Carney Says MP Gladu Will Vote With Government on Abortion, Other Social Issues

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he has spoken with MP Marilyn Gladu about her past positions on social issues such as abortion, adding that the former Conservative MP who crossed the floor to join the Liberals this week will vote with the government on these matters.

Carney made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions during an unrelated April 9 press conference in Quebec, addressing Gladu’s past positions on issues that diverge from Liberal policy—including her description of herself as being pro-life.

“To be clear, the Liberal Party always will support the right of women to choose—always, without question,” Carney said. “I had discussions, and colleagues had discussions, with Ms. Gladu about those issues.”

“She will vote with the government if there are votes relating to any aspect of that issue, as well as the rights of Canadians to be their whole selves, to love who they love, and to fully enjoy their rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” he added.

Gladu, a long-time Conservative MP, announced on April 8 that she is joining the Liberal caucus, making her the fourth Conservative MP to cross the floor since November 2025. Gladu is arguably the most right-leaning MP among the Tories who have defected.

Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set a rule, shortly after he became Liberal leader in 2013, that no new Liberal candidate could oppose abortion.

Gladu has previously said she is pro-life and, in recent years, has often taken positions at odds with the Liberals—including support for the 2022 Freedom Convoy against COVID-19 mandates and opposition to the initial version of the Trudeau government’s conversion therapy ban bill. Meanwhile, she has also stated that she supports abortion services for those who wish to use them, as well as same-sex marriage, and said she would take part in Pride parades.

Pro-life group Campaign Life Coalition said on April 8 that the Liberal government welcoming an MP with Gladu’s past views could be a sign that the Liberals are becoming more accepting of Canadians who oppose abortion. Several of Gladu’s former Conservative colleagues raised her past positions on social issues, including her opposition to the Liberal government’s hate crime legislation which removes religious defence for hate speech, pointing to the contrast with the Liberals’ core policies.

Carney said the Liberals have run on “a clear platform” that included “defending the right of women to choose, defending same-sex marriage, anti-conversion therapy,” and said that the Liberal Party’s values have not changed.

“People who are joining the Liberal Party at this critical time and supporting us … recognize those clear policy positions, those values,” he added.

When asked by reporters whether he is comfortable with the fact that Gladu took part in a pro-life protest a few years ago, Carney reiterated that he has spoken to Gladu about his party’s policies and is “not uncomfortable,” noting that Gladu has made a commitment to supporting the party’s policies.

The prime minister said that all five of the MPs who have recently crossed the floor to join the Liberal caucus bring diverse perspectives from their regions and backgrounds, “but they all are subscribing to the values of the party and the core element of our mission.”

Carney did not directly answer reporters’ questions about whether there are any red lines for MPs seeking to join the party based on their past statements or views, but said a government requires “a mix of expertise.”

Later on April 9, Gladu told reporters at the Liberal Party convention in Montreal that she agrees with Carney’s comments “100 percent.”

“I obviously have my long faith traditions, but I’m ready to support the rights of women in this country,” Gladu said.

“I will vote with the government. I will protect the rights and freedoms of women to choose, for people to be who they are and love who they love.”

Floor-Crossers

When asked whether there would be more MPs crossing the floor to join the Liberal Party this week, Carney said he is “often the last to know.” He said that in each case of defection, the MPs have expressed interest in joining the party to MPs they know well in the Liberal caucus, “and then a conversation has evolved from that.”

“Near the end of the conversation is when I’ve met with those individuals. So I can’t tell you more than that,” he said.

Now that Gladu has joined the Liberals, the party has 171 seats in the House of Commons, which is one seat shy of a majority. Three byelections are set to take place on April 13, two of which are considered to be safe Liberal ridings.

The Liberals are likely to at least reach 173 seats, which would allow them to win House votes without needing the Liberal House Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia to vote in the case of a tie.