Editing Crossbencher (section)

==Similar concepts in Canada==
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The term "crossbencher" is generally not used for the federal [[Parliament of Canada]] or any of the [[Legislative assemblies of Canadian provinces and territories|provincial or territorial legislatures]].  Instead, any party that is not the governing party is an "opposition party", with the largest of these designated the [[Official Opposition (Canada)|''official'' opposition]] (and their leader is designated [[Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)|Leader of the Opposition]]). Opposition parties other than the official opposition are typically called third parties. Third parties that hold a certain threshold of seats are granted [[official party status]]. In 2022 the "official opposition" is the Conservatives; the Bloc Québécois, the NDP, and the Greens are the opposition.

Beginning in 2016, multiple non-partisan caucuses which fulfill a similar purpose as crossbenchers were formed in the [[Senate of Canada]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/independent-senators-form-non-partisan-group-1.3484900|title=6 senators to form 'independent, non-partisan' working group|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=13 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sencanada.ca/en/Content/Sen/committee/421/mdrn/52767-e|title=Senate of Canada – Special Senate Committee on Senate Modernization|first=Senate of|last=Canada|website=Senate of Canada|access-date=13 October 2017}}</ref> The first, the [[Independent Senators Group]] (ISG), was created partly as a response to Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]'s decision to appoint more non-partisan Senators.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/justin-trudeau-names-nine-non-partisan-senators/|title=Justin Trudeau names nine non-partisan senators – Macleans.ca|date=27 October 2016|newspaper=Macleans.ca|access-date=13 October 2017}}</ref> Similar to crossbenchers in the UK, the ISG chooses its own leader and does not use a whipping system. In December 2016, the Senate began to officially recognise the ISG and provide it with funding.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hilltimes.com/2016/12/12/winning-battle-committee-memberships-independent-senators-group-want-budget-542428-722000/90531|title=Independent Senators to get seats on committees, now group wants $542,428–$722,000 for staff – The Hill Times|date=12 December 2016|publisher=Hilltimes.com|access-date=13 October 2017}}</ref> Two additional groups were established in 2019: the [[Canadian Senators Group]] (which primarily focuses on regional issues) and the [[Progressive Senate Group]] (formed by members of the defunct [[Senate Liberal Caucus]]).
The Canadian Senate in 2022 generally aspires towards non-partisanship. Non-affiliated members outnumber members affiliated with a political party, and the Liberal Caucus in the Senate was dissolved in 2019.