Floor-Crossing MP Jeneroux to Accompany Carney on Asia Trip

MP Matt Jeneroux, who crossed the floor from the Conservative Party to join the Liberals last week, will join Prime Minister Mark Carney on his trip to the Indo-Pacific this week.

Jeneroux, the MP for Edmonton Riverbend, announced on Feb. 18 that he was joining the Liberal caucus, after saying last November that he intended to resign his seat this spring to spend more time with his family. He had denied rumours at the time that he was considering joining the Liberals.

The prime minister’s office (PMO) said in a statement to media on Feb. 23 that Jeneroux will be part of Carney’s delegation during the trip to Asia and Australia from Feb. 26 to March 7, in his new role as “special advisor on economic and security partnerships.”

In announcing that Jeneroux would be joining the Liberal caucus last week, Carney noted that the MP has held several parliamentary roles related to the economy and security, and appointed him to the new advisory position.

The PMO said Carney’s trip will include stops in Mumbai and New Delhi, India; Sydney and Canberra, Australia; and Tokyo, Japan, and will “focus on expanding economic and business relationships, identify investment opportunities in Canada, and create new partnerships to benefit workers and businesses across our nations.”

The delegation for India will include Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Defence Minister David McGuinty, International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, the PMO said.

Among the ministers, only Champagne and McGuinty will join the prime minister in Australia, while only McGuinty will be part of the trip to Japan.

Meanwhile, Jeneroux is expected to be part of the delegation for all three of the trip’s destinations.

When asked by reporters whether the trip is a gift to Jeneroux for crossing the floor, Sidhu said “absolutely not.”

“He brings much value to the team… I’m happy that he’s coming along because we can use the help,” Sidhu told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Feb. 24.

Conservative MP James Bezan was also asked by reporters on Feb. 24 to comment on Jeneroux joining Carney for the trip.

“For a guy that hasn’t showed up for work for the last few months, nice to get a junket from the prime minister—payback for crossing the floor,” Bezan said.

Jeneroux is the third Conservative MP to join the Liberals in recent months, after Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont left the Tory caucus last November and Toronto MP Michael Ma did the same in December.

Jeneroux said he decided to join the Liberal caucus due to recent developments, saying the country is faced with “unprecedented new global pressures on our prosperity” that requires ensuring Canadian sovereignty and unity. He also said he was inspired to stay on as an MP and join the Liberal caucus after hearing Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

While d’Entremont and Ma were not appointed to special advisor roles like Jeneroux was, Ma travelled to China with Carney in January, shortly after he crossed the floor.

Indo-Pacific Trip

While in India, Carney will meet with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss “elevating and expanding the Canada-India relationship,” as well as partnerships on trade, energy, AI talent, culture, and defence, the PMO said on Feb. 23.

In Australia, Carney is expected to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss further cooperation on defence, critical minerals, and trade. He will also deliver an address to both Houses of Australia’s Parliament, marking the first time in nearly two decades that a Canadian prime minister has done so.

Carney will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi while in Japan, and discuss partnerships in energy, critical minerals, and food security, as well as increasing defence cooperation in the region.

Matthew Horwood contributed to this report.