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Matt Jeneroux is now a Liberal member of Parliament– he’s even been appointed a special advisor to Prime Minister Mark Carney on “economic and security partnerships.”

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Carney made the announcement on social media just after 10 a.m. on Wednesday as the Liberal caucus gathered for their weekly meeting with one new member.

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“I am honoured to welcome Matt Jeneroux to our caucus as the newest member of Canada’s new government,” Carney said.

“Building a stronger, more resilient, and more independent country will require ambition, collaboration, and occasionally, sacrifice. I am grateful to Matt and his family that he will continue his service as a strong voice for Edmonton Riverbend in Parliament.”

Jeneroux is now coming out of hiding and retirement

Jeneroux, the MP for Edmonton-Riverbend, hasn’t been seen in the House of Commons or at committee since fellow Conservative MP Chris D’Entremont crossed the floor to join the Liberals on Nov. 4, 2025. The last recorded statement from Jeneroux in Hansard, the official record of Parliament, was on Nov. 3 when he took part in the Standing Committee on International Trade meeting on tariffs.

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There was speculation at the time that Jeneroux was also considering crossing the floor to join the Liberals with D’Entremont. After D’Entremont surprised the everyone, including himself, by spilling the beans of his decision to join the Liberals, the Conservatives put pressure on other MPs who might be considering crossing.

On the evening of Nov. 4, Jeneroux put out an odd statement asking people to leave his family alone but not explaining why.

The now deleted social media post also said that Jeneroux would be resigning as an MP. He had apparently already left Edmonton to move to Victoria where his wife had taken a job as a surgeon and Jeneroux was leaving politics to spend more time with his family.

Now, like others that Carney has pulled back or into the Liberal fold, Jeneroux it seems has spent enough time with his family.

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More than a decade of being elected as a Conservative, but he’s now a Liberal

“For more than a decade, Matt has been entrusted by Albertans to help shape a stronger future. He was first elected to Alberta’s Legislature in 2012 and to Canada’s Parliament in 2015 — earning four consecutive mandates in the House of Commons,” Carney said in praising Jeneroux’s commitment to public service.

In each and every election, provincial and federal, Jeneroux has been elected by the voters of Edmonton as a conservative of one sort or another. Provincially, he was first elected as an Alberta PC, then as a member of the federal Conservative Party of Canada the banner under which he won four elections.

Now, he will sit as a Liberal.

The riding of Edmonton-Riverbend has only been in existence since the 2015 election, but even a review of the various riding names prior to this show that the region hasn’t elected a Liberal since 1968 and that MP, Hu Harries, only lasted one term before losing to the Conservatives.

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In the last election, Jeneroux won with more than 50% of the vote, easily beating his Liberal challenger despite the collapse of the NDP from 25% of the vote in the 2021 election to just 4% in 2025.

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Carney give Jeneroux a boost as a special advisor

Now it appears that Jeneroux will try and defend this riding as a Liberal in the next election, and while not a cabinet minister, he will be able to rely on Mark Carney for extra support as his special advisor.

“As a new special advisor on economic and security partnerships, Matt’s leadership will contribute to strengthening Canada’s alliances and trade partnerships, advancing Canada’s leadership in global security cooperation, and building our strength at home,” Carney said.

It’s a high-profile position for someone who has never been a Liberal before.

Had Jeneroux crossed the floor last week, he would have, at least temporarily, given Carney a majority. The Supreme Court decision to overturn the election results in the Montreal area riding of Terrebonne means Carney remains one seat shy of that majority.

A byelection will need to be called there, and in Toronto’s University-Rosedale. The Liberals will win easily in Toronto; the Montreal byelection will be a battle for that Liberal majority.

blilley@postmedia.com

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