Former Conservative MP Chris d’Entremont crossed the floor to join the Liberals last week.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

David Moscrop is a contributing columnist for The Globe and Mail.

When former Conservative Party member of Parliament Chris d’Entremont crossed the floor to join the Liberals last week, the move sparked a debate about whether the practice is consistent with the principles of democracy in Canada. The short answer is yes, though the longer answer is “it depends” – but either way, floor-crossing is not new, nor is it a grave threat to self-government in Canada as we know it.

The practice may be controversial, fit to rile up whichever party loses a member, but it is common enough. More than 300 members of Parliament have crossed the floor since 1867, with the first occurring in 1868; 80 crossings have occurred within the past 25 years. And in the coming weeks, the story about Mr. d’Entremont’s decision itself will likely blow over. Years from now, it will be, at most, a trivia answer for political wonks.........

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