Mark Carney secures majority government in Canada after by-election victory | Canada

The Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carneysecured a parliamentary majority for his Liberal government, CBC News reported. The victory will help him push through a legislative agenda he says is necessary for an increasingly divided geopolitical world.

Three elections were held Monday in Ontario and Quebec, with two in districts – known as ridings – that have long voted Liberal.

The party secured the University-Rosedale riding, CBC News said. The results of the other two elections are still being counted. The victory brings Carney’s Liberals to 172 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons.

The University-Rosedale seat was previously held by former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who resigned after being appointed economic development adviser to Ukraine.

Carney said a majority would help him deal more effectively with the trade war with the US started by Donald Trump.

Andrew McDougall, an assistant professor of Canadian politics at the University of Toronto, said: “He will be able to pass legislation without going to the opposition to get enough votes.”

Over the past year, the Liberals have relied on selective support from the Conservatives to pass economic and trade-related legislation.

A majority government also allows Carney to decide the timing of the next election. Minority governments risk a snap election if they lose a confidence motion and usually last less than two years.

Carney tightened his grip on leadership Canada until at least 2029when national elections are to be held. The last time a federal government had a majority in parliament was under Justin Trudeau from 2015 to 2019.

Carney’s position strengthened when five opposition lawmakers defected to the Liberals in five months. Only the governments led by John A Macdonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister, and Jean Chrétien, who as the 20th Prime Minister of Canada From 1993 to 2003, more politicians saw flaws in the ruling party.

Longtime Conservative politician Marilyn Gladu switched parties to join Carney’s government on Wednesday, saying Canada needs “a serious leader who can address the uncertainty that has arisen because of the unjustified U.S. tariffs.”

Of the other two ridings, the Bloc Québécois is in an extremely tight race with the Liberals in Terrebonne, Quebec. The Liberals won it by just one vote in the last federal election, but the result was overturned by Canada’s Supreme Court because of a misprint on a voter’s envelope.

The other byelection in Ontario is to replace former Liberal lawmaker Bill Blair, who resigned after being appointed high commissioner to the UK. The Liberals are expected to hold Blair’s seat and have led early in the polls.

Laura Stephenson, the chair of the political science department at the University of Western Ontario, noted that while Trudeau had shifted the party to the left and prioritized issues such as reconciliation with indigenous peoples, rights for minority groups and immigration, there were more pressing matters for Carney, a more centrist leader.

She said: “He’s focused on helping Canada survive the economic turmoil, not rebuilding society. When we’re in tough times like this, different calculations are made.”

Recent polling by Nanos shows more than half of Canadians prefer Carney as their prime minister, with just 23% choosing Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. Before Carney became leader of the Liberal party last year, it was projected that Poilievre would win the next election by more than 20 points.

“Carney did a pretty good job Canadian shows he can handle Trump“Said McDougall of the University of Toronto. “He showed Canadians he is a capable manager of the economy and the country. And so far, Canadians have not been too impressed by the alternatives.”