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More than 300 MPs have crossed the floor in Parliament since Confederation
Since 1867, over 300 Canadian MPs have switched parties, including 80 in the last 25 years, influencing seat counts in the current minority Parliament.
- On Feb. 18, 2026, The Canadian Press reported that more than 300 members of Parliament have changed parties since 1867, with Alberta MP Matt Jeneroux recently crossing the floor to join the Liberal caucus, increasing their seats by one.
- The historical record shows Stewart Campbell, Nova Scotia MP, was the first floor-crosser in 1868, and some MPs said they switched to block the Bloc Québécois or due to misaligned party environments.
- In one high-profile case, David Emerson, former Liberal MP turned Conservative, jumped benches two weeks after winning as a Liberal and accepted a role in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's first cabinet, prompting an inquiry by the Office of the Ethics Commissioner that found no rules were broken.
- The Liberals now remain over 300 seats short of a majority after recent resignations, and a Supreme Court of Canada ruling cost the government a seat, impacting parliamentary math.
- Library of Parliament data shows about 80 MPs switched parties between elections in the last 25 years, and Ontario MP Michael Ma defected to the Carney Liberals on Dec. 18 amid recent months' shifts.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
More than 300 MPs have crossed the floor in Parliament since Confederation
Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada
Third Conservative MP Crosses Floor to Join Carney's Liberals
A third Conservative member of parliament broke ranks Wednesday, joining Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals and pushing the governing party within reach of an outright parliamentary majority. Carney confirmed on social media that Matt Jeneroux — an Alberta MP who held the Edmonton Riverbend riding for three consecutive terms dating back to 2015 — had switched allegiances. The addition lifts the Liberal seat count to 169, three short of the 17…
The Conservative MP for Charlevoix–Montmorency, Gabriel Hardy, denounces Matt Jeneroux's support for the Liberal Party, seeing it as a way for the government to "govern as if he had a majority." Matt Jeneroux was elected Member of Parliament for Edmonton Riverbend under the Conservative banner on April 28, 2025. He became the third Conservative MP to take the leap to the Liberal Party of Canada over the past few weeks. "Canadians have given the …
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Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources lean Left
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