First in Canadian History — On the Record
Canadians Voted for a Minority.
Carney Manufactured a Majority.
On April 13, Carney won three byelections and crossed the majority threshold in the House of Commons. He is the first Prime Minister in Canadian history to reach a majority government through a combination of floor crossings and byelections — never done before, and never put to the voters who elected a minority.
Since the April 2025 election, five opposition MPs crossed the floor to the Liberals: Chris d'Entremont (Conservative, Nova Scotia, Nov. 4, 2025), Michael Ma (Conservative, Markham-Unionville, Dec. 11, 2025), Matt Jeneroux (Conservative, Edmonton-Riverbend, Feb. 18, 2026), Lori Idlout (NDP, Nunavut, Mar. 11, 2026), and Marilyn Gladu (Conservative, Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong, Apr. 8, 2026). Four Conservatives. One NDP. Each represented voters who elected a different party. None of those voters were consulted.
First in Canadian History
The Globe and Mail confirmed it: "A combination of floor-crossers and by-elections turning a minority government into a majority has never happened before in Canada." The Library of Parliament reviewed more than 300 instances of floor crossings recorded since Confederation and found no prior case. Canadians elected a minority. Through five recruited defections and three byelections, Carney converted it into unchecked legislative power — without a single competitive vote being cast to justify it.
Carney — December 2025 — Global News Year-End Interview
"I met with them. I met with them just at the end of what was the process... We're open. We're looking for that support because the country needs to move forward."
— When Rosemary Barton asked him directly if he was running an active recruitment campaign for floor-crossers, he refused to deny it.
A majority government in Canada means the ability to pass any bill without negotiation, without compromise, and without the consent of any other party. That is the power Carney built — one recruited defection at a time.
Policy Theft — Same Day. On the Record.
Called It Irresponsible in the Morning.
Announced His Version in the Afternoon.
One day after securing his manufactured majority, Carney mocked Poilievre's gas tax proposal at a morning press conference — then announced a diluted version of that exact proposal hours later. The opposition did the work. Carney did the press conference.
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The Morning — He Mocks It
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Hours Later — He Adopts It
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"Get rid of all taxes on gasoline and let's spend $9 billion as if we're not in government."
— Carney press conference, April 14 morning
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Suspends the federal fuel excise tax. Gasoline only. No GST. No clean fuel standard. From April 20 to Labour Day.
— Carney announcement, April 14 afternoon
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| Poilievre's Full Plan |
What Carney Delivered |
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✓ Suspend federal fuel excise tax
✓ Suspend GST on fuel
✓ End clean fuel standard
✓ For rest of 2026
✓ 25¢/L total savings
Cost: ~$9 billion
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✓ Suspend federal fuel excise tax
✗ GST on fuel — not touched
✗ Clean fuel standard — not touched
✗ Ends at Labour Day
✓ 10¢/L savings on gas
Cost: $2.4 billion
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25¢
Per litre on
the table (CPC)
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10¢
Per litre
delivered (Carney)
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40%
Of the proposal
actually adopted
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Gas prices averaged $1.73 per litre across Canada on April 14 — up from $1.29 a year ago, a 34% increase driven by the Iran war. Carney's cut removes 10 cents. Poilievre's full plan would have removed 25. The GST on fuel — roughly 8–9 cents per litre — stays. The clean fuel standard stays. The suspension ends at Labour Day.
The timing is not incidental. For months this government declined to act on Conservative calls for gas tax relief. The announcement came one day after Carney secured his manufactured majority. Without opposition pressure, Canadians would have gotten nothing.
Carney — Press Conference — April 14, 2026 Morning
"We didn't just say, 'Get rid of all taxes on gasoline and let's spend $9 billion as if we're not in government,' which is actually what you do say when you're not in government. But when you are in government, you have to choose, you have to balance, and this is the balance we've struck."
— Said hours before announcing his own diluted version of the plan
Energy Minister Tim Hodgson — April 14, 2026
"If the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, the government will react in a pragmatic way."
— Leaving the door open to extending the suspension beyond Labour Day, after months of refusing to act at all
Credit Where It's Due
The 10¢/litre relief Canadians are getting from April 20 to Labour Day exists because Pierre Poilievre kept pushing for it. Without a strong opposition, this government had no intention of moving. That is what an effective opposition looks like — and Canadians should know who actually fought for this. It is not the man who called it irresponsible in the morning.
The Verdict — Two Days, One Pattern
April 13: Carney became the first Prime Minister in Canadian history to manufacture a majority through floor crossings — five recruited defections from other parties, their constituents' votes ignored, completed with three byelections. No prior case exists in the 300+ instances of floor crossings recorded since Confederation.
April 14: Armed with that majority, Carney mocked the gas tax plan Canadians needed, then announced a diluted version of it hours later. Canadians got 40% of the relief that was on the table — because the opposition kept pushing until it was politically unavoidable.
The majority was manufactured. The relief was forced. The opposition did the work. Carney did the press conference. That is the record of these two days.