By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Recent floor crossings by Conservative MPs to the Liberal party have triggered debate across Canada.
That includes at Chatham-Kent council. The issue was to be discussed at the April 27 meeting following a motion put forward by North Kent Coun. Rhonda Jubenville.
If passed, Jubenville’s motion calls on the municipality to send a letter to the House of Commons to amend the Parliament of Canada Act. If an MP decides to cross the floor, new rules would require a byelection to be called if the MP vacates their seat to join another party.
The motion asks that the municipality also send letters to Middlesex-London MP Lianne Rood, who spearheaded a 110,572-signature petition calling for floor crossers to sit as independents until a byelection can be held; Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office; related government agencies; and Chatham-Kent-Leamington MP Dave Epp.
Floor crossings are not about partisan politics, Jubenville stressed.
“It doesn’t matter what side you’re on – whether you’re Liberal, Conservative or NDP. Everyone should have an expectation, that when someone is elected, they should represent that party.”
“Floor crossings are anti-democratic.”
And while it’s happened dozens of times in Canada’s history, Jubenville said floor crossings need to stop.
“It causes people to lose faith in the electoral system,” the councillor added. “People just aren’t going to vote.”
The recent floor crossing of longtime Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu to the Liberal Party has sparked outrage close to home. Gladu, who has represented the Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong riding under the Conservative flag since 2015, said she crossed because it’s what her constituents wanted.
“I know that you also want to see more direct support from your federal government at this crucial moment for our local and national economy, and I will be working relentlessly to advocate for the projects, priorities, and prosperity that our communities are counting on,” Gladu said in a statement posted to social media.
Pundits claim Gladu was tired of being a backbencher in the opposition, unable to get things done within her riding.
Meanwhile, former Conservative colleague Epp is not impressed. In an interview with The Voice, the MP said he’d been approached about crossing the floor to the Liberals. But he isn’t going anywhere.
The veteran Conservative said he didn’t know whether to be “honoured or embarrassed” by the ask, noting that while floor crossing is a “constitutional right” under the Westminster system, he’s not a fan.
Epp points out there have been 300 floor crossings since Confederation in 1867, and that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill crossed the floor twice.
Epp said the difference this time is that the exodus of Conservative MPs to the Liberals means the Grits were able to clinch an “artificial” majority government which is unprecedented.
“When someone does that, they betray their voters, donors and supporters,” Epp added. “They have to live with the consequences. They flipped a minority government and that’s not the will of the people.”
