OTTAWA – Outgoing Conservative MP Scott Aitchison won’t say whether Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre should remain on as leader. In an interview with CTV’s Power Play with Vassy Kapelos on Monday, Aitchison was asked multiple times whether Poilievre should continue to lead the party, and he would not provide a direct answer. “It’s been an honour to work with Pierre. He’s been a tremendous support to me,” Aitchison said to Kapelos. “He hasn’t just given me the opportunity, but the freedom as well to lead on a file that I care about. We’ve worked really well together. He’s shown me nothing but respect.” “I think Canadians are really grateful to Pierre Poilievre for focusing on things like affordability,” Aitchison later added. Pressed repeatedly by Kapelos on Poilievre’s political future, Aitchison reiterated that the Conservative leader is doing a “great job” and “focusing on what he needs to focus on.” Last week, Aitchison – who currently serves as the party’s housing critic – announced he was resigning his seat from Parliament by the end of the year, making him the eighth person to leave Poilievre’s caucus since last year’s federal election. In his statement, Aitchison said, “it is time for a new chapter where I will explore new opportunities.” Speaking to Kapelos, Aitchison reiterated that stance, despite just being re-elected last year to represent his constituents. “I just realized that it’s time for new opportunities. Thirty years is a long time, and I think that it’s time to do something a little bit different, and that’s what I’m choosing to do,” the 53-year-old added. Did Liberals approach Aitchison to cross the floor? The Conservative MP’s sudden decision to resign comes as Poilievre faces internal leadership questions, as reported by CTV News in August. Poilievre has lost seven other MPs since last fall. Chris d’Entremont, Michael Ma, Matt Jeneroux and Marilyn Gladu all crossed the floor to the Liberals over the course of several months, while Richard Martel left for a Senate appointment and both Larry Brock and Cathay Wagantall left federal politics altogether. The latest Nanos Research polling, meanwhile, shows the Liberals hitting a new long-term high with 49.9 per cent support, while the Conservatives sit at 27.9 per cent. The polling also shows Prime Minister Mark Carney as the preferred prime minister with 62 per cent support compared to Poilievre at 19.6 per cent. Asked by Kapelos whether the Liberals ever approached him to cross the floor, Aitchison said, “absolutely not.” “I was never asked, and I think they didn’t ask me because they know I never would do it,” he said. Aitchison has represented the riding of Parry Sound-Muskoka as an MP since 2019, and previously ran for the Conservative leadership in 2022, where he lost to Poilievre. Prior to his time in federal politics, he served as the mayor of Huntsville from 2014 to 2019.
