Another Canadian Conservative lawmaker defects to Carney's governing Liberals

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TORONTO (AP) — Another opposition Conservative lawmaker in Canada has defected to Prime Minister Mark Carney's governing Liberals.

Carney announced Wednesday on social media that Alberta Member of Parliament Matt Jeneroux had crossed the floor to join the Liberal caucus. It's the third Conservative lawmaker to join the Liberals in recent months.

That puts the Liberals closer to having a majority government and being able to pass any bill without the support of an opposition party.

There are local elections for three seats in Parliament in the coming months that could provide the Liberals with a majority government.

The defection is another blow to Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who lost the last national election in April and even his own seat in Parliament but has since rejoined the House of Commons.

Poilievre won a party leadership review last month but continues to have problems controlling his lawmakers.

Poilievre said in a social media post that Carney is trying to seize a majority government through “dirty backroom deals” and said Jeneroux betrayed the people of his district.

Jeneroux announced plans to resign in November. Just days ago, when another Conservative member of Parliament left the Conservative caucus to join the Liberals. Poilievre said Jeneroux planned to step down in the spring.

Jeneroux's statement on social media Wednesday said he changed his mind after talking with his family and that the moment demands “steady leadership” for the country.

“The third instance of floor-crossing by a Conservative MP in just a few months conveys the message that Poilievre does not fully control his caucus, a perception that is likely to undermine his leadership,” said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. “If the Liberals can reach majority territory soon in a way or another, we might not have federal elections before October 2029.”

Carney has moved the Liberals to the center since replacing Justin Trudeau as prime minister in 2025 and winning national elections.

Carney condemned economic coercion by great powers against smaller countries at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month. The prime minister has received widespread praise and attention for his remarks, upstaging U.S. President Donald Trump at the gathering.