Carney says floor-crosser Marilyn Gladu will support Liberal values, contrary to her social conservatism

OTTAWA — The day after floor-crossing MP Marilyn Gladu promised to “continue bringing” her perspectives into the government tent, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the anti-abortion ex-Conservative MP will now vote according to Liberal social policies.

“The Liberal party always will support the right of women to choose, always and without question,” Carney told reporters Thursday.

“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 said of Gladu.

The prime minister’s comments come the day after Gladu, who over the last decade as an MP has expressed social conservative views such as calling for a renewed debate on abortion and opposing a sweeping Liberal ban on conversion therapy, defected to the Liberals , writing to her former Conservative colleagues that she was bringing her values to her new caucus.

“All of you know what I stand for, and know that I will continue bringing these perspectives inside the government tent, particularly in growing a strong economy at this important moment for Canada’s future,” she wrote to Tory MPs shortly after announcing her moving to the Liberals.

Carney’s comments also come as questions swirl among Liberal MPs and supporters about why the prime minister accepted Gladu into the caucus in the first place. Thousands of Liberals are expected at the Liberal party convention in Montreal that runs from Thursday until Saturday.

During her decade as a Conservative MP, Gladu was one of the Liberals’ fiercest critics both publicly and within her own caucus. She also espoused a number of views that were criticized by the Liberals , such as supporting the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests, promoting the unproved use of drug Hydroxychloroquine instead of vaccines to combat COVID-19 or opposing the Liberals’ legalization of cannabis.

Speaking from Contrecoeur, Que. on Thursday, Carney responded to numerous questions about Gladu joining his caucus by insisting that it is Gladu who will now adopt Liberal values, not the other way around.

“There has been no change in the values of the Liberal Party,” he began in French. “We’ve ran on a clear platform, clear values, defending the Charters of Rights and Freedoms, defending the right of women to choose, defending same sex marriage, anti-conversion therapy,” he added in English.

“The (MPs) who are joining the Liberal party at this critical time and supporting us… recognize those clear policy positions, those values, that’s where we will go, that’s what we will support, that’s where we will advance.”

What Gladu brings to the table for the Liberals, Carney argued, is two decades of business experience, technical knowledge as a chemical engineer and an ability to work with colleagues of all political stripes.

But when asked if there were certain values that an opposition MP held that he would refuse to accept into his caucus, Carney demurred.

Carney was in Contrecoeur to announce that work would begin this summer on a major container terminal expansion that will increase the Port of Montreal’s capacity by 60 per cent when completed in 2030.

The Contrecoeur container terminal expansion was one of the first projects submitted to the government’s new Major Projects Office to help finish getting over the line.

“Fast is not something one associated with Contrecoeur, because, let’s be clear, the vision for this terminal expansion was first proposed in 1988, almost 40 years ago,” he said.

“Since then, it’s been subject to delay after delay, extensive and duplicative regulations and approval processes. So last fall, working with the government of Quebec, we stepped in to help get this project built.”

National Post

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