Democracy Watch is calling on federal Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein to investigate MP Chris d’Entremont after he switched from the Conservative Party to the Liberal Party just six months after being elected, raising serious questions about honesty and public trust.In a letter sent Friday, the watchdog group argues that d’Entremont’s actions may violate the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons, which requires MPs to uphold the highest standards and maintain public confidence in their integrity. The group notes that Canadians should be able to rely on MPs to act transparently, and switching parties mid-term without meaningful consultation undermines that trust.Democracy Watch points out that d’Entremont ran as a Conservative in the 2025 federal election, took his oath as a Conservative MP, publicly praised voters for placing their trust in him, and voted with the Conservative caucus on every issue. .Yet, he switched to the Liberal caucus before the federal budget was even released, offering multiple conflicting explanations over several days.The letter emphasizes that many constituents in his Nova Scotia district are angry over the floor-crossing. Surveys cited by Democracy Watch show that only 17% of Canadians trust politicians, reflecting the widespread perception that such moves erode confidence in elected officials.“Floor-crossing is a fundamental violation of the right of voters to make an informed choice when voting, and the dishonesty and lack of integrity that is at the core of floor-crossing is a clear violation of the code of conduct for MPs,” said Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch. .He also criticized the Ethics Commissioner for failing to act on similar complaints in the past.The group is calling for reforms to give the public the right to file complaints under the MP Code and the Conflict of Interest Act, ensuring transparency and accountability when MPs or Cabinet officials break the rules.The Ethics Commissioner has not yet responded to the request for a ruling on d’Entremont’s floor-crossing.
