"Ridiculous" to Switch Parties Again, Says Bélanger

Local MP shuts down social media speculation of returning to his Liberal roots.

In a pointed video message posted to his Facebook page, Conservative Member of Parliament Jim Bélanger firmly rejected swirling rumors that he was poised to cross the floor and rejoin the Liberal Party, calling the notion “ridiculous.” The newly elected MP, who flipped the traditionally left-leaning riding blue in the 2025 federal election, added “I’m a Conservative today, tomorrow, and in the next election.”

The rumors appear to have originated on social media, gaining traction after a post from @CDNprojections, an independent Canadian election modeler and projections account on X (formerly Twitter). The account claimed that “multiple sources” informed them Bélanger would become the third Conservative MP to defect to Mark Carney’s Liberals. The post was shared hundreds of times and reached over 160,000.

As a longtime Liberal supporter, Bélanger sought the party’s nomination in Nickel Belt back in 2015. At the time, he was quoted expressing enthusiasm for being part of “Team Trudeau.” However, after failing to secure the Liberal nod—which went to Marc Serré—Bélanger switched allegiances to the Conservatives ahead of the 2025 election.

In his video, Bélanger not only debunked the rumors but also wished constituents a Merry Christmas, shifting focus back to holiday cheer amid the political noise.

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