When breaking party ranks, only some MPs forfeit their political future in the name of dissent

Joël Lightbound 'walked into that knowing that when he spoke up ... that his future was limited in the Liberal Party and it could be over,' says former Liberal whip Andrew Leslie. 'That’s the sort of courage that you want in your MPs.'

In a rare display on Parliament Hill, Liberal MP Joël Lightbound broke with his party on COVID-19 restrictions in a Feb. 8 address. Unlike with others who've dissented from the Liberal Party line, the only fallout has so far been his resignation as chair of the party's Quebec caucus.The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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BY NEIL MOSS

February 16, 2022

When dissenting from the party line, Liberal MP Joël Lightbound took a rarely seen step on Parliament Hill to advocate a position not being endorsed by his leadership—and one former Liberal whip said he risked his political life in doing so. On Feb. 8, Lightbound (Louis-Hébert, Que.) took his g...

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