At the very least these turncoats should be forced to sit as Independents until the next election is called!

How disrespectful to the hard working riding volunteers, contributers and voters is it to jump fences once elected to join the very same party that they ran against?

Scoundrels, that's what they are, in my opinion. Is it any wonder that a lot of people don't bother to vote on election day anymore?

There are a lot more Politicians who crossed the floor. Far to many to name, however one that comes to mind is WAC Bennett who went on the form the Social Credit Party and ran the Province of BC for 19 years or so.

If Rafe wants to know why Mr. Khan left maybe he should be asking the following turncoats.

(1) Scott Brinson
(2) Belinda Stronach
(3) Keith Martin

Just to name a few **Conservatives** that joined the Liberals./

Maybe Mr Khan didnt want to work with a bunch of turncoats, and losers, and bailed. Who knows:

I suspect that Rafe will be eating some of his words in the not to distant future.

Maybe. But this floor crossing habit may be motivated by unethical influences that could well include enticing, luring, bribing and other shady under the table dealings.

Of course the odd MP crosses the floor because he/she simply can no longer support a new direction which the party is taking and which goes against his/hers basic principles, and it is then when I personally would suggest that the member sit as an Independent until the next election comes around.

Who knows what goes on in the hallowed halls of parliament - some of the dealings may have nothing to do with adhering to the principles of democracy and respect for the voters' choice.

Some also may be personal ambition.

Keith Martin ran for the nomination of the Reform Party in Prince George years ago and was beat out by Dick Harris. He then immediatly resigned from the emergency ward at PGRH and transferred to the emergency ward in Jaun De Fuca on Vancouver Island. He won the nomination there and was elected as a Reform MP. He later became a Alliance member and then **Walla** he crossed the floor and became a Liberal. Strangely enough he won the seat as a Liberal, however the Liberals lost the election, and he how is back where he started.

Had he stayed with the Reform, Alliance, Conservative group he could very well be in a good position to-day, however it appears that he backed the wrong horse.

No matter whom you are or what party you leave -- it's the voters who must have the final say in what person and party represents them in Ottawa. This floor crossing 'tradition' has got to stop. I live in Vancouver-Kingsway and while I didn't give it much thought before last February I am now solidly behind ending the practise. The fact is candidates run under party banners for reasons. Voters choose where to place the X on their ballot based -- at least in part -- for the same reasons. If party affiliation meant nothing they'd all run as independents. Frankly, I don't care why they change parties or what party they leave or join. The bottom line is the voters have to have the deciding vote on whether they keep their seat in the House. And waiting until the next election is not good enough. It's time we ended a practise that does not contribute to the type of democracy most of us want this country to be.

Another Liberal crossed the floor today.

Democracy becomes a buzzword or a slogan at best if MPs are allowed to yank the voters around at will.

Scoundrels, disrespectful opportunists, in my opinion, the whole lot of them!