Nearly one year after the last federal election, Prime Minister Mark Carney has managed to secure his majority mandate. The merits of how he did it are likely to be a matter of debate and speculation for some time, but the bottom line is he is now in the driver’s seat. Blaming opposition parties for being obstructionist or forcing an election over a confidence vote is now off the table.
To that end, the Liberals are wasting no time in taking advantage of the many benefits that come with an increased seat count.
Carney’s first order of business last week was to temporarily suspend the federal fuel excise tax to support Canadians who have felt the impacts of the U.S.-Iran war at the gas pumps. Affordability consistently ranks as a top concern for Canadians, and Carney correctly used his first podium appearance under a new majority government to lean into the issue.
His second move of the week was less transparent and deserving of more scrutiny. Just days after the excise exemption, Carney took to social media to declare that Canada’s ties to the United States are now a “weakness.” The tone shift comes during the ongoing CUSMA negotiation talks, a period in which Canada has seemingly made little progress in delivering relief for trade-exposed sectors or removing “red lines” from the table.
The ten-minute video signalled a public, foreign policy shift, and Carney’s provocative language garnered international media attention. All of this happened without any media oversight, or the ability for journalists to put their questions to Carney about the nature and timing of the video. It is an early foreshadowing of the desire by Carney to control his public image, and to communicate past the Ottawa press gallery.
Ironically, this is the same media tactic deployed by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre ahead of, and during the last federal election that was subject to much debate and scrutiny.
And now, the Liberal government will use their majority government to take control of parliamentary committees. This will allow them to control the amount of time legislation is debated and quash any motions that don’t align with their agenda. Think of ethics, spending, and controversial media stories that position the government in a negative light.
Carney’s cabinet was quick to point out that every previous government has utilized its majority mandate by controlling committee numbers. While true, it is also the case that previous governments have been criticized for a lack of transparency and for ethical cover-ups. Committee motions raised by opposition parties for further debate are one of the few parliamentary tools that opposition parties have to try and raise debate on issues that don’t align with the government’s agenda.
A majority government has given Carney the runway to think big, act boldly, and deliver on his election promises. He no longer has the threat of an election looming over his head but like every party leader before him, his daily actions will eventually define his place in the history books. Right now, he is the antithesis to President Donald Trump, but the contrast will not last forever and ultimately, he will have to stand on his own record of successes and failures.
Josie Sabatino is a Senior Consultant at Summa Strategies, focused on providing strategic insight and helping clients meet their objectives in an ever changing and complex political and regulatory environment. Prior to joining Summa, Josie spent nearly a decade in political communications and most recently served as the Director of Communications to the Hon. Erin O’Toole, former Leader of the Official Opposition.
