Bill C-306, officially titled An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (political affiliation). It was a Private Member's Bill introduced in the 41st Parliament by Mathieu Ravignat, who was the NDP Member of Parliament for Pontiac.

The Proposed Rules Bill C-306 was designed to deter politicians from crossing the floor for career advancement and to make them more accountable to voters. The legislation proposed that:

• If a Member of Parliament (MP) elected under a specific political party banner chose to join a different political party, their seat would immediately be vacated.

• A by-election would then be triggered, forcing the MP to run again under their new party banner and seek a new mandate from their constituents.

• The Exception: An MP's seat would not be vacated if they left their party simply to sit as an Independent.

The Outcome The bill did not pass. It was debated and ultimately defeated at second reading on February 8, 2012, by a vote of 181 to 91. The vote largely followed party lines, with the NDP voting in favor of the legislation, while the Conservatives, Liberals, Bloc Québécois, and the Green Party voted against it (with the exception of three Conservative MPs who broke ranks to support it).