The Ontario MP who left the governing Liberals to join the Conservative Party on the day lawmakers returned for the fall sitting on Parliament Hill says Canada鈥檚 role in the world was a major factor in her decision to cross the floor.
Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill MP Leona Alleslev appeared on CTV鈥檚 Your Morning Tuesday and was asked why she crossed the floor.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about understanding the things that really matter,鈥� she responded.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e looking at the things facing the nation, we鈥檙e at a time of unprecedented global instability where we鈥檙e really facing some challenges, both at home and abroad.鈥�
Alleslev said she felt the Conservatives were more 鈥渇ocused on those fundamental challenges鈥� than the party she had left.
Alleslev, a former officer with the Canadian Air Force, won her seat in Parliament by a narrow margin in 2015, edging past her Conservative challenger by slightly more than 1,000 votes.
Asked how her constituents felt about her decision to switch parties, Alleslev she had heard a lot of unhappiness from them over the summer, prior to Monday鈥檚 floor-crossing.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e not happy with the things that are going on. They wanted tax reform 鈥� comprehensive tax reform,鈥� she said.
鈥淭hey want a comprehensive foreign policy where we鈥檙e acting the way that we say that we鈥檙e going to act on the world stage, and they are concerned about the security of the world and Canada鈥檚 contribution to that defence and security.鈥�
Alleslev added that she had received 鈥渙verwhelmingly positive鈥� feedback about her decision to leave the Liberals.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, who joined Alleslev on Your Morning, was asked if he had talked to any other MPs who may be considering crossing the floor.
Citing issues around 鈥渢rust and confidentiality,鈥� Scheer did not answer directly. He said he had heard from people who supported the Liberals in the 2015 election who plan to switch their votes in 2019.
鈥淭his is never done in a way where it鈥檚 鈥榮it down and make a plan,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t really is conversations about priorities, shared values, finding an indication about where our party is going to be focusing on in the next year and then throughout the campaign and beyond.鈥�
Alleslev was named the Conservatives鈥� critic for global security after she joined the party.
Disappointed reactions to her defection continued to come in from Liberal quarters Tuesday, including from the president of the Liberal riding association in Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill.
In , Clayton Haluza said he found it a 鈥渟truggle to understand鈥� why Alleslev had switched parties.
鈥淚 had no prior knowledge of this event, and it was done without my consultation,鈥� he said.
