Canadians continue to have mixed feelings about Stephen Harper even as they grow more comfortable with the direction he is taking their county.
A new survey conducted in mid-August for The Globe and Mail and CTV by The Strategic Counsel suggests the Conservatives and the Liberals remain in a popularity deadlock with each party being named as the first choice of 33 per cent of respondents.
But as pollsters Peter Donolo and Tim Woolstencroft write in today's Globe: "Don't let the neck-and-neck party standings fool you. After a year and a half in office, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has built up some impressive political capital.
"Nearly six out of 10 Canadians think the country is on the right track. Even if he's not setting Canadians' hearts aflame, most have a neutral-to-positive impression of Mr. Harper. He's seen as a decisive leader. A majority believe he's kept his promises. And most Canadians trust him to do the right thing for the country.
Does that mean we can expect a majority Conservative government when the dust settles on the next federal election? And who does Mr. Harper need to court to make that happen?
Mr. Donolo is joining us today from 2-3 p.m. EDT to take your questions on the poll.
Join the Conversation by submitting a question or comment . Your questions and Mr. Donolo's answers will appear at the bottom of this page.
Mr. Donolo was director of communications for Prime Minister Jean Chrétien from 1993 to 1999.
He oversaw communications strategies for a number of the most important government initiatives and most contentious political and public policy issues of that decade and also directed the prime minister's personal communications.
He is now a partner with The Strategic Counsel, one of Canada's most respected market research and strategic communications consultants.
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Christine Diemert, globeandmail.com: Mr. Donolo, thanks for joining us this afternoon to discuss federal politics and the most recent Globe and Mail/CTV Strategic Counsel poll. Since we've had a lot of comments and questions posted already, I'll get right to the discussion.
Paula Gaul from Rossland Canada writes: I believe that for the most part, Mr. Harper is doing the right things for the country, and I hope that he does win a majority. This may seem shallow, but he still strikes a lot of people as a bit cold.
Do you think that he can get outside and go for walks every day like the Prime Minister of Australia does — get a bit of a colour on his face, stay healthy and fight off the weight gain? I know it's a small thing, but that stuff really does matter, and it could make him seem more approachable.
Peter Donolo: There's no question that appearances matter. But what matters more, I think, is authenticity.
If Mr. Harper — or any other politician — tries to behave in a way that the public feels is too contrived, or synthetic, the public will sense it.
Moreover, let's not underestimate the public. They care about substance, not just style. Mr. Harper needs also to assuage the substantive concerns that potential voters still have.
Paul Faulkenham from Canada writes: I'd hate to think that one day Stephen Harper will lead this country, Canada to God knows where. Will we become the 53rd state of the United States as Harper seems to be more of a yes man to the United States than was Paul Martin. I have no doubt that there were things that went on behind the scenes of general Politics that we Canadians never knew about, but that being said at least Paul Martin knew that the word No existed in the English dictionary.
