A former Liberal MP who was ejected from the party for supporting the Conservative budget joined the Tories Tuesday.

Joe Comuzzi stands to vote for the Conservative budget in the House of Commons on March 27.
(Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in Thunder Bay, Ont., where he formally welcomed MP Joe Comuzzi to the federal Conservatives. Comuzzi represents Thunder Bay-Superior North, a riding he has held since 1988.

"He recognizes the importance of focused spending, balanced budgets and lower taxes," Harper said. "Joe's also a believer in law and order. He understands the need to roll back the criminal rights juggernaut and protect against threats to our national security."

Comuzzi has been sitting as an Independent since Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion kicked him out of the party in March for backing the Conservative budget.

At the time, Comuzzi said he backed the budget because it included funding for a molecular cancer research centre that employs 300 people in his riding.

After 18 years with the party, Comuzzi said it wasn't easy ending that relationship, but added that he had grown increasingly uncomfortable with Liberal policies in recent years, and had been attracted to the Tory platform for some time.

"I found myself increasingly at odds with some of the Liberal party on a variety of issues," he said. "The budget in particular and the softwood lumber deal."

"I saw the change in the new Conservative party," Comuzzi said.

"It truly respected family values. It truly respected …the earnings and the taxpayer's money that is paying into the [government] coffers every day."

Hard to be an Independent

Earlier, the CBC's Julie Van Dusen said Comuzzi was crossing the floor in part because he found it difficult to be an Independent.

"You don't have a home, you don't have a party," she said.

She said Comuzzi has also said that Harper was "very kind" to him after he was kicked out of the caucus.

"Stephen Harper called him and commiserated with him. [He] didn't say come and join us, but was very nice to him. [Comuzzi] said: 'I saw a good guy there and Harper really impressed me,' " Van Dusen said.

Harper called him three or four times afterward.

Comuzzi, a junior minister responsible for federal economic development in northern Ontario in the previous Liberal administration, had locked horns with his own party over same-sex marriage. He resigned from cabinet in 2005 so he could vote against the government's same-sex marriage bill.

Comuzzi's jump to the Conservatives will give the party 125 seats, followed by the Liberals with 100, the Bloc Québécois with 49 and the New Democrats with 29. There will be three Independent MPs and two seats are vacant.

Comuzzi, 74, may not run in the next election, but will decide his future when an election is called.

Dion said he doesn't see Comuzzi's defection as a knock on his leadership.

"If he's more comfortable with the Conservative party — very right wing party that Mr. Harper has — it is his choice."