Buoyed by majority, Carney predicts more ‘substance’ from Parliament, unveils temporary gas tax break

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Prime Minister Mark Carney defended his government against accusations that it achieved its new majority status undemocratically, as he used the first day after milestone by-elections to roll out a gas and diesel tax break and set the date for the government’s next fiscal plan.

The Liberals will release a spring economic update on April 28, exactly a year after Mr. Carney won a minority government on a promise that the Liberals would be Canada’s bulwark against the global economic chaos caused by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Since then, four Conservative MPs and one New Democrat have broken with their parties to join the Liberal caucus. Late Monday night, the party held on to two long-time Liberal seats in by-elections and picked up a third, pushing the government into majority territory for the first time.

With the floor crossers and by-elections, the Liberals have 174 seats in the House of Commons. The Conservatives hold 140, the Bloc Quebecois 22, the NDP six and the Green Party one.

Mr. Carney said the spring update will showcase how his government intends to move forward with its plan to make the Canadian economy stronger and more independent.

“You’ll see more emphasis on taking where we’re going with the economy and making sure that it benefits all Canadians,” he said.

It will likely take a few weeks before the by-election results are certified and the new MPs for University-Rosedale, Scarborough Southwest and Terrebonne can be sworn in and take their seats.

A combination of floor crossers and by-elections flipping a government from minority to majority has never happened before.

There are no legal barriers to MPs switching sides, though voters in some of the ridings where MPs have crossed the floor have staged protests and thousands of people have signed community-based petitions opposing the practice.

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When asked whether he was concerned that the method by which he obtained a majority could erode voters’ trust in democracy, Mr. Carney pointed out the Liberal share of the votes in the three by-elections went up compared with 2025.

“It’s a strong vote in favour of those individual deputies, and I would remind that we are in a parliamentary democracy, Canadians elect the deputies,” he told reporters after the gas tax break announcement.

The government accepts the results with “both humility and also determination,” he said.

“We know we need to continue to work with all parliamentarians.”

The Conservatives have been putting pressure on Mr. Carney to cut federal taxes on gas and diesel in response to rising energy prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East, which has dramatically reduced oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.

Andrew Coyne: The odd floor-crossing is one thing, but on this scale it undermines our system of government

The measure introduced by Mr. Carney Tuesday will pause the taxes beginning April 20 until Sept. 7.

The government said the move is expected to shave 10 cents per litre from the cost of regular gasoline and reduce the price of diesel by four cents.

The tax cut will require a ways-and-means motion, but even if the three new MPs aren’t sworn in yet, it is likely the Conservatives would help pass it, as they have advocated for a similar cut.

That the Tories would back a government plan reflects the fact that even with a minority Mr. Carney has been able to implement much of his agenda.

He said Tuesday a majority will make a difference in the tone of debate and things will move faster.

“There is a difference between real testimony, real substance, getting to issues, debating aspects of law, advancing – that’s the job of parliamentarians – and showboating,” he said.

“We’re going to have less of that. We’re going to have more substance.”

Robyn Urback: Why Pierre Poilievre might quietly welcome the new Liberal majority

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre did not speak with reporters Tuesday.

The Conservative floor-crossings have raised questions about Mr. Poilievre’s future as leader of the party.

During a speech from the floor of the House of Commons Tuesday, Mr. Poilievre said he is not going anywhere.

“I will continue to lead that fight in this House, across this country and in the next election when we, as Conservatives, will work to restore the country that we all know and love,” he said.

Mr. Poilievre criticized the floor crossers as politicians who betrayed their voters and said Mr. Carney was imposing a majority on Canadians through a series of backroom deals.

“This is not a majority that Canadians have chosen,” Mr. Poilievre said.

He said Mr. Carney will now have to fulfill his promises to get big things done for Canadians.

“They will have to do so without blaming others, and they will have to start now.”

On Monday, Liberal candidate Danielle Martin won 64 per cent of the vote in University-Rosedale. Doly Begum won in Scarborough Southwest with 70 per cent support.

Tatiana Auguste beat the Bloc Quebecois’ Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné in the Montreal-area riding of Terrebonne with 48 per cent support, returning as the area’s MP after the Supreme Court of Canada annulled the riding’s 2025 result.

Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said he sees the results as people putting their votes with the Liberals because they are the ones dealing with the Trump administration.

“I believe that there’s a feeling of people not feeling safe, being scared about what the future holds,” he told reporters.

“It’s true for Québécois. It’s true for Canadians. It’s true for many people around the world and it does change the way people see things.”