EDITORIAL: Carney gets majority and voters lose their voice

Floor-crossers should repay those who donated to their campaigns

Published Apr 12, 2026  •  2 minute read

Prime Minister Mark Carney leaves the stage after speaking during the 2026 Liberal National Convention in Montreal on April 11, 2026. Photo by ANDREJ IVANOV /AFP via Getty Images

Conventional wisdom says the recent floor-crossings by four Conservatives and one New Democrat to the Liberals are a betrayal of their parties and the leaders who got them elected.

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It’s not the whole story. What people like Sarnia-area MP Marilyn Gladu have done is betray their constituents and the party faithful who worked and donated to their campaigns.

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Elections are run by an unsung army of volunteers who work countless hours and canvass an endless number of doors. Why? Because, unlike floor-crossers, they believe in their party.

The candidate is merely the face of the party in that riding. The overriding allegiance of those volunteers is to the party, not the candidate.

Those who immerse themselves in the art of elections will tell you that, in most cases, the local candidate accounts for only about 5% of their vote. Overwhelmingly, voters elect the party, the leader and their platform.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s inability to accept the result of last year’s election, and his determination to achieve the majority government voters denied him, is causing cynicism at the local level of politics.

People who donated money to a particular campaign now find themselves disenfranchised most shamefully. Candidates who have crossed the floor should repay those who donated to their campaigns.

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Gladu and others who’ve crossed the floor say they’re responding to what they’re hearing from their constituents. What nonsense! In a democracy, the only consultation that counts is the one politicians have with voters on election day. Voters spoke — only a year ago. While the parliamentary seat belongs to the person, any honest MP knows they only got there through the hard work of their riding association.

That said, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre must do better with caucus relations. He should look for advice from those who served former prime minister Brian Mulroney, whose MPs remained loyal to him until his death.

Carney has a bigger problem. His caucus is now populated with backstabbers and hypocrites with no loyalty to their leader.

The word “candidate” is from the Latin word for white. In ancient Rome, those running for election wore that colour to symbolize purity and integrity. In modern-day Canada, some of those togas are a little grubby right now.

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