Ex-Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux has crossed the floor to the Liberals, Prime Minister Mark Carney says.

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

Jeneroux is now the third Conservative, after Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont and Toronto area MP Michael Ma, to switch to Carney’s Liberals.

Jeneroux’s crossing brings Carney’s government to the cusp of a majority, with the Liberals now at 169 MPs in the House of Commons. Three byelections are set to be held in ridings previously held by the Liberals. If the Liberals regain all three seats, this would bring them to 172 MPs — the majority mark, but reliant on the Speaker to break tie votes.

The MP for Edmonton Riverbend since 2015, Jeneroux was the Conservative critic for supply chains, innovation, infrastructure, health and housing before announcing that he was resigning , just ahead of a crucial vote on the federal budget in the House of Commons.

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“It was not an easy decision, but it is, I believe, the right one,” he said at the time.

1:39
Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux resigns, 2nd to leave caucus this week

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.”

Carney on Wednesday said Jeneroux is being appointed as the “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.

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Edmonton Riverbend MP Matt Jeneroux resigns from House of Commons

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke at the House of Commons Wednesday afternoon following the mass school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., that left eight dead, as well as the shooter, and 27 injured, saying the tragedy “has left our nation in shock and all of us in mourning.”

Members of the House of Commons observed a moment of silence for the victims and agreed to adjourn until Thursday at 10 a.m., skipping question period. Several rows of ambassadors from other countries sat in the galleries of the House of Commons in a rare show of support as party leaders rose to speak.

“Tumbler Ridge represents the very best of Canada. Resilient, compassionate and strong,” Carney said. “‘All of Canada stands with you. May the memories of those lost be a blessing. May this community which has shown its resilience so many times before, once again find the strength to heal and may this house prove worthy of what Tumbler Ridge has always been by striving to make Canada a better, kinder, and safer place.”

Carney also spoke about the need to support victims families as the investigation unfolds.

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“Mr. Speaker, in the days ahead, there’ll be important questions to ask, difficult conversations to have. We owe that to the victims and their families. But now, it’s time for grieving. And remembrance. Now is for the people of Tumbler Ridge and the Peace River region for a community that is enduring the unimaginable.”

Carney also offered words to those directly affected by the shooting.

“To those families who have lost loved ones, this House mourns with you. To those who are recovering from injuries, this House prays for you. To the students, the teachers, the parents, every resident of Tumbler Ridge, all of Canada stands with you.”

Carney also acknowledged all those involved in the shooting’s response and aftermath.

“I want to express my profound gratitude to the first responders, the RCMP officers, who entered immediately that school not knowing what awaited them. To the paramedics and medical staff at the Tumblr Ridge Health Centre. To the teachers and the school staff who acted with extraordinary courage to protect the children in their care. In the darkest of moments they showed the best of our country,” he said.

A book of condolences is available for MPs to sign until Feb. 17, at which time Conservative MP Bob Zimmer, who represents the community, will bring it there.

More to come.

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An organization that represents pea, lentil and bean growers in Saskatchewan says it supports a new federal investment intended to spur diversification among its trading partners.

Canada’s agriculture minister announced Tuesday a $75-million investment over five years to expand export activities into new, non-traditional markets and support sectors most affected by trade barriers.

“This added investment will help our sector access new markets, strengthen interprovincial trade and build more resilience in the face of global challenges,” said Heath MacDonald, minister of agriculture and agri-food, at an unrelated policy breakfast in Ottawa.

The program builds on the existing AgriMarketing Program and adds funding for two new streams: national industry associations and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Organizations can apply for funding to expand export activities, with priority given to sectors most impacted by trade barriers, such as pulses and canola, according to a news release from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

“There are opportunities all over the world, but we can’t spread ourselves too thin. We have to target our markets and go after them,” said MacDonald.

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The federal government’s investment is being well-received by the national industry association representing pulse growers.

“Any investment in helping us diversify and helping us find new avenues, new uses, new ways to put more pulses on more plates around the world is something that we support,” said Jeff English, vice-president of public affairs at Pulse Canada.

