Carney government survives first of three budget votes as Conservatives face another MP departure

It also cast further attention on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s grip over his party, two days after another Tory MP defected to the government benches. 

The news broke Thursday evening, as MPs gathered to vote for the first of at least three confidence votes over the coming days that will decide whether Canada faces its second general election in eight months. Long-serving Edmonton MP Matt Jeneroux — who had earlier denied rumours that he would defect to the Liberal benches — suddenly announced he would resign his seat. 

Two sources told the Star that Jeneroux met with Carney on Tuesday, the same day the government presented its budget, and a day before Jeneroux told the Conservative whip’s office he intended to resign.

Carney’s office declined to confirm or deny if the meeting took place. 

Jeneroux, in a resignation statement publicly released before Thursday’s vote, hailed his Conservative colleagues and MPs “on both sides of the aisle,” did not directly criticize Poilievre and did not indicate when he would vacate his seat. For now he remains in Conservative caucus. Poilievre later said Jeneroux would step down “next spring,” but the Edmonton MP told the Star Thursday evening that he’s not sure when he will resign. 

Liberal MPs erupted in shouts and applause before the Bloc Québécois, New Democrats and the lone Green MP joined them to vote down a Conservative motion that sought to reject this week’s federal budget. The final result was 198 to 139, with a handful of Conservatives, including Jeneroux, not casting votes.

The government would have fallen had the motion passed, since the Liberals decided to treat the vote as a confidence matter, an official confirmed Thursday. The government is taking the same approach to a second budget vote slated for Friday, in which the Bloc is aiming to similarly reject the document over its alleged failures for Quebec.

A third confidence vote on the budget is expected Nov. 17. 

But the tension inherent in the high-stakes moment was quickly overshadowed Thursday by the political intrigue of Jeneroux’s resignation announcement. Just two days earlier, Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont defected from the Conservatives to the Liberals shortly after Carney and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne presented the budget. 

A senior Conservative source said d’Entremont’s departure had been rumoured for about a week, but that d’Entremont had told the caucus leadership he would not cross the floor.

The same Conservative source said Thursday that Jeneroux also told the caucus leadership Wednesday he was not crossing the floor “today, and then Jeneroux said, ‘Let me be clear, I’m not crossing ever.’”

The insider added that Jeneroux did express frustration at all the “bullshit” and suggested it might expedite his planned departure for family reasons later this year, with the source believing Jeneroux meant all the floor-crossing rumours.

For days, the nation’s capital has been rife with suggestions of several looming defections from the Conservative caucus, and rumours the Conservatives were leaning on MPs believed to be weighing quitting caucus. The senior party source flatly denied any pressure campaign.

In Jeneroux’s case, the source said, the party believed his assurances he would not cross the floor. Late Thursday, that source suggested there are no more departures or defections to come.

On Wednesday, d’Entremont told reporters that his decision to spurn the Tories was partly over Poilievre’s leadership, and that there were other Conservatives considering whether to follow him across the floor to join the Liberals. With d’Entremont’s addition, the Liberals climbed to 170 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons, two votes short of the expanded power that comes with a majority, just as they navigate the politics of passing a budget the government has billed as essential for the country struggling economic woes and Donald Trump’s trade tariffs. 

D’Entremont’s comments also set off a cascade of questions and speculation on Parliament Hill, with Jeneroux and other Conservatives — like Quebec’s Dominique Vien — publicly denying any intention to leave Poilievre’s Conservative caucus. 

In his resignation statement Thursday, Jeneroux did not explain why he is leaving, nor did he elaborate in reply to the Star’s questions. His statement said he would now turn to focus on his family.

A Liberal source, who spoke to the Star about the Liberals’ behind-the-scenes talks on condition they weren’t named, said Thursday that the party was very close to convincing Jeneroux to cross the floor with d’Entremont this week. “There were moments where he was going to come to us,” the source said. “It almost happened.” 

Jeneroux told the Star he will not join the Liberals, but did not deny that talks were going on. He did say, however, that none of his Conservative colleagues pressured him to stay or “threatened” him, including Poilievre himself. 

In a broadside against the Conservatives, Liberal House Leader Steven MacKinnon told reporters after Jeneroux’s resignation announcement that Poilievre is too right wing for some Tories.

“The Liberal party’s always represented the middle of the road, and I think increasingly, with Mr. Poilievre’s leadership, that middle is a large one,” he told reporters.

Late Thursday, many Conservative MPs expressed disappointment over the resignation of a well-liked colleague. Several rejected any characterizations that Jeneroux had been pushed out of caucus or pressured to leave.

“He supports this party. He supports our caucus. We all wish him well,” said fellow Alberta Conservative MP Pat Kelly. “It’s disappointing to hear some of the silly rumours and speculation that is out there about a personal decision that he has made.”

Another Conservative caucus source said Jeneroux’s departure is only going to stoke ongoing doubts about Poilievre’s leadership, along with fears that the Liberals would win a majority government in a snap election right now.

The source, whom the Star agreed not to identify so they could discuss confidential caucus dynamics, said they share many of the same issues with Poilievre’s leadership and had spoken with Jeneroux about his own worries, including about whether any post-political career prospects would be impacted if they were associated with the Poilievre-led party.

The Conservative said Jeneroux’s concerns deepened after Poilievre recently slammed the RCMP leadership as “despicable.” That incident showed to several in caucus that “there’s a lack of adults in the room,” the source said.

The source added that Poilievre and Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer take a “nasty” approach to the way they run caucus affairs, but the events of this week — including d’Entremont’s departure — suggest that Poilievre is “rattled.” 

The source described Wednesday’s conservative caucus meeting after d’Entremont’s exit as “subdued” and “defeated.”

Poilievre has not reached out to all caucus MPs to ensure their support, the source said. “He doesn’t have friends, he’s got acquaintances.”

Even so, the source said if Poilievre is able to marshal enough votes from the party membership at January’s leadership review, he may be able to quell caucus challenges.

Despite expressing frustration too, the Conservative source said they have no intention of quitting the Conservative caucus, preferring to “wait out the bastards” in hopes that another Conservative party member — like former Alberta premier Jason Kenney, Harper-era cabinet minister James Moore, or Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston — might indicate an interest in the top job. 

Beyond the Conservatives, however, there is also the open question of how the Liberal government will pass its annual budget in the coming days without triggering a snap election. 

With the Conservatives and Bloc committed to voting it down on Nov. 17, and Green Leader Elizabeth May — the party’s lone MP — indicating she “probably” will oppose it too, the seven-member NDP could hold the keys to the government’s survival. 

Although the NDP has criticized the budget for spending cuts and public service job losses, interim leader Don Davies has not said how the party will vote. It’s also not clear if the caucus will vote together, or split with some in favour, some opposing and some abstaining. 

The Liberals need 172 votes in the 343-seat House to pass the budget, but could still succeed with fewer if some opposition MPs abstain from voting.