Toronto/CMEDIA: Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney is on the verge of a majority government, a milestone that the Liberals could not reach in years.
Out of three federal by-elections taking place on Monday, the Liberals only need one to win to reach the 172-seat threshold required to control the majority of seats in this 45th Parliament.
Nearly one year ago, Carney celebrated the Liberals’ federal election win with 169 seats but was still short of three seats for a majority mandate.
“I’m looking forward to working together to deliver for Canadians,” Carney said on election night.
After months of working across party lines, and amid senior Liberals Chrystia Freeland and Bill Blair vacating their seats, Carney succeeded in attracting five opposition MPs to cross the floor. First it was Nova Scotia Conservative MP Chris d’Entremont in November, followed by Ontario Conservative MP Michael Ma.
By February, Alberta Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux was ready to leap rather than resign followed by the New Democrats losing Nunavut MP Lori Idlout, then-caucus of seven MPs became a Liberal. Lastly, Ontario Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu joined Carney’s ranks.
This brought Carney’s party to 171 seats making it a coveted majority at the ballot box.
Carney and the cabinet members involved in the conversations to convince MPs to join their party were accused by the Conservative MP Shuvaloy Majumdar of “playing conniving games of an authoritarian looking to consolidate power in the House of Commons.”
Now, with three vacant seats up for grabs on Monday, just one would bring the Liberals over the majority threshold. Any additional pickups would further stabilize the party’s control over Parliament.
Two of the ridings in question are in Liberal strongholds University-Rosedale, Ont. and Scarborough Southwest, Ont. and the third is in what pollsters consider a Bloc Quebecois-Liberal tossup, Terrebonne, Que.