In January, Canada struck a trade deal with China to remove the 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian yellow peas, effective March 1 through the end of the year.

China imposed this tariff in March 2025 in response to Canada’s previously imposed 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and a 25 per cent import tax on steel and aluminum.

But India’s 30 per cent tariff on Canadian yellow peas remains in place, something local pulse producer associations say is a reason the industry needs to diversify its trading partners.

“The more diversified we are, the less of an impact that will be, and we’ll have stronger prices for farmers at the end of the day,” said Carl Potts, executive director of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers.

Potts said his association is exploring strategies to tap into other markets worldwide, including the Indo-Pacific and Latin America regions.

Alongside diversifying its trading partners, the organization is also focused on increasing demand for other products in new markets, such as pet food and animal feed. This, according to Potts, was a strategy that helped bolster pea imports into China 20 years ago.

“At the time, they might have been importing maybe 200,000 tonnes a year, but we worked with local industry and consultants in the market to help develop more demand for peas,” said Potts.

“We’ve grown that into a market of over two million tonnes in some areas.”

Alongside finding new markets, the pulse grower associations say they are also continuing to advocate for strengthened relations with current trading partners and look forward to new opportunities to do so — from CUSMA renegotiations to a potential India trip by Prime Minister Mark Carney.

“As the government does its job in terms of building a stronger relationship with India, we’re doing things in lockstep as well,” said English.

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Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to announce a national automotive strategy Thursday which will scrap the electric vehicle sales mandate in favour of new vehicle emissions standards and revive consumer rebates for EV purchases.

Ottawa is also set to announce an EV infrastructure fund, expected to be worth $1.5 billion.

Government and industry sources, who were not authorized to publicly discuss details ahead of the announcement, say Ottawa will introduce emission standards on new vehicles similar to what’s in place in Europe.

The European Union sets emissions performance standards for new passenger cars and vans, commonly known as “corporate average fuel efficiency” standards, or CAFE. The system requires that average emissions from all new passenger cars and vans meet specific emissions targets.

The European Commission says the regulations led to a 28 per cent decrease in emissions from all new passenger cars between 2019 and 2024, while emissions from new vans dropped nine per cent.

While it’s not clear what Canada’s standards will be, Europe’s current target is to ensure that all new cars and vans produce no emissions by 2035 — although revised regulations proposed in December would reduce the target to 90 per cent, allowing some flexibility for plug-in hybrids.

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One source said Canada’s new emissions regulations would get close to the reduction in emissions set out in the original EV mandate.

The previous Liberal government set a target of having EVs account for at least 20 per cent of sales across Canada this year. The target was to increase to 100 per cent by 2035.

Carney paused the EV mandate in September and launched a 60-day review to offer Canada’s auto sector liquidity in the face of the ongoing trade war with the United States.

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Prime Minister Carney pauses EV mandates for 2026

Automakers had called on the government to scrap the sales mandate altogether, arguing it was unnecessary since Canada already has other policies to meet its emissions reduction targets.

As first reported by CBC News, the government is also expected to revive the popular incentives program to encourage Canadians to buy new EVs.

The incentive for zero-emission vehicles program — iZEV for short — was paused last year after its funding pool of more than $3 billion ran out.

Sources tell The Canadian Press the government will bring back the rebates at a similar level. Ottawa is expected to offer $5,000 toward the purchase of a new fully electric vehicle and $2,500 for plug-in hybrids.

Previously, fully-electric and longer-range plug-in hybrid electric vehicles received the full $5,000 rebate, while shorter-range ones were eligible for a $2,500 rebate.

Conventional hybrid vehicles will no longer be eligible for rebates, but manufacturers will be able to claim emissions credits for selling them.

Federal ministers promised during and after the spring election campaign to being back the incentives but never set a date. That frustrated car dealers who said EV sales slumped as consumers opted to wait for the rebates to return.

EV sales in Canada started to rise toward the end of 2025. According to the most recent data from Statistics Canada, EVs accounted for 11.3 per cent of all new vehicle sales in November.

Monthly sales peaked in December of 2024 at 18.29 per cent, before the iZEV program was paused.

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