‘Floor crossings are unethical’: Davies talks politics at first town hall

Andrew Hawlitzky
April 27, 2026 at 8:38 PM

“It’s treason!” called a voice from the audience.

Fred Davies told Fort Erie residents Saturday he will stay with the Conservatives during his first Niagara South public forum, where anger over MPs crossing to the Liberals sparked the most intense exchanges.

The Niagara South MP condemned floor crossing at his first local town hall at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 71, saying voters backed candidates under a party banner and should decide again through a byelection if that loyalty changes.

Despite initially being elected with a minority government, recent floor crossings have helped give Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government a House of Commons majority.

“I have no intention of having to cross,” Davies said at the town hall.

“When you put your name on a ballot and you campaign for a party, you sign up for a party on a platform, and the leader that you run on, and I got elected on them. I don’t have the right to say your vote doesn’t count now.”

Credit: Andrew Hawlitzky | Fort Erie Radio

One audience member shouted that floor crossers “should be in jail for treason.”

Another resident said MPs who switch parties should resign and run again.

“If you want to cross the floor, quit, have a byelection, run as the party you want to join, and let the people decide,” said Davies.

Davies said Canada’s parliamentary system permits floor crossing, though he called it wrong in cases where MPs leave the party under which they were elected. He said changing the rules would require broad political support that he does not expect from the current Liberal government.

Criticism in Ottawa has intensified since former Conservative MPs Michael Ma and Chris d’Entremont crossed to the Liberals in March, followed by Marilyn Gladu on April 8. Davies named those MPs when asked about the switches.

Credit: Andrew Hawlitzky | Fort Erie Radio

He said Ma’s decision surprised him because the two had spent time together shortly before the switch.

“I want to know what happened…that made this guy decide to defy the commitments of his constituents and betray them,” said Davies.

Davies criticized Gladu’s explanation for crossing the floor, noting she told reporters in Montreal on April 9 that joining the Liberals was “the best thing for my riding, for Canada and for me.”

The town hall later moved to housing costs, trade and health care. Davies said high prices, interest rates and development charges are blocking home construction, and called on Ottawa to reduce barriers to internal trade and expand resource infrastructure.

Credit: Andrew Hawlitzky | Fort Erie Radio

On Douglas Memorial Hospital, Davies said he is pressing for details on a federal health infrastructure program that could support the Fort Erie site if provincial approvals allow applications.

He also defended Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when asked about party direction.

“Pierre Poilievre is a disruptor. He recognizes that there are fundamental things that need to change in the federal government,” said Davies.

Davies told attendees he plans to hold more town halls across his Niagara South riding.

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About The Author

Andrew Hawlitzky
Andrew Hawlitzky

Andrew is a Niagara community journalist who has covered everything from local politics to annual festivals and breaking news. He works to make local news a platform where community voices lead the conversation. "If you don't like the news, go out and make some!"

3 Comments
  1. JP

    People really aren’t thinking this through. By being against floor crossing, you are essentially advocating for the party whip and against any semblance of real democracy. Our democracy is already limited by first-past-the-poll voting and precious little direct input from the people; with whipped voting it is diminished even further. If the Conservatives were in power federally and they wanted to pass something that was inherently damaging to the Niagara economy, would you want Fred Davies to be a dancing puppet supporting the party line on it? Or would you expect him to break with the party, and stand up for his actual constituents – which includes those who voted for him and those who didn’t. If you prioritize party loyalty above the interests of the MP’s actual constituents, and are for strict party-line whipped voting, you’re essentially advocating for the superficial dressings of a democracy, but none of the substance.
    In other words, strip the partisanship out of this and ask yourself honestly: do you want an MP who believes that people are voting for the party above all else, and who will therefore blindly support any bill that their party leadership tables, and against anything that any other party tables (no matter how constructive or beneficial)? Or do you want an MP who is going to vote for the best interests of their constituents, party be damned? If you are for whipped voting, then why even bother with parliament at all? It basically becomes empty theatre at that point, particularly when there’s a majority. You don’t need a human in a suit to go to Ottawa to vote the party line 100% of the time – you might as well just automate their job out of existence.

  2. Dan Andrews

    The crowd and Fred were not as opposed to floor crossing as they were with the reason behind it. Marilyn Gladu was one of the Liberal’s most vocal opponents and held a mirror image of the Liberal governments values yet crossed and explained this was what was best for her. The explanation was brief. Michael Ma voted with the conservatives and against the Liberals minutes before crossing the floor. It seems obvious to most that there is either a bribe or some extortion going on. Fred is with the rest of us in wondering if we’ll ever get an honest explanation. This is the basis of residents wanting a byelection. Even Fred admitted that when the Northwest Territory representative crossed it wasn’t a surprise. She was left if center but Gladu was quite the opposite.
    I did not vote for the conservative party but attended because Fred Davies is my representative and wanted to give and take feedback face to face without government funded interference. I did not attend the meeting with Pierre this Saturday in Port Colborne. I like Fred but I’m not a fan of Pierre. He’s not assertive enough for me as a leader. I personally think Gladu was bribed and Ma was blackmailed and nothing would surprise me in politics except if the actual truth came.out. This is why I will support any bill that makes floor crossing either trigger a byelection or make a member an independent. There is no reason a member cannot vote against their own party. If they get thrown out of the party for not voting with the party line that exposes the party and does not raise suspicion about the member. Any member that does the right thing by voting against their party will get my vote again in the next election. This is how a democracy works.

  3. Mike

    This is precisely why floor crossings happen. People with absolutely no respect for our Constitution or our democracy want to pretend there’s some unwritten rule that says every politician is a slave to his/her party and every constituent must sink with the party ship when it crashes into a reef, and apparently, especially if takes Canada down with it.
    The Conservatives have hit an iceburg. Our Constitution is that big. It does not yield to vibes or populist rhetoric. It stands firm.
    We vote for the person whom we trust to serve our interests. Sure, some folks may vote blindly by party but that’s an uninformed vote so they’ve already given up their chance to actually chose and instead have succumbed to their cult behaviour of sticking with a party no matter how much danage it does to our great country.
    I give thanks to all those who came before us and made sure that our politicians are free to serve us according to their best ability – not their party banner. Those who raise a fuss and demand prison time for the most courageous who dare to serve the people instead of “Dear Leader” are the ones who are traitors. They oppose everything Canada stands for, right down to its very Constition. It was just a few short years ago that “Dear Leader” voted against a resolution to ban floor crossings. Pierre Poilievre wanted them. He very much enjoyed being on the receiving end. Now he doesn’t like it becuase now it’s fair. Now, it happened to him and he can’t handle it.