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Carney’s Liberals Win By-Elections to Secure Narrow Commons Majority

The new majority lets him pursue an affordability drive starting with a summer fuel‑tax pause.

Overview

  • The Liberals, which swept three by-elections Monday in Toronto and Quebec, are projected at 174 seats pending certification and swearing-in, with wins by Danielle Martin in University–Rosedale, Doly Begum in Scarborough Southwest and Tatiana Auguste in Terrebonne, a Supreme Court‑ordered rematch after a one‑vote 2025 result was voided over a mail‑in ballot error.
  • Five opposition MPs who crossed the floor over recent months, including four Conservatives and one New Democrat, helped move the Liberals from a 2025 minority to the current majority for the first midterm shift of its kind in federal history.
  • Carney announced Tuesday a temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline and diesel from April 20 to September 7, cutting pump prices by about 10 cents a litre for gas and 4 cents for diesel to ease costs for drivers, truckers and businesses.
  • Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre condemned the path to power, calling the majority a cynical power grab built on backroom deals and accusing defectors of betraying their voters.
  • With a working edge, the government can pass bills without other parties and move to reset House committees, with no election required until 2029 unless one is triggered sooner.