By Robb M. Stewart
OTTAWA--Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberals are near to securing a majority government after another member of the opposition Conservative Party crossed the floor.
Marilyn Gladu, a veteran member of parliament for the Ontario region of Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong, said Wednesday she is joining Carney's government.
The Liberals have now brought in five parliamentary members in recent months, four from the Conservatives and one from the left-leaning New Democratic Party.
The latest addition to the Liberal caucus brings the party's seat count to 171, one short of a slim majority. There are three by-elections set for April 13, including two in what are considered Liberal safe seats in Toronto and another in Quebec that is expected to be a tight race.
With a majority, Carney's party could govern without fear of an election until 2029 and with no need to rely on opposition support to get legislation passed.
Carney welcomed the latest floor crossing. Gladu brings "practical, results-driven leadership," having spent decades of her career in engineering and international business and after securing four consecutive elections since 2015, he said.
Carney, former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, last April led the Liberals to a fourth straight term. A political novice, Carney took the reins from former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with a pledge to strengthen Canada's economy and lessen its dependence on the U.S. amid heightened uncertainty over trade policy.
"The past year has been like no other that Canada has ever faced, and I've heard clearly from constituents that you want serious leadership and a real plan to build a stronger and more independent Canadian economy," Gladu said in a letter to constituents that was released by the Liberal Party. "Today, there is both the opportunity, and the responsibility, to build our country's strength and success with a more constructive, collaborative approach."
Speaking to reporters from Carney's office, Gladu says that she had been watching the prime minister push for Canada to develop big projects, diversify trade and take action on crime, things her constituents and Canadians want. She said Sarnia-Lambton is a major economic hub for petrochemicals.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre in a statement posted on X said Carney was seizing a Liberal majority that voters denied him through backroom deals. He said Gladu should face voters in a byelection to given her constituents the final say.
A March poll by Ottawa's Abacus Data showed the Liberals continue to hold a clear edge nationally and that underlying attitudes about the government are steady. Support for the party remains solid with 54% of Canadians approving of the job the government is doing, modestly softer than 56% approval earlier in the month but above where it stood when Carney's government first took office, Abacus said.
Write to Robb M. Stewart at robb.stewart@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
04-08-26 1453ET
