The Career Ender

Dallas Brodie

2025

BC Conservative → IndependentMLABritish Columbia

0/5

Brodie, BC Conservative MLA, left the party caucus in 2025 amid internal disputes, sitting as an independent.

Armstrong, BC Conservative MLA, left the party caucus in 2025 amid disagreements with party leadership.

Lela Evans

2024Notable

NDP → Prog. ConservativeMHANewfoundland

1/5

Evans had left the PCs for the NDP in 2022. Just two years later, she went back to the PCs. She represents one of Canada's most remote ridings - Torngat Mountains in Labrador, h…

Lela Evans (1st crossing)

2022Notable

Progressive Conservative → NDPMLANewfoundland and Labrador

1/5

Lela Evans, the Progressive Conservative MHA for Torngat Mountains — a vast northern Labrador riding representing predominantly Inuit and Innu communities — resigned from the PC…

Samson, CAQ MNA for Iberville, was expelled from the CAQ caucus in 2021 after it was revealed she had donated to the Conservative Party of Quebec. She then joined the Conservati…

Maxime Bernier

2018Notable

Conservative → People's PartyMPQuebec

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Bernier narrowly lost the Conservative leadership race to Andrew Scheer (by less than 2%). Bitter about the loss, he left to start his own party - the People's Party of Canada -…

MacLaren, Ontario PC MPP for Carleton-Mississippi Mills, was expelled from the PC caucus after making offensive comments about francophones. He briefly associated with the Trill…

Adams, Conservative MP for Mississauga-Brampton South, crossed to the Liberals in February 2015 after being denied a Conservative nomination. She was personally welcomed by Just…

Bellavance, BQ MP for Richmond-Arthabaska since 2004, left the Bloc to sit as an independent, expressing disillusionment with the party's direction.

On December 17, 2014, Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith led nine of the party's seventeen MLAs across the floor of the Alberta Legislature to join the governing Progressive C…

Ian Donovan

2014

Wildrose Alliance → Progressive ConservativeMLAAlberta

1/5

Donovan, Wildrose MLA for Little Bow, crossed to the PCs in November 2014 alongside Kerry Towle.

Fortin left the BQ to co-found the Strength in Democracy (Force et Démocratie) party with Jean-François Larose, seeking a new approach to Quebec nationalism.

Jean-François Larose

2014

New Democratic Party → Strength in DemocracyMPQuebec

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Larose, NDP MP for Repentigny, left the NDP to co-found the Strength in Democracy (Force et Démocratie) party with Jean-François Fortin.

Kerry Towle

2014

Wildrose Alliance → Progressive ConservativeMLAAlberta

1/5

Towle, Wildrose MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, crossed to the PCs in November 2014, weeks before Danielle Smith's mass crossing. She was unhappy with Smith's leadership.

Sana Hassainia

2014Notable

NDP → IndependentMPQuebec

0/5

Hassainia disagreed with NDP leader Thomas Mulcair's position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She left the party over it.

Brent Rathgeber

2013Notable

Conservative → IndependentMPAlberta

0/5

Rathgeber was a Conservative backbencher who became increasingly frustrated with Stephen Harper's tight control over MPs. He felt MPs were being treated as rubber stamps rather …

Patry, NDP MP for Jonquière-Alma, crossed to the Bloc Québécois in February 2013, saying he could better serve his constituents and Quebec national interests with the BQ.

Dean Del Mastro

2013Notable

Conservative → IndependentMPOntario

0/5

Del Mastro had been one of PM Harper's closest allies - his parliamentary secretary. He left caucus after being charged by Elections Canada with overspending on his campaign and…

Lamrock, New Brunswick Liberal MLA for Fredericton-Fort Nashwaak and former Education Minister, left the Liberals to join the NB NDP, citing a shift in his political views towar…

Maria Mourani

2013Notable

Bloc Québécois → IndependentMPQuebec

0/5

Mourani left the Bloc and publicly renounced her belief in Quebec sovereignty - a fundamental change of heart. She wanted to join the NDP, but the NDP has a policy against accep…

Bruce Hyer

2012Notable

New Democratic Party → Green PartyMPOntario

1/5

Hyer, NDP MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North, left the NDP in 2012 over the party's whipped vote on the long-gun registry. He sat as an independent before joining the Greens in 2…

Rebello, PQ MNA for La Prairie, left the PQ to join the Coalition Avenir Québec, citing the CAQ's pragmatic approach as more appealing than the PQ's sovereignty focus.

John van Dongen

2012

BC Liberal → BC ConservativeMLABritish Columbia

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Van Dongen, a long-serving BC Liberal MLA, crossed to the BC Conservatives in 2012, citing dissatisfaction with Premier Christy Clark's leadership.

