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By Nadine Yousif From BBC Prime Minister Mark Carney is hoping to pass his first federal budget. His party is two seats shy from a majority. – Image Reuters A Conservative MP’s decision to defect and join the Liberal party is “exceptionally valuable”, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday, as he looks ahead to passing his first federal budget. Chris d’Entremont from Nova Scotia crossed the floor on Tuesday shortly after Carney put forward his fiscal plan, inching the Liberal government closer to a majority. Speaking to reporters, d’Entremont said he left because he no longer felt represented by Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre. He has also hinted that others may follow. In return, the Conservative Party accused him of breaking his promises to Canadians and of acting on “personal grievances”. Nova Scotia’s d’Entremont resignation sent shockwaves through Ottawa on budget night. In announcing his decision to leave, d’Entremont said he supported the Liberal budget and that it “hits the priorities” he has heard from people in his constituency. “I came to a clear conclusion: there is a better path forward for our country,” he said. At a news conference later on Wednesday, he criticised Conservative leader Poilievre for what he said is his “negative” style of politics. “I wasn’t feeling I was aligned with the ideals of what (Poilievre) had been talking about,” he said, and added that there are other Conservative MPs who “are in the same boat” and who may join him in crossing the floor. The MP won his riding narrowly last April in the riding of Acadie-Annapolis, defeating the Liberal candidate by just one percentage point. His decision also comes ahead of a leadership review for Poilievre in January and amid wider criticisms that his combative style of politics contributed to the Conservatives’ election loss earlier this year. Poilievre lost his own Ottawa seat, prompting a Conservative MP from a safe Alberta riding to step down and allow him to run there. Poilievre won that seat in August more than 80% of the vote. With d’Entremont joining the Liberals, the Carney government is closer to a majority—his party is now just two seats shy—as the prime minister looks to pass the budget through parliament. Failure to do so could risk another election. On Wednesday, Carney appealed for more allies. “We’ll speak to anyone publicly or otherwise who can support us,” he said. Carney later walked the new Liberal MP into his first national caucus meeting, where they were greeted with applause. A vote on the budget is expected to be held mid-November. For more on this story go to: BBC
