by Alex Marland, Jared J. Wesley
and Mireille Lalancette
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS
2025/$39.95/408 pp.
For voters frustrated by ineffective representation of local concerns, perplexed by scripted conformity among their elected representatives or ambivalent about floor-crossers, No I in Team offers helpful explanations and insightful proposals for democratic improvement. Through the stories of hundreds of current and former elected federal and provincial representatives, the authors expose a growing democratic deficit—the concentration of power in party leaders and their staff, and away from elected representatives and constituents.
The book is an enlightening, exhaustively researched analysis of the dynamics of party discipline, tracing changes that have intensified pressures to put partisanship over constituents and principles. Enriched by insights from political science, social psychology, organizational behaviour, marketing and communications, this study explores the centralization of party power and the pressures facing party loyalists, mavericks, floor-crossers and Independents.
The democratic cost of strict party discipline is thoroughly examined, including representatives’ diminishing capacity to advocate for policies, principles or constituents, and less scrutiny on leaders and political staff. The authors investigate how this limits meaningful public engagement, reducing most representatives to wallpaper at media events, brand ambassadors parroting scripted messages, or the equivalent of franchisees.
Tight control by parties, enabled by institutional rules, has mushroomed in response to changes in digital technologies and the media landscape. Since an errant comment can undermine party messaging, conformity has expanded beyond legislative votes to control of communications. This message discipline obscures principled advocacy for policies or constituency concerns, eroding voter confidence in institutions. The authors outline how message control encourages incivility, the weaponization of opposition research, rage-farming and polarization. The resulting hyper-partisanship corrodes checks on political power, allowing party leaders to transgress democratic norms with impunity. Homogenizing pressures inhibit diverse voices, undermining pluralism and limiting space for constructive criticism, respectful debate, democratic compromise or collaboration across party lines.
Frustrations with all of this prompt some representatives to explore greater independence. The book chronicles nearly 350 examples from 1980 to 2021. A dwindling few, described as “mavericks,” leverage personal flair or popular support to get away with principled challenges on some matters while retaining party attachment. But more often representatives are ejected from their party, leave to sit as independents, or cross the floor to join another party. These representatives saw limited choices: erase their principles, constituents or identity, or leave their party, usually at enormous personal and political cost.
The three authors make a compelling case for authentic representation and accountability, arguing for limiting party discipline and control to encourage input by backbenchers and independents and the constituents they represent. Among their recommended changes: empowering backbenchers and independents through more free votes; committee appointments through secret ballots; non-partisan training in parliamentary rules and procedures; treating fewer bills as confidence votes; and excluding party staffers from some meetings with party leaders. They also outline how the democratic contributions of independents would be enhanced if they had more resources and weren’t excluded from parliamentary committees. Under such conditions, floor crossings would less likely seem like the best available option. But, the authors argue, if representatives did leave their party, they should first have to sit as independents, consulting with their constituents before joining another party.
No I in Team is an inspiring appeal for real, democratic teamwork. To empower voters and their representatives, we need “collaboration, open debate and a shared sense of purpose.”
Lori Williams is a political science professor at MRU
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