing his new affiliation, he said Mr. Carney is offering a steady, practical approach to deliver on the priorities he hears in his riding.

Markham, Ont., Mayor Frank Scarpitti said he is happy to have another area MP now on the government benches. A delegation from Markham recently met with Mr. Ma in Ottawa, he said.

Even when he was part of the opposition, Mr. Ma understood “that you can be tough in the House of Commons, keep the government accountable, but you can still work” to address local issues, Mr. Scarpitti said in an interview Friday.

Liberal caucus chair James Maloney said Mr. Ma’s announcement came as a surprise but is “very good news” for his party.

Dimitri Soudas, a former communications director for prime minister Stephen Harper, who has been critical of Mr. Poilievre’s leadership, said Mr. Ma’s decision doesn’t bode well for the Conservative Leader.

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“What it means is he can’t hold onto his caucus members,” Mr. Soudas said.

Mr. Soudas also said Mr. Poilievre may lose British Columbia MP Aaron Gunn, who is thinking of seeking the leadership of the provincial Conservatives.

Marci Surkes, a former senior aide to prime minister Justin Trudeau, said the development is significant as it brings the Liberals one seat short of a majority, which would change the makeup of committees and provide the government with certainty to advance its priorities.

However, she noted the numbers may shift again soon. Several former cabinet ministers have been rumoured to be stepping down, she said, and former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland is expected to move to Britain for a position starting next summer.

“Should there be a number of resignations in the coming weeks – which is entirely plausible, and certainly is part of the conversation right now in Ottawa – then that number trends back down,” Ms. Surkes said.

With reports from Stephanie Levitz and Bill Curry