Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research

Canadian Liberals Reach 40% After Dion Win

December 10, 2006
Abstract: - The opposition Liberal party is the top political organization in Canada, according to a poll by Ekos Research Associates published in the Toronto Star. 40 per cent of respondents would vote for the Liberals in the next federal election.

- The opposition Liberal party is the top political organization in Canada, according to a poll by Ekos Research Associates published in the Toronto Star. 40 per cent of respondents would vote for the Liberals in the next federal election.

The governing Conservative party is second with 34 per cent, followed by the New Democratic Party (NDP) with 10 per cent, the Bloc Québécois with eight per cent, and the Green party also with eight per cent. Support for the Grits increased by eight points since October, while backing for the Tories dropped by two points.

Canadians renewed the House of Commons in January. The Conservative party—led by Stephen Harper—received 36.3 per cent of the vote, and secured 124 seats in the 308-member lower house. Since February, Harper leads a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party.

On Dec. 2, former environment minister Stéphane Dion became the new leader of the Liberal party, defeating academic Michael Ignatieff in the fourth and final delegate ballot with 54.7 per cent.

On Dec. 8, Harper referred to the fact that Dion holds dual Canadian-French citizenship, saying, "As you know the governor-general (Michaëlle Jean) was faced with a similar decision and I certainly supported her decision when she gave up her (French) citizenship. Obviously, I think everyone has a right to select options under the law, they have to use their own political judgment."

Polling Data

If a federal election were held tomorrow, which party would you vote for?

Dec. 2006

Oct. 2006

Sept. 2006

Liberal

40%

32%

29%

Conservative

34%

36%

39%

New Democratic Party

10%

16%

17%

Bloc Québécois

8%

10%

8%

Green

8%

6%

7%

Source: Ekos Research Associates / Toronto Star
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,022 Canadian adults, conducted on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6, 2006. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.