Majority of Canadians Oppose Inducements for Floor Crossers, Poll Finds
A significant new poll reveals deep divisions among Canadians regarding the ethics of political floor crossing, with half of respondents expressing concerns about Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal government potentially achieving a majority through this controversial parliamentary practice.
Sharp Partisan Divides on Floor Crossing Ethics
The Postmedia-Leger survey, conducted between January 23 and 26, 2026, with 1,611 respondents, shows that 51% of Canadians believe it would be "unethical" for the Liberal government to secure a razor-thin majority by attracting additional opposition MPs to cross the floor. This sentiment persists despite the fact that 42% of respondents overall believe floor crossing should be permitted within Canada's parliamentary system.
The poll reveals stark partisan differences:
- 62% of Liberal voters support allowing MPs to switch parties
- 61% of NDP voters share this view
- 63% of Conservative voters believe MPs should be barred from changing parties
These divisions come just two months after Conservative MPs Chris d'Entremont and Michael Ma crossed the floor to join the governing Liberals, bringing Carney's government within one seat of a parliamentary majority.
Public Concern Over Parliamentary Practices
Andrew Enns, executive vice-president at Leger, noted that "supporters of the Liberal party will be pretty ambivalent about it, going, 'hey, it's allowed in our system' and 'it's part of democracy'" while "Conservatives obviously are a little more exercised by it... and see it more through that negative lens."
The survey indicates that 67% of Canadians agree that political parties should not be permitted to offer inducements to attract floor crossers, suggesting widespread concern about potential ethical violations in the process.
Mixed Views Within Liberal Support Base
Even among Liberal respondents, opinions remain divided, with only 46% believing it would be ethical for their party to achieve a majority through floor crossing. This internal division highlights the complexity of the issue within the governing party's own support base.
Enns warned that "the Liberals need to be a bit cautious because generally, Canadians feel that's a little bit outside of what they perceive the 'rules' are," adding that Liberal discussions about potential additional floor crossers have been perceived as somewhat "cavalier" by the public.
Parliamentary System Under Scrutiny
The poll raises fundamental questions about Canada's parliamentary democracy, where federal elections consist of 343 riding-level contests in which voters technically choose individual members of Parliament rather than political parties. Under current rules, MPs retain the freedom to change party affiliation at will until the next election.
However, the survey suggests most Canadians believe there should be a different process governing party switches, though respondents remain divided on what specific reforms should be implemented. This uncertainty reflects broader questions about democratic representation and accountability in Canada's political system.
The data indicates that voters' feelings about party defectors function as a political Rorschach test, revealing deep-seated beliefs about parliamentary ethics and democratic norms that vary significantly along partisan lines.
