Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has secured a parliamentary majority for his centrist Liberal government, strengthening his hold on power and allowing him to advance his agenda without relying on opposition support. The Liberals now hold 174 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons of Canada after winning key by-elections in three ridings, or electoral districts, on Monday. They include the Ontario ridings of University–Rosedale and Scarborough Southwest, as well as the closely contested Quebec riding of Terrebonne.
In a statement following the victory, Carney signalled that affordability and the economy would remain his central priorities. He added that voters had “placed their trust” in his government. He also announced that Canada will suspend the federal fuel excise tax on petrol and diesel from April 20 to September 7 to help consumers cope with rising prices.
The move, Carney explained, is expected to cut petrol prices by about 10 cents Canadian (US$0.07) a litre and diesel costs by four cents (US$0.03). The Liberals had relied on Conservative support over the past year to pass economic and trade-related legislation. With a majority now secured, that reliance is expected to end.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, however, criticised the Liberal Party for securing its majority not through voter support but rather through “backroom deals”. He pointed to instances before Monday’s by-elections where politicians switched their party allegiance to the Liberals. Poilievre argued that Carney had focused more on political negotiations than on economic policy and that his government was seeking “total power without accountability”.
The Carney Liberals did not win a majority government through a general election or today's by-elections. Instead, it was won through backroom deals with politicians who betrayed the people who voted for them. While the Prime Minister spent the year on this cynical power grab,… — Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) April 14, 2026 Before Monday’s results, Carney had already bolstered his ranks in the House of Commons through defections from other parties.
A total of five members of Parliament (MPs) switched parties over the past five months: four from the Conservatives and one from the left-wing New Democratic Party. They include longtime Conservative politician Marilyn Gladu, who joined the Liberals last week, saying Canada needed “a serious leader” to navigate economic uncertainty linked to US tariffs. She thanked Carney for welcoming her into what she described as “the large Liberal tent”.
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