C-278An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act
Private member's bill, introduced in the House of Commons on June 2, 2026
- Status
- At second reading in the House of Commons since June 2, 2026
What it does
Requires a House of Commons seat to be vacated and a by-election called when an MP changes party affiliation.
What it does
- Adds a rule that a person in the House of Commons is deemed to have vacated their seat if they join a registered party after being elected for a different party or as an independent.
- Requires the leader of the party that the person joins to notify the Speaker of the House of Commons in writing without delay.
- Requires the Speaker, or the party leader in some cases, to send a warrant to the Chief Electoral Officer for a writ to fill the vacancy by election.
Who it affects
- Members of the House of Commons
- Independent MPs
- Registered political parties
- House of Commons Speaker
- Chief Electoral Officer
- Voters in affected ridings
Topics
Background
The bill amends the Parliament of Canada Act by adding a new rule on change of political affiliation in the House of Commons.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Current stage. Now here
Committee
Not reached.
Report stage
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Senate
First reading
Not reached.
Second reading
Not reached.
Committee
Not reached.
Third reading
Not reached.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Not reached.
Introduced by an MP who is not a minister. These bills compete in a lottery for debate time, and most do not become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
No recorded votes yet
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
NDPDon Davies· June 2, 2026
“The bill would not ban floor crossing nor the ability to sit as an independent member. The latter is a valid protection against party oppression and to preserve matters of conscience.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Outside the Order of Precedence. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.