The party faced not only internal turmoil during this week, but also serious questions about its leadership were raised by the departure of two key members. For the opposition, Budget week is always considered an opportunity to criticize the government’s spending, fiscal policies and public priorities. But this time, things were completely different. With the Budget being presented, the Conservative Party was engulfed in an internal crisis and attention turned to the direction of the party itself, rather than the government.

Before the budget was presented, Prime Minister Mark Carney held two key meetings that had a profound impact on the subsequent situation. The first was with Nova Scotia MP Chris Dentermo, who later left the Conservative Party to join the Liberals. The second was with Alberta MP Matt Genro, who was reportedly offered a chance to join the government. The political atmosphere had already become tense after these meetings.

On Tuesday, when the federal government presented its 400-page budget, an earthquake struck political circles. The well-known organization Politico reported that Chris Dentermo was considering joining the Liberal Party. As soon as this news came out, Conservative Party leaders sprang into action. The party’s House Leader Andrew Scheer and Whip Chris Warren immediately arrived at Dentermo’s office to try to persuade him, but all efforts were unsuccessful. At 6:30 p.m., Dentermo officially announced that he was leaving the Conservative Party and joining the Liberals. He said in his statement that there is a better way forward for the country and that way is with a Liberal government.

The following day, Wednesday, Dentermo attended a press conference with Prime Minister Mark Carney as a Liberal MP. He explained that he had grown tired of Pierre Polly Evert’s negative politics and now felt his voice could be heard more effectively in the Liberal Party. He also indicated that many other Conservative MPs felt the same way and that more members might leave the party in the future. Prime Minister Carney said that his government was ready to talk to anyone who wanted to contribute to the betterment of the country.

The Conservative Party was in a state of crisis after Dentermo’s departure. The party leadership immediately tried to bring the situation under control. Several senior advisers, including former election manager Jenny Byrne, stepped up efforts to save the party’s reputation. However, at the same time, rumors began to circulate that Alberta MP Matt Genro was also considering moving to the government. His office denied the news, but a few days later the situation took a new turn.

Edmonton Riverbend MP Matt Genro abruptly announced his resignation on Thursday. He said the decision was not easy but the right one, and that he would now focus on his family. The news was the second major blow of budget week for the Conservative Party.

Meanwhile, party leader Pierre Polley Evert gave his reaction to the budget, but the media and public attention was focused more on the internal chaos within the party than on the budget. Instead of criticizing the government’s $78 billion deficit, he had to come clean about his party. Party leader Scott Acheson claimed that the party was united, but according to insiders, chaos prevailed and confidence in the leadership was waning.

Analysts say the week was a political disaster for the Conservative Party. Instead of surrounding the government on the budget, the party had to spend time defending itself. The departure of two members and questions about the leadership not only affected the party’s unity but also cast a deep shadow over Pierre Polly Evert’s leadership. It was a week in which the opposition could have strengthened its position, but circumstances pushed it into a weak and defensive position.