~14 Alliance MPs form Democratic Representative Caucus

In the summer of 2001, approximately fourteen Canadian Alliance MPs — including Deborah Grey (the party's first-ever MP), Chuck Strahl, Grant McNally, Val Meredith, Jay Hill, Jim Pankiw, and Inky Mark — left the Alliance caucus to protest the leadership of Stockwell Day. They cited Day's authoritarian management style, his disastrous performance as leader during the 2000 election campaign, and his refusal to address internal party reform. The dissidents initially formed the "Democratic Representative Caucus" (DRC) and briefly allied with Joe Clark's Progressive Conservatives in a formal PC/DRC coalition recognized by the Speaker, giving them official opposition status and resources.

The rebellion succeeded in its primary goal: Day was forced to resign as Alliance leader, and Stephen Harper won the subsequent leadership race in March 2002. Most of the DRC rebels returned to the Alliance fold under Harper's leadership. Inky Mark joined the Progressive Conservatives permanently, while Jim Pankiw was denied readmission and sat as an Independent. The PC/DRC coalition dissolved. The episode was a dress rehearsal for the eventual Alliance-PC merger of 2003 that created the Conservative Party of Canada. It demonstrated that floor crossings could serve as a pressure valve for internal party disputes.