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After losing another of his MPs to the Liberals, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he personally supports recall petitions — a way for constituents to remove a representative if they garner enough local support.
“When a member of Parliament goes back on the word they made to their constituents and switches parties, constituents should be able to petition to throw them out and have a byelection,” he said during a news conference on Thursday.
“That would put the people back in charge of our democracy rather than having dirty backroom deals.”
Southwestern Ontario MP Marilyn Gladu left the Conservative Party to join the Liberals on Wednesday — the fourth Conservative to do so since November.
After Marilyn Gladu became the fourth Conservative MP to join this Liberal government, Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre said he believes ‘constituents in her riding and every riding should be able to petition for a byelection whenever a member of Parliament changes parties.’
Alberta employs a method for voters to have a second look at their provincial representatives between elections. If a petition gets at least 60 per cent of the total number of votes in the candidate’s last race, a constituency-wide vote is held on whether they keep their seat. If the member loses, a byelection would be held.
There isn’t a similar method for constituents to force their federal representative to face a byelection.
Poilievre — and other Conservative MPs — have in the past voted against a bill that would require MPs to automatically face a byelection if they changed parties. Asked if he would vote differently now, he said that would be a decision for caucus and said he personally supports the petition method.
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley wants Prime Minister Mark Carney to call a byelection following Marilyn Gladu’s decision to join the Liberal government. Though Bradley says Gladu’s supporters are ‘feeling very betrayed’ in the wake of this party switch, he hopes the government demonstrates its value by attending to the city’s needs.
Poilievre was speaking in Richmond, B.C., to discuss property rights — but he led off his remarks talking about Gladu joining Prime Minister Mark Carney’s party.
“Mark Carney is saying to Canadians: ‘Your vote does not count,'” Poilievre said.
“I feel badly for Ms. Gladu’s constituents, the strong majority of whom voted for our Conservative vision.”
Two Liberal sources speaking to CBC News on the condition that they not be named said the party is in conversations with as many as nine other MPs about crossing the floor.
Poilievre dismissed the possibility that more MPs could cross as “rumours” and stated his intent to lead the party into the next election, pointing to the recent 87 per cent support he received from party members to stay on.
After his Conservatives lost a fourth MP to the Liberal government, Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre was asked at what point he would reflect on his own leadership. ‘Our mandate and my leadership does not come from dirty backroom deals, it comes from the people of Canada,’ Poilievre said.
“My mandate doesn’t come from dirty backroom deals,” he said.
Poilievre was joined by a number of Conservative MPs, which he said was a sign that his party is unified.
As the Toronto Star reported last week, Poilievre’s office sent letters to his critic MPs asking them to justify their roles. Two Conservative sources told CBC News that the letters were off-putting and could have been communicated better. Both described the caucus as demoralized.
Carney questioned about his new MP
Poilievre wasn’t the only one facing questions about Gladu’s floor-crossing on Thursday.
In the past, Gladu has largely been viewed as a social conservative. She was a vocal opponent of the Liberals’ push to legalize cannabis and also originally opposed a Liberal bill to ban conversion therapy — she later issued a statement saying she “vehemently” opposes conversion therapy and supports the LGBTQ+ community.
During her bid for the Conservative leadership in 2020 she said she would allow caucus members to bring forward private member’s bills to restrict abortion, adding she doesn’t think they would find broad support.
Speaking at an earlier news conference, Carney was asked about his new MP’s views on abortion and 2SLGBTQ+ rights.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Conservative floor-crosser Marilyn Gladu will ‘vote with the government’ on any aspect of the abortion issue and other social issues. Carney said he and his colleagues had discussed this with the newest Liberal MP.
The prime minister insisted that any MP who joins the Liberals must adhere to the party’s values on those issues.
“The Liberal Party always will support the right of women to choose — always, without question. I had discussions and colleagues had discussions with Ms. Gladu about those issues,” Carney said.
“She will vote with the government if there are votes relating to any aspect of that issue [abortion], as well as the rights of Canadians to be their whole selves, to love who they love, to fully enjoy the rights.”
At the same time, Carney touted having a diversity of perspectives in the Liberal caucus.
“It’s a big country and it’s a diverse country,” Carney said, adding that the recent floor-crossers had brought “a series of perspectives and expertise that is aiding … the government and the country at a crucial time.”
In addition to the four former Conservatives that have joined the Liberals, former NDP MP Lori Idlout jumped to the governing party last month.
Gladu’s defection brings the Liberals up to 171 seats, short of the 172 needed for a slim majority when all seats in the House of Commons are filled.
Because the Speaker is a Liberal MP and bound by convention to vote certain ways in case of a tie, Carney’s party would have an easier time controlling House business if they got to 173 seats.
Three upcoming byelections will likely get the Liberals to that threshold.
The Toronto ridings of University-Rosedale and Scarborough Southwest are considered safe Liberal seats, while the Quebec riding of Terrebonne was won by the Liberals by just one vote during the spring 2025 election.
All three byelections are taking place on Monday, the same day the House returns following a two-week spring hiatus.
