The Liberals need a few floor-crossers to form a majority. That might not be so easy
CBC
With the federal Liberals just a few seats shy of a majority government, there's been some speculation over whether Prime Minister Mark Carney might be zeroing in on members of Parliament from other parties to cross the floor and join his party's fold.
But coaxing over those few MPs needed for a majority would still be a significant challenge, some observers say.
"Oh, that's hard," said former B.C. NDP MP Nathan Cullen. "That's a whole heap of moral flexibility that you're going to be seeking."
"The challenge is that you're never fully trusted by the party you crossed to and you're hated by the party you just left," Cullen said. "So you can be prepared for some lonely days."
The Liberals won a fourth mandate by capturing 169 seats, just missing out on the 172 seats needed for a majority government. Although most members of Parliament are elected with a party affiliation — some may run as Independents — they aren't required to stay with that party.
"Crossing the floor" is the expression used to describe "a Member's decision to break all ties binding the Member to a particular political party," according to the House of Commons Procedure and Practice.
Asked during his news conference Friday whether he was trying to attract other party members to cross the floor and join the Liberal caucus, Carney didn't specifically answer, saying instead that his "mandate is strong."
While overtures could be made to any party member, the Liberals might see some NDP MP-elects as more vulnerable to crossing the floor. Only seven of the party's candidates were elected, its leader Jagmeet Singh lost his riding and the NDP has lost "recognized party" status.
Yet some with the NDP have already publicly insisted they have no intention of leaving their party.
"I'm a proud member of the NDP caucus," NDP MP-elect Jenny Kwan said in a statement. "I always remain open to working collaboratively with other parties on public policy solutions but I am a New Democrat and will remain a New Democrat."
NDP MP-elect Gord Johns also told CBC News that "it's not an option."
"I'm a New Democrat. I'm a proud New Democrat. It's something I wouldn't even consider no matter what the … scenario is," he said.
Cullen says he doesn't see any possibility for an MP to cross the floor that wouldn't require a "whole heap of rationalization and pretzel twisting," and that wouldn't potentially anger constituents.
"I don't see Conservative voters watching a Conservative cross the floor and being happy with the notion. And double that for the NDP."
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