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Idlout one of more than 300 MPs who have crossed the floor in Parliament’s history
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout is the fourth MP to join the Liberal caucus in four months, narrowing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s majority gap to two seats, with three byelections upcoming.
- On Wednesday, Nunavut MP Lori Idlout left the NDP to join the Liberal caucus in Ottawa, becoming the fourth MP to cross the floor in four months.
- Idlout cited feedback from constituents and her family as the primary reason for her decision, making her the first NDP member to join Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal caucus.
- The defection places Carney's government within two seats of a majority, with three crucial byelections scheduled for April 13 that remain consequential for the government's legislative standing.
- Library of Parliament data shows over 300 MPs have changed parties while in office since Confederation, with about 80 changing affiliation between elections over the last 25 years.
- The practice of floor-crossing dates back to 1868 when Stewart Campbell, a Nova Scotian, became the first known MP to switch parties, establishing a controversial tradition in Canadian parliamentary history.
25 Articles
25 Articles
How rare is it for a prime minister to attract 4 floor-crossers in 4 months?
Floor-crossing has always been a feature of Canadian politics dating back to the first Parliament — and seeing four opposition MPs jump ship to join the government in a matter of months is rare but not unprecedented.
Editorial: Crossing the floor, crossing the line
Read: 2 min The Liberal government is inching its way toward a majority by stealth. On Tuesday, NDP MP Lori Idlout crossed the floor to join the Liberals, leaving the governing party with 170 seats. With three upcoming by-elections, the party has strong odds of reaching the 172-seat threshold required for a majority. If it does, it will be a technical win for the party, but a loss for democracy. Idlout, of course, is not an isolated incident. S…
Idlout one of more than 300 MPs who have crossed the floor in Parliament's history
OTTAWA — When Nunavut MP Lori Idlout left the NDP to join the Liberals on Wednesday, she became the fourth member of Parliament to do so in the last four months. But she is one of more than 300 members of Parliament to cross the floor since Confederation. The move pushes Prime Minister Mark Carney’s […]
The Toronto Star
Idlout one of more than 300 MPs who have crossed the floor in Parliament’s history
OTTAWA - When Nunavut MP Lori Idlout left the NDP to join the Liberals on Wednesday, she became the fourth member of Parliament to do so in the last four
The Numbers: Floor-crossing + Byelections = Carney majority?
Mark Carney’s Liberals have a majority in sight after adding Nunavut MP Lori Idlout to their ranks. The former New Democrats has pushed the Liberals to 170 seats in the House of Commons, meaning they are only two short of a majority with three vacancies set to be filled in a trio of byelections on April 13.This week on The Numbers, we discuss Idlout’s floor-crossing, the byelection calendar and what it all means for the Liberals and the oppositi…
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