Scott Anderson, MP for Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee at his election day party after winning the seat in the 2025 general election (Image Credit: Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Floor Crossing Reaction

Local MP says floor crossing is allowed, but can cause a loss of trust

Feb 23, 2026 | 6:00 AM

The local Member of Parliament is criticizing the representatives who have crossed the floor.

Scott Anderson, MP for Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee, issued a statement on social media where he acknowledged that floor crossing was permitted in the parliamentary system, though also voiced opposition to the three Conservative MPs who have joined the Liberal Party recently.

“To me floor crossing depends on the reason. Winston Churchill jumped ship twice from the party he was representing, once on a matter of principle and once because his existing party had disappeared. These are reasonable motivations in my opinion, or at least ethically defensible positions,” Anderson said in part in his post.

“Back here in Canada, had any of the three MPs who recently jumped ship to the Liberals had such high motivation it might be one thing. But they were elected a few short months ago under a leader whose message of smaller government, lower taxes, and an unleashed Canadian workforce remains unchanged today. Nothing had changed before they crossed the floor, and the only thing that changed afterwards was their own personal prospects.”

The MP went on to say that “Parliament Hill is Canada’s seat of government, not a corporate ladder,” and that MPs are supposed to work for the people who voted them into their seats. He also stated that “the Parliamentary system is only as good as the actors in it,” and that actions like floor crossing can cause people to further lose their trust in politicians.

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Anderson’s post comes in the wake of Matt Jeneroux, MP for Edmonton-Riverbend, crossing the floor earlier this month. The local MP made the posting but did not directly respond to a request for comment from Vernon Matters.

Anderson claimed in January that he was approached by the Liberals and asked to cross the floor, but declined. Anderson did not respond to a request for further comment on that matter from Vernon Matters or provide any supporting evidence about the ask at the time.

Stephen Fuhr, MP for Kelowna and the Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, issued a statement to Vernon Matters regarding Jeneroux joining the Liberals.

“Canadians recognize that we are at a pivotal moment, and building a stronger, more resilient Canada will require both ambition and collaboration,” Fuhr wrote.

“As Prime Minister Carney noted in Davos, middle powers like Canada not only have the ability to shape our future, but also the broader global landscape in which we operate. MP Jeneroux shares our determination to strengthen Canada’s economy, security, and position on the world stage, and for that reason we are proud to welcome him to our government.”