(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Few Canadians are satisfied with a recent agreement between Stéphane Dion and Elizabeth May, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 45 per cent of respondents disapprove of the Liberal leader and the Green leader's pact to not run candidates in each other's ridings in the next federal election.

Canadians renewed the House of Commons in January 2006. 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. Harper leads a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party. In December 2006, former environment minister Dion became the new leader of the Liberals.

In August 2006, Sierra Club of Canada head May became the new leader of the Greens. The party received 4.5 per cent of the national vote last year, but has no representation in the House of Commons.

On Apr. 13, Dion and May announced their decision in a joint statement, which read: "We admit we are different from most adversarial, political leaders. We respect each other. We will always put the country and the planet first. Out of respect for each other and out of our shared commitment to a greener Canada, we are not running candidates in each other's ridings."

New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jack Layton expressed disappointment, saying, "This is the kind of backroom wheeling and dealing that ordinary Canadians are fed up with. When the Liberal party was in power, they generated a lot of cynicism about Canadian politics with their behind-closed-doors ways. It seems not much has changed under their new leader." 52 per cent of respondents reject a merger between the Liberals, the NDP and the Greens, while 20 per cent agree to it.

The survey asked Canadians who they would vote for if they resided in Nova Scotia's Central Nova riding. 35 per cent of respondents would support Conservative foreign minister Peter MacKay, 22 per cent would back May, and 16 per cent would vote for NDP candidate Louise Lorefice.

Polling Data

As you may know, Liberal Party leader Stéphane Dion and Green Party leader Elizabeth May have announced they are not running candidates in each other's ridings in the next federal election. Do you approve or disapprove of this agreement?

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: "The Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Green Party should pursue a merger."

If you were a voter residing in Nova Scotia's Central Nova riding, which of these candidates would you support in the next federal election?

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