Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux said Thursday he is resigning as a member of Parliament, becoming the second Conservative to leave the caucus this week after the Liberal government released its federal budget.
The member for Edmonton Riverhead, who has served the riding since 2015, did not say in a statement posted online why he was leaving.
“It was not an easy decision, but it is, I believe, the right one,” he said.
Jeneroux said he had hoped Canadians would “put their faith” in a Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre in the last federal election, but added he has “great admiration” for his fellow MPs “on both sides of the aisle.”
“Their work gives me faith that the momentum toward a stronger and more unified Canada endures,” he wrote.
“With all of this in mind, earlier today I spoke with our Opposition Whip – a colleague and friend for whom I have the utmost respect – to inform him of my decision to resign as a Member of Parliament.”
Jeneroux added he hopes to address the House of Commons a final time before he leaves, and in the meantime will turn his focus “entirely to my family and to the responsibilities that come with that.”
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He did not vote on Thursday night’s Conservative sub-amendment to the budget, which Prime Minister Mark Carney declared a confidence vote. The government ultimately survived the vote with help from the other opposition parties.
Jeneroux’s resignation comes days after Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont announced he was leaving the Conservative caucus and crossed the floor to the Liberals.
D’Entremont suggested Wednesday that more Conservatives could cross the floor in the days ahead because they share his concerns with Poilievre’s leadership.
Full text of Matt Jeneroux’s resignation statement:
For those who have reached out, I am deeply grateful for your friendship and concern. However, I ask that you please not attempt to contact my family during this time.
I ran in the last election hopeful that Canadians would put their faith in a team led by Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives, offering a chance to change Canada’s perception in our own country and around the world. I wanted desperately to play a role in that vision.
Although the outcome was not what I anticipated, I have great admiration for the many remarkable individuals who were elected to the House of Commons – on both sides of the aisle – who continue to dedicate themselves to the betterment of our nation. Their work gives me faith that the momentum toward a stronger and more unified Canada endures.
With all of this in mind, earlier today I spoke with our Opposition Whip – a colleague and friend for whom I have the utmost respect – to inform him of my decision to resign as a Member of Parliament. It was not an easy decision, but it is, I believe, the right one.
I hope to have the opportunity to address the House one final time in the future. For now, my focus must turn entirely to my family and to the responsibilities that come with that.
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