A new House of Commons petition is calling for MPs who cross the floor to be forced into an immediate byelection, arguing that recent defections have shaken voter confidence and undermined the mandate voters thought they were giving their representatives.Petition E‑7025, sponsored by Conservative MP Lianne Rood, says unrestricted floor‑crossing has become a growing concern for Canadians who expect their elected officials to remain aligned with the party they campaigned under. Petitioners wrote that switching parties mid‑term “erodes voter trust” and fuels worries about opportunism over principle.The petition points to recent examples, including former Conservative MPs Michael Ma and Chris d’Entremont, who joined the Liberal caucus late last year. Petitioners argued that neither move followed any shift in the Conservative platform, saying voters “deserve immediate accountability” when an MP crosses the floor and potentially changes the balance of Parliament without public approval..Rood did not comment on her decision to sponsor the petition. The Parliament of Canada Act currently allows MPs to cross the floor without consequence, but petitioners want the law amended so that any MP who joins another registered party must vacate their seat and trigger a byelection in their riding.Attempts to impose similar rules have repeatedly failed. Former NDP MP Peter Stoffer introduced multiple private bills beginning in 2000, and current interim NDP leader Don Davies twice proposed legislation requiring byelections for defectors. Davies previously described floor‑crossing as a betrayal of voters.Canada has seen several high‑profile defections over the years. Green MP Jenica Atwin left for the Liberals in 2021, while Liberal MP Leona Alleslev crossed to the Conservatives in 2018. Others were enticed by cabinet roles, including David Emerson in 2006, Belinda Stronach in 2005, and Jack Horner in 1979 — none of whom were re‑elected.One of the most consequential episodes came in 1917, when nine Liberal MPs left their caucus over conscription and joined the pro‑draft Conservatives. All were re‑elected as Unionists.