St-Denis, NDP MP for Saint-Maurice-Champlain, crossed to the Liberals in January 2012, just months after the NDP's historic Quebec sweep, saying she had always been a Liberal at…

Six PQ MNAs — Louise Beaudoin, Pierre Curzi, Lisette Lapointe, Jean-Martin Aussant, Benoit Charette, and René Gauvreau — left the PQ to sit as independents, citing deep dissatis…

Guy Boutilier

2010

Progressive Conservative → WildroseMLAAlberta

3/5

Boutilier, Alberta PC MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, was ejected from the PC caucus in 2009 for publicly criticizing the government's response to the oilsands housing crisi…

Riedl and Auger, Quebec ADQ MNAs, crossed the floor to join the governing Quebec Liberals under Jean Charest as the ADQ declined.

Blair Wilson

2008Notable

Independent → Green PartyMPBritish Columbia

0/5

Wilson had resigned from the Liberal caucus over allegations about his finances. He then joined the Green Party, becoming their first-ever Member of Parliament.

Garth Turner

2007Notable

Conservative → LiberalMPOntario

1/5

Turner was expelled from the Conservative caucus in October 2006 for publicly criticizing the party. After sitting as an independent, he joined the Liberals in February 2007.

MacAlpine-Stiles and Stiles, married New Brunswick PC MLAs, both crossed the floor to join the governing Liberals of Shawn Graham.

Joseph R. "Joe" Comuzzi, a Liberal MP from Thunder Bay—Superior North since 1988, was suspended from the Liberal caucus in March 2007 after voting in favour of the Harper Conser…

Louise Thibault, a Bloc Québécois MP for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, left the BQ caucus in April 2007 to sit as an Independent. Thibault was elected in the 2004 e…

Peterson, Ontario Liberal MPP for Mississauga South, left the Liberals in March 2007 over policy disagreements and joined the PCs in June 2007.

Branch, New Brunswick Liberal MLA for Nepisiguit, left the Liberal caucus to sit as an independent over policy disagreements with the government.

Malley, New Brunswick PC MLA, left the PC caucus to sit as an independent following disputes with the party leadership.

Desjarlais, NDP MP for Churchill, voted against same-sex marriage in defiance of her party's position. She lost her NDP nomination and sat as an independent.

David Kilgour (2nd crossing)

2005Notable

Liberal → IndependentMPAlberta

0/5

Kilgour left the Liberal caucus in 2005, citing the sponsorship scandal and disagreements on Sudan policy. This was his second floor crossing — he had previously crossed from th…

O'Brien left the Liberal caucus over the government's same-sex marriage legislation, sitting as an independent.

André Bachand, a Progressive Conservative MP for Richmond—Arthabaska since 1997, refused to join the newly merged Conservative Party of Canada on February 2, 2004, choosing inst…

Cools, a Liberal senator since 1984, crossed to the newly formed Conservative Party in 2004 over her opposition to same-sex marriage legislation. She was the first Black Canadia…

Carolyn Parrish

2004Notable

Liberal → IndependentMPOntario

0/5

Parrish was expelled from the Liberal caucus after publicly insulting Prime Minister Paul Martin and famously stomping on a George W. Bush doll on a comedy TV show.

Chuck Cadman

2004Notable

Conservative → IndependentMPBritish Columbia

2/5

Chuck Cadman, the Conservative MP for Surrey North and a well-known victims' rights advocate whose teenage son Jesse had been murdered in 1992, lost the Conservative Party nomin…

Masyk, Alberta PC MLA for Edmonton-Norwood, crossed the floor to join the Alberta Alliance Party over disagreements with PC governance.

Bryden, Liberal MP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot, crossed to the newly formed Conservative Party in 2004, disagreeing with Liberal policies.

John Herron, a Progressive Conservative MP for Fundy—Royal since 1997, was one of the last three sitting PC MPs to refuse to join the new Conservative Party of Canada when it wa…

Larry Spencer, a Canadian Alliance MP for Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, was expelled from the Alliance caucus in November 2003 after making controversial comments to a newspaper c…

Pierre Brien

2003

Bloc Québécois → IndependentMPQuebec

0/5

Brien, Bloc Québécois MP for Témiscamingue, left the BQ to sit as an independent, expressing waning interest in the sovereignist cause.

Lanctôt, Bloc Québécois MP for Châteauguay, crossed to the Liberals in late 2003, joining the Paul Martin government.

Lebel, Bloc Québécois MP for Chambly, left the BQ caucus to sit as an independent over disagreements with the party leadership.

Pankiw, MP for Saskatoon-Humboldt, was part of the DRC dissidents from the Alliance. He sat as an independent after failing to join other parties, known for controversial views.

Carignan, a Liberal senator from Quebec, left the Liberal caucus to sit as an independent in the Senate over policy disagreements.

