Liberals’ newest Member of Parliament, Matt Jeneroux, is set to accompany Prime Minister Mark Carney on a rapid trade expedition to India, Australia, and Japan later this week. Jeneroux, who was a long-serving Alberta Conservative, recently announced his switch to the governing party, following previous plans to exit politics amidst speculations of joining the Liberals.
As per the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Edmonton Riverbend MP will now assume the role of “special adviser on economic and security partnerships” during the upcoming international visits to Mumbai, New Delhi, Sydney, Canberra, and Tokyo. Jeneroux made his return to the House of Commons on Tuesday, participating in his first question period as a Liberal.
Accompanying Jeneroux on the India leg of the trip will be 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. A smaller delegation, including Jeneroux, will continue on to Australia and Tokyo.
Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer questioned Jeneroux’s decision to travel, previously stating his intent to leave politics for family reasons. In response, Trade Minister Sidhu emphasized that the trip was not a gift to Jeneroux, highlighting the value he brings to the team.
This marks the third successful defection of a Conservative MP to the Liberals in recent months, following Chris d’Entremont and Michael Ma. Ma, who joined the Liberals earlier this year, was part of Carney’s delegation to Beijing and Qatar due to his riding’s significant Chinese Canadian community.
Jeneroux’s move increases the Liberal representation in the House of Commons to 169 MPs, compared to 171 opposition MPs, with three vacancies remaining. Since his departure from the Conservative caucus, Jeneroux has not engaged with reporters but expressed his decision to cross the floor based on national circumstances.
Carney’s visit aims to address Canada’s trade diversification away from the United States, focusing on the Indo-Pacific region. The delegation, led by Carney, is scheduled to depart on Thursday, commencing discussions in Mumbai with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business leaders. Carney will also make history by addressing both houses of the Australian Parliament during his visit to Canberra, the first Canadian prime minister to do so in nearly two decades.
