MP Frank Caputo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

TORY FLOOR-CROSSINGS

Kamloops MP calls out ‘opportunism’ with Conservative floor-crossers

Dec 16, 2025 | 12:06 PM

KAMLOOPS — Since the spring election, the federal Conservatives have lost three members of caucus — one via resignation and two who have crossed the floor to the governing Liberals.

The floor-crossers put Mark Carney’s Liberals one seat away from a majority government. Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola MP Frank Caputo was steadfast in his commitment to the Tory caucus and believes the crossings reflect more on the MPs themselves than the party.

“I think we need to distinguish between people who aren’t happy with a political platform and opportunism,” Caputo told CFJC News. “I view this as opportunism. The Liberals are actively recruiting. That wouldn’t happen in a stable majority or much further minority. At the end of the day, the Canadian voters spoke at the ballot box and they gave the Liberals a minority government, which is, frankly, a check and balance on the power.”

Caputo would be willing to consider legislative changes around floor-crossing, requiring MPs to sit as independents or trigger a by-election.

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“I think Canadians are really disenchanted with politics, and this is kind of one of the reasons,” said Caputo. “You run up until about eight or nine days before, in one case. You are saying, ‘Boy, this Liberal government is awful,’ and then next thing you know, it’s, ‘Well, this Liberal government is great and they are going to deliver on everything I said they weren’t going to deliver on.’ That is going to breed a fair amount of skeptics among the public and, frankly, I don’t blame the people for being skeptical in those circumstances. Maybe the time has come for that type of legislation.”