When I asked—some years ago—former Liberal MP John McKay, “What keeps you up at night?” he said, “Nothing at all. I sleep like a baby. Liberals have no conscience.” Of course, that was a joking reply to my somewhat light-hearted question. I do not think he intended me to take him seriously. We were just making small talk, waiting for the doors to open at an event we both attended.

However, I have often thought about those words and wondered whether they revealed a deeper truth. The Hon. John McKay served as a Liberal Member of Parliament for over 27 years, from 1997 until 2025. Prior to Justin Trudeau’s ascension to Prime Minister in 2015, Mr. McKay was known as—and voted as—a pro-lifer. Then all that changed.

In 2012, Mr. McKay was one of four Liberals who voted in favour of MP Stephen Woodworth’s Motion-312, calling for a study on when human life begins. Even the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister at the time, voted against it…but Mr. McKay supported it. In 2005, he spoke against and voted against same-sex marriage. But when Justin Trudeau became Prime Minister, the new PM demanded that every Liberal MP vote and support both abortion and LGBT causes…or at least not oppose them. Mr. McKay complied. For 10 years.

It’s hard for me to understand how a man of Mr. McKay’s convictions and notable achievements could allow himself to be conformed to the Liberal social policies of Mr. Trudeau. An evangelical Christian, he was quoted in 2025 as saying, “Whatever I do in politics, I do it as a reflection of my faith.” He was the sponsor of several successful bills, including one to end child labour and slave labour around the world and said he was inspired in this by British MP William Wilberforce, whose noble efforts led to the end of slavery in England. I honour Mr. McKay’s work and service, but I am deeply saddened that he—and other MPs—have allowed the pressures of politics and party discipline to rob him of his principled voice regarding issues of life, family and freedom.

Knowing his previous commitment to the pro-life cause, while he was still an MP, I asked him several times to consider becoming the first Christian Heritage Party MP, which would have allowed him to speak and vote his conscience on these critical social issues. I have also asked that same question of several Conservative MPs whom I know to be unequivocally pro-life and pro-family but who serve in a party that has consistently refused to tackle these issues. They continue to serve in that party today under a leader who is openly pro-abortion and pro-same-sex marriage. I have not yet found one willing to cross the floor for a noble cause. Partisan loyalty and acceptance of moral compromise have prevented some exceptional individuals from leaving the big-name parties to join our much smaller one.

The recent spate of floor-crossings—the latest and most disgraceful by long-time Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu—has stirred much anger and outrage, especially among Conservatives, as they see their parliamentary caucus shrinking and Mr. Carney edging closer to a majority. By the time you read this, depending on results in the three by-elections currently up for grabs, the Liberal Party may already have gained majority status.

Ms. Gladu—like the other three who recently crossed the floor to the Liberals—may have seen this Liberal majority coming and, rather than continuing to serve in the Opposition, simply took the self-serving step of hitching her wagon to the dominant engine of Liberal hegemony in order to enjoy the benefits of their elite progressive dominance.

Like Mr. McKay, MP Gladu was seen as a moderate social conservative. As many Conservative MPs have now pointed out, she had recently spoken against Bill C-9 and even against floor-crossing itself. The arrogance and hypocrisy she has displayed since leaving the Conservative fold have caused serious Canadians—even those committed to political activism—to begin to question whether the words of elected politicians can ever be trusted.

Many are saying—as Ms. Gladu herself said only weeks ago—that a politician who crosses the floor should have to face the voters in a by-election and not just take up a new and lofty position in the party he or she once denounced. They say it’s just not fair to the voters who put them into office to suddenly switch sides and cheerlead for the party you formerly ran against or to give your voice and vote to support positions you once opposed.

In general, I agree with that assessment, especially in light of the blatant buying-off of these defecting MPs by their new boss, Mr. Carney. This self-serving move by MP Gladu really takes the cake. There is nothing noble about switching sides just to be on the winning team. Her past claims to be pro-life, to be a supporter of the Freedom Convoy and to be an opponent of Bill C-9 can now be seen as nothing more than vote-buying because she’s now willing to throw that all under the bus. She and many others need to learn the difference between opinions and convictions. People will die for their convictions or at least suffer some kind of loss, whether it be financial or loss of popularity or position.

However, I believe there can sometimes be legitimate reasons to cross the floor.

• If your party leader asks you to violate your conscience or demands you vote against the things in which you believe and which you campaigned on.
• If you are kicked out of your party for voting and speaking as your conscience dictates.

Based on those premises, there should be many more floor-crossers: Liberals who were forced to vote for C-9, NDPers forced to vote for the Emergencies Act, or Conservatives who obediently kept their mouths shut when C-4 (Conversion Therapy) was passed.

If you’re going to abandon your former party and your former colleagues, it should be for a very good reason, not just for perks or position. The CHP would welcome any MP who wants to serve in a party that is 100% pro-life, pro-family and pro-freedom. In the CHP, a pro-life, pro-family, pro-freedom MP will have a free vote and a free conscience. Visit our website and see if our policies fit your convictions. Your words should mean something. Canadian politics must be rescued from the shameful sideshow it has become.