FIRST READING: These are not normal floor crossings |
Floor-crossers usually provide some grievance or goal after defecting, or they'll at least have an established pattern of dissent
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Floor-crossings are obviously nothing new in Canadian politics, but the recent defection of two Conservative MPs to the Liberals has broken all the usual rules of how these things usually take place.
Typically, floor-crossers can cite some specific grievance or goal in switching teams. Or at the very least, they’ll have a demonstrated pattern of dissent or disillusionment with their former team.
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But with ex-Tories Chris d’Entremont and Michael Ma, neither man could cite a specific reason why he crossed to the government benches. What’s more, they both demonstrated perfect party loyalty right until the moment they no longer did.
When d’Entremont joined the Liberals on Nov. 4, he said he did it because he wanted to be in government instead of the opposition.
“After five years of serving in opposition, the people of Acadie-Annapolis and all Canadians know that the moment we face today needs all of us to lead — not with complaint, but with confidence in a strong future,” read d’Entremont’s official statement.
Ma’s Dec. 11 statement announcing his defection similarly........