How uncommon is it for a prime minister to gain 4 floor-crossers in 4 months?

Floor-crossing, a longstanding aspect of Canadian politics, has seen four opposition MPs join Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government within months, marking a notable event in his first year in office. Historically, figures like John A. Macdonald, Robert Borden, and Jean Chrétien have also welcomed MPs to their caucuses under various circumstances. While Carney’s four recent additions are significant, they are not unprecedented, as previous prime ministers have similarly benefited from defections during minority governments without achieving majority status through such means.

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