Nunavut MP says she won't cross the floor to join Liberals 'at this point'

Nunavut's MP says she has no plans redress at present to get together the federal soldier liberalist Party.

The NDP MP would not say who specifically has asked her to consider crossing the floor, but said they include both Liberal Party members and some of her own constituents.

"It's definitely weighed heavily on me, and I've had so many conversations with people and I just appreciate everyone who I've talked with," she said.

"What they've all said is that whatever I decide, it will be what I think is best for Nunavummiut."

Two other MPs — Chris d'Entremont and Michael Ma — recently left the Conservative Party to cross the floor and join the Liberals. That's brought the Liberals to being just one seat shy of forming a majority government.

An emailed statement from the office of Idlout’s neighbouring MP in the N.W.T., Liberal cabinet minister Rebecca Alty, said Alty has not approached Idlout about crossing the floor.

“Over the last year, Minister Alty has met with leaders and representatives throughout the North, including MP Idlout. These discussions have focused on identifying shared priorities and practical ways of working together to deliver results for Northerners,” the email adds.

Idlout said she was surprised by d'Entremont's and Ma's decisions to cross the floor last year. She also said she wouldn’t be shocked if someone else followed in the months ahead.

“Being asked to cross the floor definitely forced me to think a lot about how I can continue to do my job best for Nunavummiut,” Idlout said. 

Idlout won the 2025 federal election just 77 more votes than Liberal candidate Kilikvak Kabloona.

She said a major part of her job is highlighting when her territory is not being respected, or not getting the resources it needs.

“Canada's policies aren't necessarily to invest in the people so that we can thrive,” Idlout said. €œAnd when we think about who's been in government since 1999 for Nunavut, it's been both Liberal and Conservative governments.”

Idlout, who's serving her second term as NDP MP, says joining the Liberals would mean she wouldn't be as free to criticize the government while advocating for her constituents.

She cites concerns she has over the government's major projects legislation, the One Canadian Economy Act. Idlout criticized the Liberals for how fast they pushed the legislation through. Other groups have also voiced concern for what it means for Indigenous people.

The act requires the government to consult Indigenous people whose rights may be affected by a major infrastructure project that's been fast-tracked for approval. But it also allows cabinet to overrule Parliament for certain major projects.

Idlout said she couldn't do a good job representing Nunavummiut "if I were forced to vote in favor of violating Indigenous peoples’ rights.”

Idlout also cited other things she wants to pressure the government on, including Arctic sovereignty and security, housing and health care. She says the Liberal government should invest more in the Canadian Rangers to help keep the Arctic secure and be less reliant on the military that would be flown in.

Jerald Sabin, a political science professor at Carleton University who focuses on northern and federal politics, said Idlout’s current role in opposition can allow her to be more critical of the government and speak more freely about federal policy in the North.

He also noted that an MP's crossing the floor risks upsetting the people who voted for them.

“They can face the backlash right from their constituents who said, ‘no, I voted NDP. That's where I wanted my vote to go. And now you've changed that without seeking our consent,'" Sabin said.

However, he said the downside of being in opposition is "always being on the outside, looking in.”

Sabin added that members crossing from an opposition party to the government can sometimes be rewarded, possibly with a role in cabinet or with a parliamentary secretary position.

“You may also gain the benefit of having some leverage over the government by saying, ‘I was one of the people who crossed the floor to give you your majority — and so these are the concessions or the policies that I'm looking for from your government,’” said Sabin.

Reporter

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