NDP MP ‘very confident’ no New Democrats will cross floor to Liberals as budget vote nears

B.C. NDP MP Gord Johns says he’s “very confident” none of the seven New Democrats in the House of Commons will cross the floor to the Liberals — even as he admits he’s regularly approached by the Liberals.

“Oh, that’s an everyday conversation they have with me, and it’s a flat no and they know. That’s been going on for years,” Johns told CBC's Rosemary Barton Live, in an interview airing Sunday morning, when asked if the Liberals have tried to recruit him.

What was once an unusual question has become par for the course on Parliament Hill this week after two dramatic departures from the Conservative Party. On Wednesday, Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont quit the Tory caucus to join the Liberals, blaming Pierre Poilievre’s "negative" leadership.

Two days later, Alberta Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux released his letter of resignation amid speculation he was considering a move to the Liberal bench. Instead, Jeneroux announced he’s leaving politics altogether and denied that coercion from the Conservatives was a motivation.

Now, the speculation mill is spinning wildly over whether there could be more dissension —  especially with the Liberals now two seats shy of a majority and facing a crucial confidence vote when they look to pass the federal budget later this month. The party hasn't been shy about leaving the caucus door wide open.

“We’re open, as the prime minister has said, to any member of Parliament who wants to support a budget that we put forward that is extremely important for Canada in this moment in time," MP Kody Blois, parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Mark Carney, told CBC’s Power & Politics.

“And if those parliamentarians are looking increasingly at what Mr. Carney is putting forward and the way in which we are governing and they say, ‘That’s the type of vehicle I want to represent my constituents,’ we are always open to those conversations."

New Democrat MP Johns said while that may have lured d’Entremont to the Liberals, it won’t sway New Democrats.

“It wasn’t a big leap for him to cross over and join the Liberal Party of today because Carney is running on an agenda that I would say is a Progressive Conservative agenda,” Johns said. “You look at [our] seven MPs. They are strong social New Democrats. We are dedicated to our cause and our movement.”

Sources tell CBC News that former Conservative campaign manager Jenni Byrne, who has faced criticism for "toxic and angry" behaviour, has been involved in the party's efforts to quash any further floor-crossings.

Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer told CBC's The House with Catherine Cullen that there’s “no pressure” on MPs to ensure they don’t leave the party's caucus. Scheer instead blames the Liberals for driving Jeneroux to resign.

“When Liberals start putting out rumours that feed a bit of a media frenzy — where all of a sudden people are inundating them with phone calls and messages — that might be a lot for an MP who didn't ask for this aspect of the conversation to turn on him," Scheer said, adding that he doesn’t believe anyone else in caucus will be leaving.

As for d’Entremont, Scheer accused the former Conservative of having two personal grievances: not being able to serve as deputy Speaker of the House and not liking Scheer’s YouTube posts. “You don't like my videos, Catherine, you don't have to watch them,” Scheer told host Catherine Cullen in an interview that aired Saturday. “I mean, it seems like a bit of a flimsy reason to make a decision like this."