Liberal MP Matt Jeneroux, who became the third Conservative MP to cross the floor in as many months last week, is set to join Prime Minister Mark Carney on a nine-day international trip, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Despite announcing in November that he would resign as an MP in the spring, Jeneroux said last week he would be joining the government benches, a move Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called a betrayal.
Also in his social media post announcing the floor crossing, Carney wrote that Jeneroux will be taking on the role of “special advisor on economic and security partnerships.” Jeneroux is listed as such on the delegation list for the international trip.
“The prime minister will travel to Mumbai and New Delhi, India; Sydney and Canberra, Australia; and Tokyo, Japan to focus on expanding economic and business relationships, identify investment opportunities in Canada, and create new partnerships to benefit workers and businesses across our nations,” reads a statement from the PMO.
Other members of the delegation for the Indian leg of the trip 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.
Only Champagne and McGuinty will also head to Australia, and only McGuinty is set to head to Japan.
Jeneroux is on the delegation list for all three locations.
Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill on his way out of a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Sidhu said Jeneroux is “always leaning forward for Canada.”
“I have tremendous working relationship with him,” Sidhu said, adding the two sat on the trade committee together “for a number of years.”
“He’s well versed in the economic side of things, of course, on the security side of things as well,” Sidhu also said. “And so, I welcome any help on these trips, and it’ll be nice to see him on the trip.”
Asked whether the trip is a gift for having crossed the floor, Sidhu said: “Absolutely not.”
Trip comes as Carney moves to reset relations with India
After years of tension between the two countries, Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in November they had agreed to launch negotiations towards a new Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
They made the announcement just hours after Carney made it clear, in response to a question from CTV News, that “yes,” he does consider India to be a reliable trading partner.
This reset comes more than two years after former prime minister Justin Trudeau stood up in the House of Commons and said there were “credible allegations” that agents of the Indian government were involved in the assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023.
A year later, the RCMP and the federal government accused Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada of engaging in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.
In response to those allegations, Canada expelled six diplomats. India denied the accusations, and in retaliation kicked out six Canadian diplomats.
After relations soured, Canada paused negotiations for a broad trade pact in 2023. Then, last November, Carney said Canada already has a “strong commercial relationship with India,” but that his government is now looking to put that on “sound footing” through a potential new trade pact.
Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill Monday about the violence and unrest in Mexico, Anand was asked whether she plans to bring up transnational repression in meetings with Indian officials during the trip.
“Of course,” Anand said. “The security situation at home and abroad in terms of Canadians is of extreme concern and priority for us as a government of Canada.
“When I was in India in October, for example, I repeatedly raised issues relating to domestic rule of law concerns, security concerns and transnational repression.”
Anand said transnational repression is “always at the forefront” of Canadian officials’ minds, and that the federal government is working to diversify trade relationships while prioritizing Canadians’ safety.
With files from CTV News’ Stephanie Ha and Rachel Aiello
