Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney secured a parliamentary majority for his government on Monday, a victory he says will help him deal more effectively with the trade war launched by US President Donald Trump.
It will likely also mean that Carney, who took office with no political experience and has received global praise for his efforts to unite middle-power nations, won’t have to worry about an election for years.
Capping an extraordinary few months in Canada, when several opposition members joined Carney’s Liberal Party, his party said on the X that it had secured two districts — known as ridings — in Ontario in special elections.
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Those were the University-Rosedale and Scarborough Southwest districts, which have long voted Liberal. The results of a third election were still being counted.
The victory takes the Liberals to 173 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons.
“He will be able to pass laws without having to go to the opposition to secure enough votes,” said Andrew McDougall, an assistant professor of Canadian politics at the University of Toronto.
Over the past year, liberals have relied on selective support from conservatives to pass economic and trade laws.
Carney has solidified his control over Canada’s leadership until at least 2029, when national elections are expected to be held next. The last time a federal government had a majority in Parliament was during Justin Trudeau’s government, from 2015 to 2019.
