NDP Parliamentary Leader Don Davies introduces legislation to ban floor crossing without voter consent « Canada’s NDP
OTTAWA — NDP Parliamentary Leader Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway) today introduced Bill C-278, legislation to ban Members of Parliament from crossing the floor without the approval of their constituents.
“Elections are a fundamental expression of democratic choice,” said Davies. “When MPs cross the floor, they unilaterally override the decision made by voters. That has serious consequences for the integrity of our democracy.”
Davies pointed to his own riding of Vancouver Kingsway, where in 2006 David Emerson was elected as a Liberal before crossing the floor within weeks to join the Conservative cabinet. The move sparked widespread public outrage across partisan lines, but Davies emphasized that it was not an isolated case.
More recently, Mark Carney became the first Prime Minister in Canadian history to form a majority government through floor crossing rather than a general election.
“This is fundamentally undemocratic,” Davies said. “When governments are built not on the clear mandate of voters, but on backroom political maneuvering, the legitimacy of our institutions is undermined.”
Bill C-278 would not prevent MPs from leaving their caucus or changing their political affiliation. Instead, it would require any MP who wishes to join another party’s caucus to either seek a renewed mandate through a by-election or sit as an independent until the next general election.
“The power to decide who governs belongs exclusively to Canadian votes,” Davies concluded. “No elected official should be able to campaign under one party banner and then govern under another without returning to the people for approval. This bill defends that basic principle of democratic accountability.”