Jack Ramsay

2000

Reform Party → IndependentMPAlberta

0/5

Jack Ramsay, a Reform Party MP for Crowfoot in Alberta and former RCMP officer, was suspended from the Reform caucus in November 1999 following criminal charges and personal con…

Jake Hoeppner, a Reform Party MP for Portage—Lisgar in Manitoba, had a prolonged falling out with the party that began with his suspension from caucus in July 1999. Hoeppner was…

Jim Jones

2000

Progressive Conservative → Canadian AllianceMPOntario

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Jim Jones, a Progressive Conservative MP for Markham in Ontario, defected to the newly formed Canadian Alliance in September 2000. Jones had been expelled from the PC caucus in …

Angela Vautour

1999Notable

NDP → Prog. ConservativeMPNew Brunswick

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One of the most dramatic ideological shifts - from the left-wing NDP all the way to the right-wing Progressive Conservatives.

Castrilli, Ontario Liberal MPP for Downsview, crossed to the PCs after losing her Liberal nomination due to riding redistribution. She joined the governing party of Mike Harris.

Bill Matthews, a Progressive Conservative MP for Burin—St. George's in Newfoundland, crossed to the Liberal Party in August 1999. Matthews had been elected as a PC in 1997 and w…

Réjean Lefebvre, a Bloc Québécois MP, left the party caucus in January 1999 following personal disputes with the party leadership. Lefebvre had been elected in the 1993 BQ sweep…

Cullen, Ontario Liberal MPP for Ottawa West, left the Liberals to join the Ontario NDP, citing disagreements over the party's direction on social policy.

Bernard St-Laurent, a Bloc Québécois MP for Manicouagan, broke with the party in March 1997 following internal disputes with the BQ leadership. St-Laurent had been elected in th…

Gooshen, Saskatchewan PC MLA, refused to join the new Saskatchewan Party formed from the merger of PCs and Liberals, choosing instead to sit as an independent.

Janet (Jan) Brown

1996

Reform Party → IndependentMPAlberta

0/5

Jan Brown, a Reform Party MP for Calgary Southeast, was suspended from the Reform caucus on May 7, 1996, after clashing repeatedly with the party leadership. Brown had been one …

Bhaduria was removed from the Liberal caucus after controversy over falsified educational credentials and a previous court case. He sat as an independent, styling himself a "Lib…

Denis Pronovost, a Progressive Conservative MP from Quebec, left the Conservative caucus in June 1993 as the Mulroney government was in its death throes. Pronovost was part of t…

Dennis Drainville

1993

Ontario NDP → IndependentMPPOntario

0/5

Drainville, Ontario NDP MPP for Victoria-Haliburton, quit the NDP caucus to sit as an independent to protest the Rae government's decision to allow casino gambling in Ontario.

Gilles Bernier, a Progressive Conservative MP for Beauce since 1984, was a colourful Quebec politician who ran as an Independent in the October 1993 election after being denied …

McPherson, Saskatchewan NDP MLA, left the NDP to join the Liberals.

Holden represented English-speaking Westmount in a party that fought for English language rights. He crossed to the Parti Québécois - a French-first, pro-independence party. It …

Alex Kindy, a Progressive Conservative MP for Calgary East since 1968, was suspended from the Conservative caucus on April 11, 1990, alongside David Kilgour, for voting against …

Tremblay was a PC MP who left to join the new Bloc Québécois movement.

Chartrand was among the PC MPs who followed Lucien Bouchard to form the Bloc Québécois after the Meech Lake Accord failure.

Rocheleau was one of the Liberal MPs who left to co-found the Bloc Québécois after the Meech Lake Accord failed.

John Patrick (Pat) Nowlan

1990

Progressive Conservative → Independent ConservativeMPNova Scotia

0/5

Pat Nowlan, a veteran Progressive Conservative MP for Annapolis Valley—Hants who had served since 1965, left the Conservative caucus in June 1990 over deep disagreements with Br…

Richard Grisé, a Progressive Conservative MP from Quebec's Chambly riding, was effectively expelled from the PC caucus in April 1989 over personal conduct issues that made his c…

Donald James Johnston

1988Notable

Liberal → Independent LiberalMPQuebec

1/5

Donald Johnston, a prominent Montreal Liberal MP and former cabinet minister under Pierre Trudeau and John Turner, broke with the Liberal Party in January 1988 over his vehement…

Suzanne Blais-Grenier was a Quebec Progressive Conservative MP who had served as Minister of State for the Environment in Brian Mulroney's first cabinet — the first woman to hol…

Toupin left the Conservatives, tried to join the Liberals - but the Liberals said no. He briefly joined the NDP, then sat alone as an independent.

Lupusella, Ontario NDP MPP for Dovercourt, left the NDP to join the Ontario Liberals alongside David Ramsay.

