Prime Minister Mark Carney secured a parliamentary majority late Monday after his Liberal Party captured two key Toronto by-elections.
Liberal Danielle Martin won University–Rosedale and Liberal Doly Begum took Scarborough Southwest. Those victories bring the governing Liberals to 173 seats in the 343-member House of Commons — a majority sufficient to pass legislation without opposition support. Results from a third race in Quebec were still pending.
Carney posted on X: “Tonight, voters have placed their trust in our new government’s plan. We accept that support with humility, determination and a clear understanding of what this moment demands.”
A political outsider who replaced Justin Trudeau last year, Carney previously led the Bank of England and Canada’s central bank. His rise was bolstered by public anger over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and rhetoric about annexation, and by Carney’s pledge to reduce Canadian dependence on the United States. That stance and his effort to rally middle-power countries have strengthened his position; five opposition legislators have defected to the Liberals in the past five months.
“Carney has done a fairly good job showing Canadians he can handle Trump,” said Andrew McDougall, assistant professor in Canadian politics at the University of Toronto.
Analysts say the by-election wins consolidate Carney’s ability to govern. “He will be able to pass legislation without having to go to the opposition to secure enough votes,” McDougall added.
Recent Nanos polling cited by Reuters shows more than half of Canadians prefer Mark Carney as prime minister, compared with 23% for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre — a reversal from projections last year that favored Poilievre. Poilievre accused the Liberals of relying on “backroom deals” and vowed to “reclaim the country.”
Separately, the government announced a $2.5 billion assistance package for Ukraine. With the new majority, Carney’s Liberals could remain in power through the next scheduled national election in 2029.