Channeling his inner DJ Khaled, Prime Minister Mark Carney has gotten “another one.” A floor-crosser, that is. 

Lori Idlout is the latest MP to cross over to the government benches, this time from the NDP, making her the fourth floor-crosser and edging the Liberals ever closer to that coveted 172 seat majority. The Liberals now have 170 seats in the House of Commons, with byelections coming that could put them over the top. 

Idlout represents Canada’s largest and northernmost riding, Nunavut, which in the last two decades has been represented by all three major federal parties and only ended up edging towards the NDP by 77 votes in the last federal election. 

A lot of the immediate partisan reaction — particularly from right-wing voices — was to paint Idlout as nothing more than a rank opportunist who was defying the democratic will of her constituents by going over to the Liberals. It’s not unsurprising, given a good chunk of the right-wing commentators and social media influencers that have been given much prominence under Poilievre’s leadership of the Conservative Party have painted all three of Idlout’s Conservative floor-crossing brethren in exactly the same light. 

There are certainly similarities with her predecessors. Michael Ma was at the Conservative Christmas party the day before he defected to the Liberals, not unlike how Idlout was on stage with Avi Lewis promoting his leadership mere days before she officially crossed the floor to the Liberals. 

Matt Jeneroux was initially reported to be considering turning in his blue jersey for a red one, before he explicitly denied wanting to switch teams. Similarly, it was reported back in January that Idlout was seriously considering joining the Liberals, only to have her state to the press that it was not something she was going to do, telling the National Post at the time, “I have met with leaders, elders, and many Nunavummiut. Being the MP for Nunavut, I have heard overwhelmingly how important it is to do what is best for my constituents.” 

But that’s as far as the similarities go. 

Considering Idlout stated that she would do what is best for her constituents, there is no doubt that being on the government benches is a better way to advocate for one’s constituents than on the opposition benches as part of a party that does not have official party status. 

Arctic sovereignty, defence and conservation are all of prime national importance and high up on the government’s agenda. In her inaugural question in Question Period as a Liberal MP, Idlout said she was, “proud to join a team that will take the larger picture of the current political environment and set on meeting the immediate needs of the North.” 

US President Donald Trump has made it clear that he has his sights set on the Arctic. While his thirst for acquiring Greenland seems to have been quenched for the time being, official documents from the Trump administration like its National Security Strategy and executive orders that have an entire section labelled “Ensure the Security and Leadership of Arctic Waterways” should make every Canadian — especially those in the North like Idlout’s constituents — worried about Trump making a play for Canada’s claim to the arctic archipelago waters known as the Northwest Passage. 

Historically, the US has never really recognized Canada’s claim to the Northwest Passage, but with Trump in the White House, Canada’s Arctic is more vulnerable to American takeover than it has been in my entire lifetime. Nobody understands how vulnerable Canada’s Arctic is — both in terms of its sovereignty and the preservation of its ecosystem — better than the people who live there, like the Nunavummiut Idlout represents. Given that the Northwest Passage cuts through the waters of Nunavut, there is no doubt Idlout understands the threat posed by Trump. 

Coupled with issues such as food insecurity for Inuit children or improving government consultation with Inuit leaders and communities, it doesn’t take a partisan-brained Liberal to understand why Idlout would feel better positioned to do the best for her constituents and Nunavut by being part of the government. Say what you will about the other floor-crossers, but being able to potentially craft policy that will directly impact the trajectory and future of one’s people is a pretty darn good reason to do away with previous partisan affiliation. 

Non-Liberal party partisans would be better to stop their public whinging about Carney acquiring floor-crossers. While both the NDP and CPC are attempting to paint the Liberals inching their way to a majority as illegitimate, the truth is a Liberal majority wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen to the opposition. Both the NDP and the CPC could use the time a majority government would provide to put in the work needed to actually figure out how to put a dent in the seemingly unwavering polling numbers being put up by the Carney Liberals. 

The same thing would be true had it been Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives who were currently inching their way to a majority from a minority. Public whinging has never improved a politician’s or a political party’s fortunes. Putting your head down and doing the hard work of convincing voters why you deserve their support is what matters. 

And in any case, if nothing else, partisans should be abiding by the ancient proverb of the 1990s: don’t hate the player, hate the game. Idlout crossing over is just the latest example of how Carney is adeptly manoeuvring within the rules of it. 

© National Observer