Ottawa –
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather — who said Tuesday he was “reflecting” on his place in caucus after the NDP motion on Palestinian statehood — has not ruled out crossing the floor to join the Conservative Party.
In an interview on CTV News Channel’s Power Play, which aired Wednesday, Housefather told host Vassy Kapelos, “I have to really see based on all of my convictions and based on where I think my constituents and convictions are, what the right place for me is.”
Housefather told Kapelos he isn’t engaged in “direct” conversations with the Tories on crossing over, but said he has a lot of Conservative friends and colleagues.
“I have relationships, and in the same way my Liberal colleagues are talking to me, others are talking to me.”
Housefather was one of three Liberal MPs to vote against the NDP’s heavily amended motion on Monday night. The motion initially called on the federal government to recognize the “State of Palestine” – but the Liberals drastically altered its wording at the 11th-hour to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
Housefather said that despite the amendments to the motion, his party’s endorsement of it left him feeling isolated. The Quebec MP also indicated he has been inundated with “several thousand” messages from constituents over the vote.
Housefather – who has been a Liberal since he was a teenager – added he’s giving his future with the party “serious reflection,” and that it’s not something he can decide on after just a day, or risk a “rash decision in the heat of anger or a temper.”
“I’m going to be thinking about this,” he said. “I’m going to be talking to my constituents, talking to elected officials in my riding, talk to people to get their point of view; because I represent a riding – I don’t just represent myself.”
With files from CTV News’ Rachel Aiello and Vassy Kapelos
