Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney is close to securing a parliamentary majority after opposition legislator Marilyn Gladu joined the ruling Liberal Party on Wednesday.
The Liberals have been governing with a minority since the April 2025 election, needing support from other parties to pass key legislation. Gladu, a longtime Conservative, is the fourth Conservative to defect to the Liberals since November. A member of the New Democratic Party also joined the Liberals last month.
Gladu praised Carney, saying: “We need a global leader with a plan to make a more resilient Canada, a stronger Canada, a more self-reliant Canada for this critical moment, and that man is our Prime Minister Mark Carney.”
The Liberals now hold 171 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons—just one seat short of a majority. Special elections on Monday are expected to give the party enough seats to achieve a majority, potentially allowing Carney to serve until October 2029.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the move, calling it “backroom deals” and argued that Gladu should face voters in a special election. Political analysts described the number of defections to Carney’s government as “extraordinary by any historical measure.”
Polling shows Carney is the preferred prime minister for 54.5% of Canadians, while Poilievre trails at 22.9%. The recent defections put added pressure on Poilievre, who survived a leadership review in January after losing the 2025 election.
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