By Andrew Macdonald
In 2003, Progressive Conservative MP Scott Brison crossed the floor to join the Liberals after Peter MacKay, as PC leader, merged his party with the right-wing Canadian Alliance from Western Canada.
In a page 3 Globe & Mail story at the time by Jane Taber, Brison denied he was a political turncoat, arguing the PC party had been swallowed up by the Canadian Alliance to form the Conservative Party of Canada
His longtime chief of staff Dale Palmeter also joined the Liberals, led then by Prime Minister Paul Martin.
This week, The Macdonald Notebook conducted a Q&A with Palmeter on the blockbuster news that Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont was leaving the Conservative party and joining the federal Liberals.
The Notebook: Were you surprised by Chris d’Entremont’s decision to join the Liberals?
Palmeter: It’s a mixture. It’s a tough decision to cross the floor to join a different political party. A political party often sees itself as a family, and people think if that’s where you started, then that’s where you stay. But a political party is not a family; you can choose your political affiliation, you can’t choose your family. People evolve, issues evolve, and circumstances change, so I can see it as a sign of great courage for a person to reflect and conclude that they may no longer fit where they once did.
In that sense, I am not surprised that Chris might question whether the current Conservative Party reflects who he is at this point in his life. But acting on those shifts is not easy.
The Notebook: Is the Conservative rage toward d’Entremont justified?
Of course not. Hurling insults at d’Entremont may make some Conservatives feel good, but all that does is reflect poorly on those people more than it does on d’Entremont.
I think a lot of Conservatives are still grieving the wild swing they saw in their electoral fortunes in 2025. They went from near-certain success as the year began to defeat four months later. I’m sure for some, the defection is like a double whammy. But move on.
If you are an Atlantic region Conservative, it might be more valuable to ask why your party is failing to be embraced by Atlantic Canada voters. The answer to that may ultimately explain why d’Entremont walked away, and if it is something you can change, then giddy-up, you can only shape the future.
The Notebook: Can d’Entremont win the riding as a Liberal?
Palmeter: For sure, he can win. The Liberal candidate in the riding ran a strong and effective campaign that was just 500 votes short of success six months ago. From my observation, d’Entremont has been a solid constituency-focused MP and probably that’s what allowed him to prevail in that election, so the odds of success for him in the next election as a Liberal appear strong. But politics can always turn on a dime.
Palmeter: Could there be more defections to the Liberals?
Palmeter: I hope so. I don’t think we need another election right now, so if there is a path that leads to a majority government, great, and then pass judgment on its success or failure in 2029. I expect there are other MPs, whether Conservative, Bloc or NDP, who may see that the Carney Liberal government is very different from the Liberal government that preceded it and best reflects their own aspirations for the country in this challenging time.
Dale Palmeter is a Liberal strategist who works with the agency Crestview.
