Prime Minister Jean Chretien says Joe Clark has known for weeks that the Conservatives were going to lose two more members of Parliament.

Diane St. Jacques and David Price met with Chretien and explained their decision to abandon the Tories in favour of Liberals. Chretien says the change of allegiance by the two Quebec MPs was no surprise to Clark - the switch has been in the works all summer.

"They decided some weeks ago that they were joining our party. They could have announced it in the middle of the byelection. I said 'No, it's not the way,'" said the prime minister.

Diane St. Jacques, Jean Chretien and David Price

Instead, the official announcement came just after Clark finally won a seat that will get him inside the House of Commons. When he gets there, he'll see both St. Jacques and Price sitting across from him as Liberals.

As Conservatives they voted against what Chretien has called his government's greatest achievement: the so-called Clarity Bill.

During that debate, St. Jacques said Chretien was a disaster for Canada. But times change.

Diane St. Jacques

"Now, I've had a chance to meet M. Chretien," she said, "I can tell you I've changed my mind."

For his part, when David Price was a Conservative, he said the Clarity Bill would help break up the country. From what he told reporters on Tuesday, it's difficult to judge Price's conviction. "That's exactly the kind of thing I would be saying sitting in the opposition at that time," he said.

Both MPs say federalists in Quebec have to stick together. The Liberal party is their best choice.

Besides it would appear they believe they'll have better chances getting re-elected as Liberals. They both say the Progressive Conservative Party is dead in Quebec.