Sometimes when you cross the floor you are called principled, brave, honourable, sometimes you are called a whore, traitor, a cheat. Since 2005 I have had to come to grips with the parliamentary tradition of crossing the floor. It is an old tradition in our system. One that is both honoured and vilified depending on the side you are on. After the David Emerson switch in 2006 I have come to grips with the whole idea and I think I accept it as a method for MLAs and MPs to have independence.
I believe MPs and MLAs should have the power to cross the floor because it represents one form of representation they do have. Far to often they are whipped and told how to vote and how to debate. They are given the old puff ball questions to ask, basically they are told the debate ends after caucus meetings. Sometimes not even then.
As a member of the Reform Party I know I supported the need for less whipping of votes, more free votes and more independence. When we all complain about how restrictive our system is we must remember floor crossing is part of the deal.
I used to think it was a bad idea but now I just think if we allow recall there is no need for punishing those who cross the floor. If you want to punish them force a recall election get your signatures and be done with it. Then the voters can decide they want to hold a by-election. Usually those who want to “fix” the system are the same people who are in other parties and would not say thing one if it was to their team. In fact it is the same argument about the NDP support for proportional representation voting, that the NDP would support it only until they get elected as government.
Our British parliamentary system is based in part on the independence of the members and I think an important part for that is to change sides. We may not like their choice, and we are free to punish them for it at the next election if they have “betrayed” us. The offer of plum positions unfortunately seems to be par for the course.
Although I am having trouble seeing the plum side of sitting as the third party in opposition.
For more on this argument go here.
Tags: floor crossing, parliament, Politics
