Édouard Lacroix

Édouard Lacroix, a wealthy Quebec lumber baron and Liberal MP, joined Maxime Raymond's Bloc populaire canadien in 1943, providing the fledgling party with crucial financial backing. Like Raymond, Lacroix opposed conscription for overseas service and saw the 1942 plebiscite as a betrayal of Quebec by English Canada. His defection was particularly significant because of his personal wealth — he was one of the richest MPs in the House — and his influence in Quebec's forestry-dependent regions.

Lacroix ran under the Bloc populaire banner in the 1945 election but was defeated. He eventually returned to the Liberal fold and was appointed to the Senate in 1950, demonstrating the resilience of the patronage system — even floor crossers could be rehabilitated if they eventually returned to the winning side.