MP Kelly DeRidder described details of a phone call she received from Liberals in social post.
By Aastha Shetty, CBC News
An Ontario Conservative MP says she will not be crossing the floor anytime soon, despite an attempt from the Liberal Party to poach her.
Kitchener Centre MP Kelly DeRidder says she got a phone call from the Liberal Party, trying to convince her that switching sides would give her a better chance at winning the next election. ”There needs to be transparency and accountability in government and that’s just the bottom line and it’s being slowly eroded away and the trust in our institutions is going to be gone,” DeRidder told CBC News in an interview after posting about the experience in a video on Facebook.
The Liberals currently hold a majority of seats in the House of Commons, after multiple Conservative MPs crossed the floor over the last several months. During a press conference earlier this month, shortly after Marilyn Gladu became the latest MP to defect from the Conservatives, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the recent floor-crossers had brought “a series of perspectives and expertise that is aiding … the government and the country at a crucial time.”
DeRidder says they tried to poach her too, but she said no.
“They said we’ve noticed what you’re doing in committee and you’re doing really great work. And especially your interest in AI, in digital policy, we think there would be a really good spot for you on our team here,” DeRidder told CBC News. “I said, well, thank you for the flattery and pumping my tires a little, but my answer is still no.” DeRidder claims the Liberals also said their next candidate would have support from the Green Party.
“I was told a candidate would be running [for] Kitchener Centre with support from both the Liberals and the Greens, and I wouldn’t stand a chance as a Conservative.”
CBC News has reached out to the Liberal Party for comment.
The Green Party’s Mike Morrice was the incumbent in the April 2025 federal election, but lost the seat to DeRidder… Source: cbc.ca
