Should MPs be allowed to switch parties? Answering your questions on the details of floor-crossing

Alex Ballingall, deputy Ottawa bureau chief chatted with readers about how switching parties affects our political system. Here’s what he said: 

Brian: An MP can be elected in part because the voters voted for a policy, or for the party leader. BUT parties are free to pick a new leader between elections … Carney, Scheer, O’Toole, Poilievre etc. and right now the NDP are picking one. Voters have no choice Why should (we) force an MP to quit and run in a byelection when the PM and the party’s policies can change so easily without the voters having any say? 

Alex Ballingall: I think what you’re advocating for here is more direct democracy — voter input not just during elections, but on policy positions between elections. We see this in action sometimes with referenda — Alberta has a few cooking for this fall right now — but it’s not a regular feature of our political system. 

Alexis: I think it’s important that MPs be able to cross the floor because they are the last line of defence against a corrupt government. Parties today exercise so much control over their MPs; they basically always get everyone voting their way. If a corrupt government — a Canadian Trump — would we just have MPs continue to vote the party line? Would they betray their party because the government has a (strong hold) on their vote? 

Alex Ballingall: You bring up a lot of interesting points. The way our system has evolved, party leaders and especially the prime minister have a lot of power. The ultimate source of their power over MPs is their ability to control who gets to run for the party. The ability to floor-cross is one way to escape their authority, though as it stands now MPs are essentially switching one master for another. 

Brett: Poilievre even lost his own riding then had to scurry over to Alberta to find constituents willing to take him. Should a politician be allowed to run in a riding where he doesn’t even live nearby? When your neighbours hate you that much, why are you even in Parliament?

Alex Ballingall: I would note that Jeneroux has not teed off on Poilievre to my knowledge since crossing the floor, so that part of his rationale is still publicly opaque. He framed it more positively (inspired by Carney and a desire to serve, essentially), but I would suspect his feelings about the current state of the Conservatives was also a factor. We’ll see when he finally gives us an interview! 

Christine: Jeneroux said in Nov that he would be stepping down to spend more time with his family and would donate his remaining MP salary to charity. If he intended to switch parties he should have done so well before now. Instead he’s now taking a made up position with the Liberals. The way this had played out looks like a selfish decision on his part and I wouldn’t trust him going forward.

Alex Ballingall: Many others have made the same point – that this shouldn’t be allowed without a byelection. We got an email earlier from Duff Conacher of Democracy Watch who said floor crossing should also be subjected to an analysis by the federal ethics commissioner, and only allowed if the watchdog determines the MP’s former party broke its election promises or was engaged in proven ethical lapses.

As for Jeneroux, we’ve reported on what happened here as much as we’ve been able to find out. It’s clear that he was seriously considering crossing the floor back in November, and stayed in touch with Liberals in the weeks until his decision. Here’s our story from yesterday surveying what we know about the Jeneroux floor-cross story.

Check out the comments section for Alex’s full answers, and lots more insight into how this part of democracy functions.