Plenty of ‘unhappy people’ in Conservative caucus: floor-crossing MP d’Entremont

Liberal MP Chris D'Entremont, who crossed the floor from the Conservatives, speaks about Marilyn Gladu's decision to follow in his footsteps.

Liberal MP Chris d’Entremont, who crossed the floor from the Conservatives in November, says current Conservative MPs have “absolutely” asked him what it’s like being a Liberal.

“They want to know what the caucus structure is, what we talk about, what kind of input that we have in decision making,” d’Entremont told host Mike Le Couteur in an interview on CTV Power Play Wednesday.

“Quite honestly, they’re quite surprised at how open the prime minister has been to listen to his caucus, to working with his caucus, and making sure that each part of the country is being represented.”

“Those are the kind of things that we want to see from our political leaders, and we’re seeing it from one, we might not be seeing it from the other,” d’Entremont added, seemingly referencing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

There’s been a stream of floor-crossers since d’Entremont’s move in the fall. Five MPs have since joined the Liberal ranks, including four Conservatives.

Longtime Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu is the latest, announcing Wednesday morning she’s flipped to the Liberals, putting Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government a single seat shy of a majority.

• IN PICTURES: Canadian politicians who crossed the floor or left their party

Speaking to Le Couteur, d’Entremont said he thinks Gladu made the right choice, and pushed back on criticisms that her decision to cross the floor is a move based on political opportunism.

Asked whether he believes there could be more floor crossers, d’Entremont insisted he doesn’t know.

“I know we’ll continue to have those discussions,” he said. “It’s not that we’re going out and trying to poach members, but at the day, if they want to ask questions and they’re concerned about what’s going on, I can honestly tell them what it’s been like for the last five months.”

Still ‘unhappy’ Tory MPs: d’Entremont

The day after d’Entremont crossed the floor, he suggested more of his Conservative colleagues could be poised to follow suit. He also questioned Poilievre’s leadership style.

“Over the last number of months, I wasn’t feeling that I was aligned with the ideals of what the leader of the Opposition had been talking about,” d’Entremont said at the time.

Asked by Le Couteur whether he believes there are still Conservative MPs questioning Poilievre’s leadership, d’Entremont said he does.

“I look across at my colleagues that don’t look very happy sometimes, whether it’s what they’re saying, what they’re questioning, what the issues (are) that they’re bringing up in the House of Commons,” he said. “There’s still a number of unhappy people there.”

“Whether they’ll take the ultimate move and cross the floor, that’s another question,” he added. “But there’s still some people that are upset over there.”

Poilievre has accused Carney of “backroom deals” to lure his caucus members over to the Liberal ranks.

In a statement on X Wednesday, Poilievre said Gladu should “honour her word” by resigning her seat so a by-election can be held in her riding.

“The people in her community voted for our Conservative vision of a Canada that is affordable, safe, and strong at home, not for the costly Liberal government she has now joined,” Poilievre wrote.

You can watch Liberal MP Chris d’Entremont’s full interview on CTV Power Play in the video player at the top of this article.