Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney secured a parliamentary majority late Monday after his Liberal party swept two key by-elections in Toronto.
In Toronto, Liberal candidate Danielle Martin won election for the University-Rosedale district and Liberal Dolly Begum won the Scarborough Southwest district.
The victory gave the Liberals 173 seats in the 343-member House of Commons, enough to pass legislation without opposition support.
Carney posted a statement on Twitter saying, “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.”
The results of the third race in Quebec were still pending.
‘Carney showed he can handle Trump’
Carney, a political outsider, took over as prime minister last year from Justin Trudeau.
He was, previously, the former head of the Bank of England as well as the central bank of Canada.
His election was driven by public anger over U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs and to admit Canada as its 51st state.
His political position has been strengthened by the departure of five opposition MLAs to the Liberals in the five months since his pledge to reduce Canada’s dependence on the United States.
His effort to bring middle-power countries together was also praised.
“Carney has done a pretty good job of showing Canadians he can handle Trump,” said Andrew McDougall, an assistant professor of Canadian politics at the University of Toronto.
Carney’s Liberal Party could remain in power until the 2029 national election after Monday’s results.
PM strengthened his political position
Analysts say the election victory has put Carney in a strong position.
“He’ll be able to pass legislation without having to go to the opposition to get enough votes,” McDougall said.
Recent Nano polling cited by the Reuters news agency shows that more than half of Canadians prefer Mark Carney as prime minister, while 23% prefer Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
This is a strong reversal from last year, when Poilievre was projected to win by a wide margin.
Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre accused the Liberal Party of relying on “backroom deals” and vowed to “reclaim the country”.
Edited by: Elisabeth Schumacher