Challenges still remain even with slim federal Liberal majority: Shirley Bond

“We need to remember this is a slim majority.”

That is from retired Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond after Prime Minister Mark Carney and the federal liberals secured a majority government last night (Monday) after claiming all three by-elections in Ontario and Quebec, giving them 174 seats in the House of Commons.

Bond told Vista Radio the way the Liberals got to this point, which was aided by five MP’s crossing the floor, might not sit well with voters come the next election cycle.

“You do question the trust the voters will have. We have a very significant challenge in voter turnout as it is and when you continue to see these kinds of decisions what does that say to the average voter?

“They chose to cast their ballot very specifically.”

The opposition Conservatives bared the biggest brunt of the floor crossings.

The Tories lost Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong representative Marilyn Gladu last week, Edmonton Riverbend MP Matt Jeneroux in February as well as Markham—Unionville and  Acadie—Annapolis (Quebec) Michael Ma and Chris d’Entremont at the end of 2025.

Lastly, Nunavut MP Lori Idlout defected the New Democrats to join the resurgent Liberals in March.

With all three by-elections now in hand, the Liberals have 174 seats in the House of Commons. The Conservatives have 140 seats, the Bloc Quebecois 22, the NDP six, and the Greens one.

However, Bond said some questions still remain with the Liberals despite the desired result.

“It does mean that Mark Carney can move forward somewhat more aggressively with his agenda but it is a slim majority and time will tell whether he can hold that much bigger caucus tent together.”

“When you look at the byelections, two of them were Liberal strongholds and Terrebonne was another case where that election result was rejected through the courts because of a one vote difference and that seat now sits with over a 700 vote difference.”

She added the Liberal majority also gives the Conservatives a potential three-year window to prove they are the government in waiting.