In what could be a significant political win for Prime Minister Mark Carney, speculation is intensifying that more Conservative MPs could defect to the Liberals, potentially handing Carney a parliamentary majority.
The rumour mill erupted Wednesday after high-profile Nova Scotia Conservative Chris d’Entremont (Acadie–Annapolis) stunned the country by crossing the floor mid-session and joining the Liberal benches. d’Entremont said he is not the only MP considering a floor crossing.
"It had to do with my riding itself," he told reporters. "You know, Acadie–Annapolis is a big rural riding with lots of fishery and lots of agriculture and a military base. I want to make sure that I'm doing the right thing for them, to make sure that they have the housing and the infrastructures that they need. And I felt this budget was going to provide that."
d’Entremont’s move follows news highlighting Nova Scotia’s economic challenges, with data showing the province is the poorest jurisdiction in North America, below Mississippi.
The Liberal Party said it is “open to talking to any other opposition MPs interested in joining their team.” A senior Liberal source confirmed there have been discussions with additional MPs, though they declined to identify names.
Carney was quoted as saying, “We’ll speak to anyone publicly or otherwise that can support us.”
More defections would trigger a leadership crisis for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and solidify support for Carney’s first federal budget.
If the budget fails to pass in the House of Commons, Carney's minority government would almost certainly face a confidence crisis, likely triggering either a resignation or a snap federal election. In Canada’s parliamentary system, budget votes are treated as confidence matters, meaning defeat signals the government has lost the support of Parliament.
Such a setback would derail the Liberal agenda, create fiscal uncertainty and undermine market confidence. Politically, it would weaken Carney’s authority, embolden the opposition and force Canadians back to the polls.