More than 110,000 Canadians have signed a parliamentary petition calling for Members of Parliament who switch parties mid-term to be forced into byelections, as debate intensifies over political defections that have shifted the balance in the House of Commons.The petition, which is now closed, gathered 110,561 signatures and was sponsored by Conservative MP Lianne Rood of Middlesex–London, Ontario. It is the first of four related petitions introduced in Parliament targeting MPs who cross the floor.Rood said the practice undermines public confidence in the democratic system.“Members of Parliament are elected to represent their constituents under a party banner,” she said. “The ability for an MP to switch parties erodes trust in our parliamentary system.”The petition calls for MPs who leave their party during a term to be required to sit as independents and trigger a byelection, arguing voters deserve direct accountability when elected representatives change political affiliation.“Voters deserve immediate accountability when an MP switches to another party mid-term, potentially altering Parliament’s balance without endorsement,” the petition states. It also warns against what it calls “opportunism over principle” in party switching.A formal government response is expected..Three additional petitions on the same issue have also been tabled in the House of Commons, attracting a combined 9,535 signatures so far. They are sponsored by Conservative MPs Cheryl Gallant, Jamie Schmale, and Vincent Ho.One proposal calls for mandatory byelections after any floor crossing, while others recommend introducing recall legislation that would allow voters to remove MPs who change parties between elections.Supporters argue the measures would restore accountability and strengthen voter control over elected representatives.The push comes after a series of high-profile defections that saw five opposition MPs join the Liberal caucus, including representatives from both the Conservatives and New Democrats. Those moves include crossings by MPs from Nunavut, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia between November and April.The wave of defections marks the largest shift of opposition MPs to a governing party since 1917, when nine MPs crossed the floor during the First World War conscription debate.
