Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to include a notable and controversial figure in his delegation for an upcoming diplomatic mission to China. Michael Ma, the Member of Parliament for Markham-Unionville who recently crossed the floor from the Conservatives to the Liberals, will join the Prime Minister's first official visit to Beijing.
A Strategic Inclusion on a Key Diplomatic Mission
The trip, scheduled for the week following the announcement on January 9, 2026, marks the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to China since Justin Trudeau's trip in 2017. Ma will travel alongside senior cabinet ministers, including Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson. His inclusion is particularly striking as he is the only elected member of the delegation who is neither a minister nor a parliamentary secretary.
Audrey Champoux, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, justified Ma's selection by highlighting his "considerable experience building relationships between people, businesses, and communities, across the Indo-Pacific region." She added that as the MP representing one of Canada's largest Chinese-Canadian communities in Markham-Unionville, Ma would provide "important perspectives and insights."
From Political Maelstrom to Prime Ministerial Delegation
Michael Ma's political journey has been rapid and tumultuous. He was first elected as a Conservative in the Markham-Unionville riding in April 2025, securing the seat after Liberal candidate Paul Chiang withdrew from the race amid controversy. However, Ma created a political maelstrom in December 2025 when he announced he was crossing the floor to join the Liberal Party, just hours after the House of Commons rose for the winter break.
His defection was a significant gain for the minority Liberal government, bringing their seat count to 171—just one seat shy of a slim majority. The timing and nature of his floor-crossing drew intense criticism from his former colleagues.
The news of his inclusion on the high-profile China trip has reignited that criticism. Conservative MP Dean Allison expressed outrage on social media platform X, writing, "I mean … come … ! on … ! At what point do we just say, the Liberal Party of Canada has no values, no principals." Many observers speculate that the trip could be a prelude to a promotion for Ma from the backbench, while critics view it as a reward for bolstering the government's numbers.
Rebooting a Complex Bilateral Relationship
Prime Minister Carney's objectives for the trip mirror those of his predecessor nearly a decade prior: to rebuild Canada's economic and diplomatic ties with China. This effort is part of a broader strategy to diversify Canada's trading partners, a priority that has gained urgency following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump and a period of cooled relations with China under the previous government.
Ma serves as the vice-chair of the Canada-China Legislative Committee, a role that aligns with the trip's focus. The delegation will also make a stop in Qatar. The trip represents a critical test for Carney's foreign policy and his government's approach to engaging with a major global power amidst complex geopolitical currents. Michael Ma, now at the center of both domestic controversy and international diplomacy, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about his upcoming travel.
