Idlout says she felt she was ‘betraying’ her constituents by staying with NDP

By Canadian Press on March 11, 2026.

OTTAWA — Nunavut MP Lori Idlout says feedback from constituents pleading with her to join the Liberal government ultimately led her to cross the floor.

In her first interview as a Liberal MP, Idlout tells The Canadian Press she felt she was “betraying” Nunavummiut by staying on with the NDP.

Idlout says she first considered crossing the floor in June, after the NDP lost party status in a crushing election defeat, but she stayed on because caucus members committed to helping to rebuild the party.

She says that commitment started to fade recently, notably after NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice signalled his intent to run provincially in Quebec.

Idlout is Nunavut’s only MP, and a critical opposition voice on Arctic issues, but says she felt she was doing her constituents a disservice by not having her voice at the decision-making table.

Idlout says she was not promised anything in return from Prime Minister Mark Carney, and said she won’t be accompanying him on his upcoming trip to Norway and the United Kingdom.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2026.

Nick Murray, The Canadian Press