Another Conservative crosses the floor, bringing Liberals 1 MP shy of majority

Ontario MP Michael Ma announced Thursday that he is leaving the Conservative caucus and joining the Liberals.

The MP said in a statement that he made the decision after listening to his constituents in the riding of Markham-Unionville in the Greater Toronto Area.

"This is a time for unity and decisive action for Canada's future," he wrote.

"In that spirit, I have concluded that Prime Minister Mark Carney is offering the steady, practical approach we need to deliver on the priorities I hear every day while door-knocking in Markham-Unionville."

Ma's move comes just a few weeks after former Conservative Chris d'Entremont also left the Conservatives to join the government benches.

The new addition to the Liberal caucus means Carney is one seat away from a majority government.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre posted on social media shortly after Ma's announcement, saying the MP had gone back on his election promises.

"Michael Ma was elected as a Conservative by the constituents of Markham-Unionville to fight against Liberal inflationary spending driving up the cost of living in his community. Today, he chose to endorse the very policies he was elected to oppose," Poilievre wrote on X.

"The people he let down the most are the ones who elected him to fight for an affordable future. He will have to answer to them."

Ma was elected as an MP for the first time in April. Markham-Unionville had previously been held by Liberal Paul Chiang who was set to run for re-election in the spring — but withdrew from the race over comments he made suggesting that another Conservative candidate could be turned into the Chinese consulate to collect a bounty.

Ma secured just over 50 per cent of the vote in his riding, beating Chiang's replacement, Peter Yuen, by about three percentage points.

Rumours swirled in the days following d'Entremont's defection that more Conservatives would follow the Nova Scotia MP — but none had switched sides until Ma.

There were suggestions that Conservative Matt Jeneroux could also cross the floor, but the Alberta MP abruptly announced in early November that he would be leaving politics altogether. Jeneroux hasn't officially resigned but hasn't voted since his announcement.

Conservative sources told CBC News at the time that Jeneroux had said he was under pressure to stay from some in the party. A senior Liberal source confirmed the MP met with Carney the week he announced his resignation.

Jeneroux said coercion played no role in his decision to leave federal politics.

Ma's defection came just hours after the House wrapped up the fall sitting, meaning MPs will be heading back to their ridings for six weeks.

The House is scheduled to return in late January, just days before Poilievre faces a leadership review — and will likely have to defend having lost a number of MPs as it approaches.

D'Entremont said that he left because of Poilievre's leadership style.

In his statement on Thursday, Ma didn't mention Poilievre other than to say he informed the Conservative leader that he would be leaving.

"I entered public service to help people — to focus on solutions, not division. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Carney," Ma's statement said.

The new House standings give the Green Party, with its one seat, more sway in the House of commons.

Leader and MP Elizabeth May could be enough to push Liberal legislation over the edge in the House — though she has expressed doubts about backing the government going forward.