Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre gave an unequivocal response when asked whether the recent departures from his caucus have prompted any reflection on his leadership style. “No,” he said bluntly at a press conference in Calgary, adding that he intends to continue as “the only leader in the country that’s fighting for an affordable Canada.”
It was Poilievre’s first extended interaction with reporters since a turbulent week that began with the Liberal government’s budget and ended with two Conservative MPs leaving caucus. The strain comes on the heels of the party’s steep fall in the polls — dropping from a comfortable 20-point lead to ultimately losing the April election — and Poilievre’s own defeat in his Ottawa-area riding.
The first jolt came on Nov. 4, when Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont crossed the floor to join the minority Liberal government just hours after the federal budget was tabled. Days later, Alberta MP Matt Jeneroux announced his resignation following intense speculation about further potential defections. Jeneroux insisted there was “no coercion” in his decision, though the timing fuelled political intrigue.
D’Entremont, who had served six years as a Conservative MP, has said Poilievre’s leadership style played a role in his departure. In multiple interviews, he accused Conservative Whip Chris Warkentin and House Leader Andrew Scheer of storming into his office and shouting at him after his floor-crossing became public. Warkentin has denied that account. The party responded to CBC by calling d’Entremont “a liar” who had deceived voters and colleagues, and suggested he was upset after not being appointed deputy Speaker — a claim d’Entremont rejected.
Since leaving, d’Entremont says he has received threats by phone, email, and social media. The Nova Scotia RCMP is now investigating, and he has been assigned additional security. He also told CBC that other Conservative MPs had been weighing similar decisions when he chose to leave.
Poilievre dismissed the possibility of further departures, saying he does not expect other MPs to follow. Instead of addressing internal tensions directly, he read aloud remarks d’Entremont had made in the House criticizing Prime Minister Mark Carney and rising consumer costs. Poilievre sharpened his attack on the federal budget, calling it a “credit card budget” that would worsen prices on food, fuel, and housing. “No one thought anyone could spend more money than Justin Trudeau,” he said. “But Mark Carney came along and said, ‘Hold my beer.’”
The minority Liberal government is now two votes short of being able to pass legislation on its own. It faces another confidence test next week on the main budget motion. The NDP and Bloc Québécois supported the government on the first confidence vote, while the Conservatives backed the Liberals on the second — a move that drew applause across the aisle. Jeneroux did not vote in either.
As the government braces for its next test, Poilievre faces one of his own. Conservative members are set to vote on his leadership at the party’s convention in Calgary at the end of January, a review that will determine whether he can retain control of a party now grappling with internal fractures.