MP Chris d'Entremont is applauded and embraced by his new colleagues as he arrives at a meeting of the Liberal Caucus on Parliament Hill on Wednesday.

Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont surprised many on Tuesday when he left the Conservative caucus to join the Liberals, bringing the government caucus to within two votes of a majority.

While switching parties between elections – a practice known as floor crossing referring to physically crossing the floor of the House of Commons to sit with a different caucus – is a controversial practice. More than 300 members of Parliament have changed parties while in office since 1867.

The first known MP to cross the floor was Stewart Campbell, a Nova Scotian who, in 1868, left the Anti-Confederates for the Liberal-Conservatives under Sir John A. Macdo

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