Graham Lea

1985

NDP → BC ConservativeMLABritish Columbia

0/5

Lea, NDP MLA for Prince Rupert and former cabinet minister, left the NDP after losing the 1984 leadership race. He sat briefly with the United Party before joining the BC Conser…

Ittinuar, the first Inuk elected to Parliament (NDP, Nunatsiaq), crossed to the Liberals, reportedly under pressure and the promise of advancement for northern issues.

William Yurko, a Progressive Conservative MP for Edmonton East and former Alberta provincial cabinet minister, broke with his party in January 1982 over fundamental disagreement…

Collver, former leader of the Saskatchewan PCs, and fellow MLA Dennis Ham left to form the Unionest Party, which controversially advocated for western Canadian provinces joining…

Ralph Wesley Stewart, a Liberal MP from British Columbia, crossed the floor to join the Progressive Conservative Party in 1979. Stewart's crossing came during a period when the …

James Armstrong Richardson

1978Notable

Liberal → IndependentMPManitoba

0/5

Richardson, former Defence Minister, resigned from the Liberal cabinet and caucus over his opposition to official bilingualism and the government's language policies.

René Matte, one of the last remaining Créditiste MPs in the House of Commons, was expelled from what remained of the Social Credit/Créditiste caucus in 1978. By this point, the …

Stanley Stanford Schumacher, a Conservative MP from Palliser in Alberta, left the PC caucus to sit as an Independent in 1978 over a dispute with party leader Joe Clark. Schumach…

Gilbert Rondeau, a Créditiste/Social Credit MP from Quebec, was expelled from the Social Credit caucus around 1977 during the death throes of the Social Credit movement in feder…

Paul Hellyer

1972

Independent → Progressive ConservativeMPOntario

0/5

After leaving the Liberals to sit as an independent in 1971, Hellyer joined the Progressive Conservatives in 1972, hoping to run for the PC leadership.

Raymond Rock

1972

Liberal → New Democratic PartyMPQuebec

0/5

Rock, Liberal MP for Lachine, crossed to the NDP over disagreements with the Liberal government's policies.

Paul Hellyer

1971Notable

Liberal → IndependentMPOntario

0/5

Hellyer left the Liberals, tried to start his own party, joined the Conservatives, then went back to the Liberals, then started another party. He crossed the floor more times th…

Ryan, Liberal MP for Toronto Spadina, crossed to the Progressive Conservatives over policy disagreements with the Trudeau government.

Gordon Minto Churchill

1968Notable

Progressive Conservative → Independent Progressive ConservativeMPManitoba

0/5

Gordon Churchill was a towering figure in Progressive Conservative politics — one of John Diefenbaker's most loyal cabinet ministers who served as Minister of Trade and Commerce…

Léon Balcer

1965Notable

Progressive Conservative → IndependentMPQuebec

0/5

Léon Balcer, one of the most senior Quebec Progressive Conservative MPs and a former cabinet minister under John Diefenbaker, left the PC caucus in 1965 over what he saw as the …

Rémi Paul, a Progressive Conservative MP from Quebec, left the PC caucus around 1965 as part of the broader Quebec Conservative revolt against John Diefenbaker's leadership. Lik…

Ouellet and Girouard, Social Credit MPs from Quebec, left the fragmenting Social Credit party to join the Progressive Conservatives.

Sam Drover

1955Notable

Liberal → CCFMHANewfoundland

0/5

Drover left the Newfoundland Liberal Party to become the province's first Member of the House of Assembly representing the CCF (predecessor to the NDP).

Maxime Raymond

1943Notable

Liberal → Bloc populaire canadienMPQuebec

0/5

Maxime Raymond, a veteran Liberal MP from Quebec, founded the Bloc populaire canadien in September 1942, breaking decisively with the Liberal Party over Prime Minister Mackenzie…

James Samuel Taylor

1937

Co-operative Commonwealth Federation → IndependentMPBritish Columbia

0/5

James Samuel Taylor, the CCF MP for Nanaimo in British Columbia, was expelled from or left the CCF caucus around 1937. Taylor was one of the CCF's earliest elected members, winn…

Ernest Edward Perley, a Liberal MP from Saskatchewan, crossed to the Conservative Party around 1935 during the Great Depression. Like several western MPs, Perley was dissatisfie…

Henry Herbert Stevens

1935Notable

Conservative → Reconstruction PartyMPBritish Columbia

0/5

During the Great Depression, Stevens investigated big companies that were exploiting workers and farmers. His own party tried to stop him. So he left and started his own party.

George William Andrews

1919Notable

Liberal-Unionist → IndependentMPManitoba

0/5

Andrews represented the heart of Winnipeg. When the government violently crushed the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919, he couldn't stay in the party. He left to sit alone as an i…

Achim, a Conservative MP from Quebec, broke with the party over the conscription crisis and re-aligned with the Laurier Liberals opposing compulsory military service.