Peter MacKay says floor-crossings are a 'body blow,' as poaching attempts continue on Parliament Hill

OTTAWA —  A former Conservative cabinet minister who is no stranger to floor-crossings says Pierre Poilievre ought to “double his efforts” in the wake of a fourth member crossing the floor to join the Liberals — a move that now leaves him more exposed. 

Peter MacKay, a co-founder of the Conservative party after having led the former Progressive Conservatives before it merged with the Canadian Alliance to birth the modern party, offered harsh words for those behind the practice, calling it “morally repulsive.”

Still, he says, “it’s a body blow” for the federal Conservatives.

“Some might even call it a torpedo into the side of the Conservative party and, certainly, the captain of the ship, Pierre Poilievre is, you know, is more vulnerable now than ever,” he told National Post in a recent interview.

The act of switching political parties has marked modern Canadian politics more than once, with MacKay having a front row seat to some of the biggest. After helping merge the country’s two political parties, MacKay criticized his former MP Scott Brison for defecting to Paul Martin’s Liberals shortly after in 2003.

Two years later, Belinda Stronach, whom MacKay had been dating at the time, made a stunning defection from the Conservatives to the Liberals that ensured the minority Martin government’s survival.

He was also in Parliament when the former Progressive Conservatives under Joe Clark struck a deal with disaffected Canadian Alliance MPs who broke off from their party over concerns with their leader at the time, Stockwell Day.

“I’ve seen it all before,” MacKay said, adding it “doesn’t make it any more palatable.”

On Monday, Edmonton Conservative MP Billy Morin told reporters gathered for a press conference that the Liberals were trying to “poach me.” Global News shared a clip of the interaction on social media, where Morin can be heard laughing and making the comments off-camera. National Post was also in the room when it occurred.

“I am proud to be apart of a Strong Opposition — something Canadians are owed,” Morin later posted to social media.

“Instead of being 1/8 voices being used in a shameless Liberal power grab that degrades democracy. I am proud of the support I receive by our Leader (and) Conservative caucus. I stand by my constituents.”

Other Conservative MPs on Parliament Hill said the party remained united behind Poilievre.

But Marilyn Gladu’s surprising defection from Poilievre last week brings Prime Minister Mark Carney within a one-seat striking distance of forming a majority government. Chris d’Entremont, Michal Ma and Matt Jeneroux each individually crossed from the Conservatives to the Liberals earlier, same with Nunavut MP Lori Idlout, who defected from the New Democrats.

Carney is widely expected to cross that 172-majority threshold on Monday when results roll in from a pair of byelection races in Toronto in two longtime Liberal seats.

The Liberals are also hoping to capture a seat just outside of Montreal that it won by a razor-thin one-vote margin during last year’s federal election, but the Supreme Court overturned the result in February, sending parties back to the hustings.

Historically held by the Bloc Quebecois, that seat is expected to be a tight race between the two parties.

As voters go to the polls in the three byelections on Monday, speculation swirls about more floor-crossings to come, as cabinet ministers say Liberals remain in talks with MPs from other parties.

“I don’t know what lies ahead, especially if more people cross,” MacKay told National Post late Friday.

Speaking to reporters, Ontario MP Michael Barrett pointed to the 87 per cent of support delegates at the party’s convention in late January gave Poilievre in his leadership review.

“I expect that Mr. Poilievre will continue to enjoy the confidence of Conservatives.”

Asked whether Poilievre’s leadership is weakened, MacKay pointed to former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper whom he says recovered from it when it happened to him in opposition.

As for how the current leader could do the same, the former cabinet minister said “hard work and perseverance,” and for Poilievre to “double his efforts.”

“It’s a real stinging sensation,” he said of floor-crossings. “It’s tough.”

The loss of a fourth MP came as Poilievre makes efforts to strike a more collaborative tone with the Liberals in Parliament, who have accused his party of employing tactics that gum up the progress of bills.

The Conservative leader, who has been sharing more from his personal life, also recently travelled to Europe and the U.S., sitting down with the Joe Rogan podcast in Austin, Texas.

The party billed that podcast appearance and his recent travels as showcasing his ability to stand up for Canadian interests abroad.

It also is running a new set of ads that show more of Poilievre on the world stage, while also reinforcing to Canadians that Conservatives remained concerned about the cost-of-living, particularly when it comes to grocery prices.

MacKay praised Poilievre’s efforts over recent weeks, saying his shift in tone has been “very apparent.”

He suggested doing “more of what he has been doing and ingratiating himself to a broader Canadian electorate” is what those in the caucus “wants to see.”

National Post

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