Hour 2 of Ottawa Now for Thurs. April 9th, 2026

A trio of federal byelections are scheduled for next Monday, across various areas of Ontario and Quebec. But instead of needing 2 wins to secure a majority government, the Carney Liberals only need one, as longtime Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu has crossed the floor to join the Red Team. In a statement to her Sarnia constituents, Gladu says the community wants ‘serious leadership’ and ‘a real plan’ to build a stronger and more independent Canadian economy. She argues that joining the Liberal Party presents the opportunity and responsibility to build Canada’s strength and success with a ‘more constructive and collaborative approach’. Meantime, some political experts are now dummying down the importance of those 3 byelections, as 2 of them are being held in Liberal strongholds. We tackle every single political angle with the help of Éric-Antoine Ménard. He is the Vice-President and Head of Quebec Operations at NorthStar Public Affairs. Turning our attention to local news, an Ottawa city councillor’s push to explore private transportation service in rural areas has hit a dead end. It happened, not thanks to an outnumbered vote, but a 12-12 stalemate. So where does Rideau-Jock councillor David Brown go from here? He joins us in Hour 2. Plus, the Ottawa Senators are getting some much-needed help on the blueline, as Thomas Chabot returns way ahead of schedule! CFRA’s Chris Holski explains why he’s watching another Canadian team instead.