The NDP is pressuring Quebec rookie MP Lise St-Denis to run in a by-election after the parliamentarian defected to the Liberal Party.
The 71-year-old woman represents St. Maurice-Champlain, a seat she unexpectedly won as Jack Layton’s NDP swept the province in what is now called the “Orange Crush.”
Eight months after the election, St-Denis announced she will sit in the House of Commons as a Liberal – a party she said aligns better with her views.
The same can’t be said for her constituents, according to NDP MP Guy Caron.
“Changing political affiliation is a blatant lack of respect of democracy,” he said speaking on behalf of his party. “If the Liberals think it is what the voters of the riding want, we challenge them to run Madame St-Denis in a by-election.”
“Quebec voters rejected the Liberals and voted for the NDP,” he said.
The NDP has long opposed floor-crossing, attempting several times to pass legislation banning the activity. In June, NDP MP Peter Stoffer tabled the latest iteration, which argues anyone crossing the floor must sit as an independent, or run in a by-election.
A bellwether for party fortunes?
The defection raises questions about whether St-Denis’ decision is a bellwether for the fortunes of the two parties, especially in Quebec.
“The issue here is: Is she symptomatic of what is happening with their Quebec people?” said Queen’s University professor Ned Franks.
St-Denis was one of 58 rookie MPs from Quebec elected in May. Since then, the party has had to deflect criticism about its effectiveness given its new task as official Opposition, dearth of inexperience and interim leader.
Caron said St-Denis’ change of political colours isn’t a statement on the party’s performance, pointing to the accomplishments of neophytes like Alexandre Boulerice, Christine Moore, and Romeo Saganash.
Get breaking National news
“I don’t think it is any indication of what people think of the work we are doing, or the strength we are demonstrating,” he said.
St-Denis wasn’t one of the stars in the NDP caucus, according to Caron, who added that she was not adapting well to political life.
“We’ll leave it for the Liberals to find out,” he said, in regards to how much of a loss St-Denis’ defection was for the party.
On the surface, the addition of the seat is a boost to the Liberal Party, which has been frantically trying to rebuild after it was relegated to third party status in May.
The crossover increases the number of Liberal seats to 35 from 34, on the eve of its biennial policy convention.
But Bob Rae cautioned against reading into the political significance of Tuesday’s announcement.
“This is not a day of making partisan attacks,” he said. “It is certainly not a day we are going to make some exaggerated claims as to what trend does this represent.”
It’s a sage approach, according to Franks, who says single defections don’t impact a party’s status unless it changes the balance of power.
“If five people went from the NDP to the Liberals I would begin to take it more seriously.”
St-Denis disagreed with NDP policy
Even as she announced her split from the party, St-Denis had respectful words for the performance of her former colleagues.
“I didn’t imagine it would be as it was – not because they are bad or they don’t work well. It’s because I don’t agree with the attitude they took on certain ideas,” she said.
Although she had worked for the NDP for 10 years before running in 2011, St-Denis said she started questioning the party as soon as she arrived in the House of Commons
Specifically, St-Denis pointed to the NDP’s position on the abolishment of the Senate, its refusal to support the extension of the Libya mission, and its position on public-private partnerships.
St-Denis said the Liberal Party’s positions on social policy, job creation, foreign affairs and the environment offer more hope for her and, she believes, her constituents.
Unlike the NDP, Franks believes the change still respects democracy.
“MPs are not only entitled to, but should from time to time express their own views and those of their constituents. It might just be that she felt those two weren’t sufficiently in line with the NDP,” he said.
Electorate supported Layton, admits St-Denis
If she runs again, the voters will decide whether St-Denis made the right choice. The precedent for re-election for floor-crossers is mixed in Canadian history.
A major factor, however, depends on whether the riding’s allegiance is with the candidate or the party, according to Franks.
In St-Denis’ cases, she candidly acknowledged she was surprised to be elected in May – a reality achieved undoubtedly by the groundswell of support for the party’s charismatic, mustachioed leader.
“They voted for Jack Layton. Jack Layton died. So my riding I think they will accept, I hope they will accept the change,” she said in French.
The political novice won with 39 per cent of the vote, edging out Bloc Quebecois candidate Jean-Yves Laforest, who received 29.3 per cent of the support. The Liberals captured fewer votes than the Conservatives, placing in fourth place at 11.9 per cent.
Rae welcomed St-Denis to the party, saying the move was clearly one of conviction.
“I don’t think anyone can say that to leave the opposition for the third party is an act of opportunism.”
The new riding includes part of the territory represented by former Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
St-Denis said she had met with Jean Chretien to speak about the needs of his old riding, but they had never discussed her joining the Liberal Party. Rae also noted he had not discussed St-Denis with the former Prime Minister.
Other notable party defections include Belinda Stronach, a Tory MP, who joined the Liberals as a cabinet minister in Paul Martin’s government. Former Liberal MP David Emerson joined the ranks of the Tory cabinet in 2006, surprising his former Liberal caucus by showing up for the swearing in ceremony for the newly elected Conservative government at Rideau Hall.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.