TORONTO — Another Conservative member of Canada’s Parliament has switched allegiance to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party, bringing his government tantalizingly close to securing a parliamentary majority.
Marilyn Gladu, who represents an Ontario district, cited concerns about President Donald Trump’s economic and territorial threats against Canada as the driving force behind her party switch. Trump has floated the idea of incorporating Canada as America’s 51st state while imposing harsh tariffs on key Canadian industries.
“The past year has been like no other Canada has ever faced,” Gladu said in a statement Wednesday. “I’ve heard from constituents that you want serious leadership and a real plan to build a stronger and more independent Canadian economy.”
Gladu becomes the fifth parliamentarian to join Carney’s ranks and the fourth former Conservative to make the switch.
“She is going to be a great member of our team,” Carney said outside his office. “This all comes at a time when the country as a whole is uniting.”
The party switch moves the Liberals to 171 seats in the House of Commons, just one short of the 172 needed for majority control that would allow them to pass legislation without requiring opposition support.
Carney has scheduled special elections in three districts for Monday that could deliver the majority he seeks if his party captures just one of the seats.
The prime minister announced March 8 that voting will take place April 13 in two Toronto-area constituencies — Scarborough Southwest and University-Rosedale — both considered likely Liberal victories, plus the Montreal-area district of Terrebonne, where the outcome remains uncertain.
The three other Conservative parliamentarians who recently joined the Liberals are Chris d’Entremont, Michael Ma and Matt Jeneroux.
Jeneroux has pointed to Carney’s World Economic Forum address in Davos as influential in his decision. During that speech, Carney criticized economic bullying by powerful nations against smaller countries, earning widespread acclaim and overshadowing Trump at the international gathering.
Since replacing Justin Trudeau as prime minister in 2025 and winning national elections, Carney has steered the Liberals toward the political center.
The latest defection represents another setback for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who suffered defeat in last year’s national election and even lost his own parliamentary seat before later returning to the House of Commons.
Although Poilievre survived a party leadership review earlier this year, he continues to struggle with maintaining unity among his caucus members.
