OTTAWA, April 8 (Reuters) - A Canadian opposition legislator defected to the ruling Liberal Party on Wednesday, leaving Prime Minister Mark Carney on the verge of a parliamentary majority that would make it easier to push through his agenda.
The centrist Liberals, governing with a minority after an April 2025 election, need opposition support to pass key legislation. Carney says he needs a majority to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump's trade measures.
The prime minister welcomed the defection by Marilyn Gladu - a long-standing member of the right-leaning Conservatives - saying it would help the government at a time of global uncertainty.
The Liberals now have 171 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons, one short of a majority, and look set to gain at least two more in special elections that are due to be held on April 13 to fill vacant seats.
Gladu is the fourth Conservative legislator to defect to the Liberals since last November. A member of the small left-leaning New Democratic Party joined the Liberals last month.
A majority would open the way to Carney serving until October 2029. Canadian elections are held no later than every four years.
Although opinion polls show the Liberals with a commanding lead over their rivals, Carney says he has no plans to call an early election.
The latest defection will put more pressure on Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who survived a leadership review in January after he blew a large lead and lost the 2025 election. The party was not immediately available for comment.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Maria Cheng and Paul Simao)
