Marilyn Gladu, a former member of the House of Commons who represented the Conservative Party, has joined the Liberal party. She is the latest member to join the government caucus, bringing Prime Minister Mark Carney within one seat of a majority. The move from Gladu, the MP for the Ontario riding of Sarnia—Lambton–Bkejwanong, comes days before three byelections are set to be held that could reset the balance of power in Parliament.
Carney and Gladu both issued statements Wednesday morning to announce the move, with the prime minister saying he was “honoured” to welcome Gladu into the Liberal caucus.
Gladu stated that she had made “a choice to do the best thing for our community’s priorities, and importantly, for our country” after hearing from her constituents that they want “serious leadership and a real plan” for the economy. Gladu stated to reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday that Carney had “invited me to bring my experience, my talents, and my views into the large Liberal tent, and I think that will have a better effect inside than it will outside.” Gladu’s statement was made in response to the question. She stated, “We need a serious leader who can deal with the uncertainty that has arrived as a result of the unjustified American tariffs.” In this critical moment, “we need a global leader with a plan to make Canada stronger, more resilient, and more self-reliant.” Mark Carney, our prime minister, is that individual. Since Gladu was first elected in 2015, Carney has praised her engineering and business experience and described her as “one of the most collaborative members of Parliament, working across party lines on important issues.” “(She’s) really dedicated to her electors in Sarnia—Lambton–Bkejwanong, which I am informed rightly means ‘where the waters meet,’” he said. “And in my metaphor, the waters are meeting for the benefit of Canadians at this crucial moment for our nation. “We couldn’t be happier to have this expertise, experience and energy coming to our team.”
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