Floor-crossing by members of Parliament is gutting voter trust and making a mockery of democratic accountability in Canada. The only real fix is to give voters the power to fire them through federal recall legislation.

Canada has just seen one of the busiest stretches of floor-crossing in years, and it is raising real questions about how accountable MPs are to the people who elect them.

JAY GOLDBERG: Federal recall the only cure for Ottawa’s floor-crossing fever Back to video

So far, four Conservatives and one NDP member of Parliament have abandoned the will of their constituents and crossed the floor to the governing Liberals.

The floor-crossings, combined with three Liberal byelection wins on April 13, gave Prime Minister Mark Carney a majority government.

And if media reports are to be believed, more floor-crossings might be in the offing.

Voters choose party, platform

Every MP who has crossed the floor so far says they are acting for their constituents, even though they were elected as opposition MPs less than a year ago. By their telling, those same voters now want them sitting on the government benches.

In announcing her decision,........

© Edmonton Sun