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40 politicians who crossed the floor in Canadian parliamentary history.
2020
1999
2005
Belinda Stronach is a Canadian businesswoman and former politician. The daughter of Magna International founder Frank Stronach, she ran for the Conservative leadership in 2004 before crossing to the Liberals in 2005, receiving a cabinet post as Minister of Human Resources on the same day. Her crossing preserved the Martin government during a crucial confidence vote.
2008
2024
2013
Brent Rathgeber is a Canadian politician and lawyer from Alberta. He resigned from the Conservative caucus in 2013, citing excessive control by the Prime Minister's Office over backbench MPs. He sat as an independent and wrote a book about his experience, "Irresponsible Government."
2023
2004
2025
2006
David Emerson is a Canadian businessman and former politician. Elected as a Liberal in January 2006, he crossed to the Conservatives just two weeks later to serve in Stephen Harper's cabinet as Minister of International Trade and later Minister of Foreign Affairs. His crossing was one of the most controversial in modern Canadian history.
1990
2013
2002
1917
1975
1919
George William Andrews was a Canadian politician and lawyer from Winnipeg. He left the Liberal-Unionist caucus in 1919 to protest the government's violent suppression of the Winnipeg General Strike. He never returned to federal politics, sacrificing his career for his principles.
1962
Hazen Argue was a Canadian politician. After losing the NDP leadership to Tommy Douglas in 1961, he crossed to the Liberals. He was appointed to the Senate in 1966. He resigned from the Senate in 1991 amid fraud charges related to expenses.
1935
1917
1977
Jack Horner was a Canadian politician from Alberta. He served as a Progressive Conservative MP from 1958 to 1977 before crossing to the Liberals, receiving a cabinet post as Minister without Portfolio on the same day. He lost his seat in the 1979 election.
2021
1996
1869
Joseph Howe was a Nova Scotian politician, journalist, and statesman. He led the anti-Confederation movement in Nova Scotia but ultimately joined the federal government after negotiating better financial terms for his province. He served as President of the Privy Council and later as Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.
2024
2018
1990
2013
2026
2018
Maxime Bernier is a Canadian politician from Quebec. After narrowly losing the 2017 Conservative leadership race, he left the party in 2018 to found the People's Party of Canada. Despite running in multiple elections, his new party has failed to win any seats beyond his own in 2019.
2025
1971
1967
Rene Levesque was a Quebec journalist and politician who served as the 23rd Premier of Quebec from 1976 to 1985. After leaving the Quebec Liberal Party in 1967 over sovereignty, he founded the Parti Quebecois. He held a referendum on Quebec sovereignty in 1980 and enacted the Charter of the French Language (Bill 101).
1992
1869
Sir Richard John Cartwright was a Canadian politician who served as Minister of Finance under Alexander Mackenzie. Originally a Conservative, he crossed to the Liberals after being passed over for the Finance portfolio by Sir John A. Macdonald.
1986
1955
Ross Thatcher was a Canadian politician who served as the 10th Premier of Saskatchewan. Originally a CCF (socialist) MP, his views shifted rightward and he left the party. He later became leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party and won the premiership in 1964.
2014
2016
2003
Scott Brison is a Canadian politician who served as President of the Treasury Board. Originally a Progressive Conservative, he crossed to the Liberals in 2003 after the Conservative merger. He rose to become a senior cabinet minister under Justin Trudeau before resigning in 2019.
1917