Stephen Harper’s Conservatives continue to break away from the Liberals despite recent international humiliation, controversial policy decisions and questionable renovation contracts, according to new public opinion polls.
A look at the latest data shows, too, that autumn is finally upon Michael Ignatieff. With the Liberal Express bus parked in the garage, his showing at the polls is waning after briefly enjoying a bump as a result of his summer tour.
An Abacus Data online poll has the Conservatives eight points ahead of the Liberals, with 33 per cent support compared to 25 per cent. The NDP is at 21 per cent while the Green Party and the Bloc Québécois are at 10 per cent.
The online poll of 1,001 Canadians was conducted between Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.
It also shows the Conservatives with a small lead in Ontario of 36 per cent to 31 per cent. Last week’s EKOS poll also showed the Tories gaining in the vote-rich province – which in past elections had been a Liberal stronghold – after right-leaning Rob Ford was elected mayor of Toronto.
The latest Harris-Decima results, meanwhile, peg the Tory lead over the Liberals at five points, or 33 per cent to 28 per cent, with the NDP at 17 per cent and the Green Party at 10 per cent. The poll of 2,013 Canadians was conducted between Oct. 21 and Oct. 31 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Harris-Decima’s Allan Gregg told The Canadian Press his poll sub samples show the Tories picking up in Toronto at the same time as “Rob Ford was riding a wave of anti-elitist anger into the mayor’s chair in Toronto.” Mr. Gregg’s survey also noted the loss of a Security Council seat at the United Nations and controversy over Parliament Hill renovation contracts have not really touched the Tories.
Finally, an Ipsos Reid online poll released Wednesday to the National Post surveyed impressions of which party can best handle various policy issues, including who best can manage the economy. The Tories won that handily with 40 per cent compared to 28 per cent for the Liberals.
Overall, the poll – in which 1,046 Canadians were surveyed between Oct. 29 and Nov. 1 – was not good news for Mr. Ignatieff. “The Liberal Party, both in terms of its leadership and its brand is anemic,” John Wright, senior vice-president of Ipsos Reid told Postmedia News.
