By Joe Gaetan
November 10th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont resigned from the Conservative caucus to join the Liberals, a move that nudges Prime Minister Mark Carney closer to a majority government.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and MP Chris d’Entremont.
In Canadian politics, this kind of move isn’t new. From time to time, an elected member who ran under one party’s banner decides to “cross the floor.” One side pops the champagne, the other fumes. It’s the political version of a player switching teams mid-season, except the fans who bought the tickets don’t get a refund.
Crossing the floor always comes down to choice. A member can stay loyal to the party they ran for, sit as an independent, or, as d’Entremont just did, join another party altogether. Those who defend the move often say it’s about principle. Maybe the party changed. Maybe the leader lost their confidence. Maybe they believe they can do better somewhere else. Fair enough.
But here is another side to this story that rarely gets airtime: What about the people behind the scenes?
Every election campaign runs on an army of volunteers, ordinary folks who knock on doors in the rain, answer phones after work, deliver and collect lawn signs, and stay up until midnight as scrutineers making sure every vote is counted properly. Then comes election night, the hugs, the cheers, the victory speech, and the thank-you. Everyone there feels part of the winning team.
So when an elected MP decides to cross the floor, it’s not just their party that’s blindsided, it’s the very people who helped put them there. Were they given a heads-up? An explanation? Or did they find out on the evening news, coffee in hand, wondering what all that hard work was really for?
Politics will always be a mix of principle and pragmatism. This image is the pragmatism angle.
Politics will always be a mix of principle and pragmatism. But at the heart of it, what about the lost trust, what about the people who believed in you enough to give you their time, effort, and vote.
Standing up for your values is one thing. But crossing the floor sends a confusing message: are you standing on principle, or simply finding a more comfortable seat?
Maybe it’s time Canada and the Provinces took at a better look at how to handle this. When an MP of MPP, MLA,OR MNA changes teams, voters deserve a say. A simple rule should be: Holding a by-election. This would give constituents the final word. It would restore trust, show respect for the volunteers who made it possible, and remind every elected official who they really work for: us the people, not the party.
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Totally agree, it’s time for ordinary Canadians to take back control of our government. It’s time to remind politicians they work for us, not the other way around.
A NEW by-election in a month means… having the “aisle-crossing” incumbent go against a new candidate in the riding.
The incumbent will have the luxury of joining the existing riding association of their new party.
The local riding association for the “abandoned party” now has 30 days to find a new candidate. Have the person vetted, have them agree to run, get a bio and photographs, print lawn signs and cards, raise funds, etc.
This work is put upon the SAME disheartened volunteers in the riding office who need to restart their whole process again.
Those SAME people who volunteer in the Riding Office. Who meet regularly all year – every year. Who do the fundraising, the events, including setting up tents and tables, the banking, the audits, the mailers, the posters, renting the election office and staffing it. Installing the phones and furniture.
Keeping the phone & mailing lists up to date. Run to the PO Box.
The ones who greet the visitors, keep the website running. Contacting the media. Getting new members to join. Taking training. Issuing tax receipts.
Storing lawn signs in the off season in their garage.
Driving voters to the polls on election day.
Raising perhaps “$100,000” to get their candidate elected to office – on behalf of one political party – just to have all this effort – go to the other party’s benefit.
Now they need to raise another $100,000 (from donors who already donated once – only to see their donation vanish)
The incumbent who has name recognition and insight into ALL the previous party’s strategies and plans, especially in the local riding – will *DESTROY* the new candidate at any town hall debate.
NOTE – If a person is a member of one political party – they CANNOT be a member of a different political party. So when that person crosses the aisle – all their supporters need to renounce their membership.
Alan, what’s at stakes here is not the cost of a by election or whether, d’Entremont should sit as an independent. I have watched governments come and go but cannot recall a budget vote that carries the stakes quite like this one. Canada is at a crossroads, economically, socially, and politically. This budget is more than balancing ledgers; it will signal the direction of the nation for a generation.
Every member of Parliament must remember that their vote is not merely for or against a set of numbers. It is a vote on whether Canada has the courage to face its challenges with unity and foresight. Political gamesmanship, regional bargaining, or personal ambition have no place here.
Never before in my memory has the decision of a single member crossing the aisle carried such potential consequence. In moments like this, courage and conviction should guide every choice. The country is watching, history will remember who stood for Canada.