Issue Watch

About Angus Reid Global Monitor

The definitive online source for examining worldwide public opinion and democratic processes.

The Global Monitor is a vital source of timely political intelligence for journalists, students, policy makers, and citizens. By merging academic expertise with the highest journalistic standards, we seek to advance research, improve information exchange, and enhance understanding of the changing dynamic of public opinion and democracy.
Read More

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

All fields are required.

Conservative Party Still Ahead in Canada

May 15, 2006

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Support for the governing Conservative party remains high in Canada, according to a poll by SES Research. 38 per cent of respondents would support the Tories in the next election to the House of Commons.

The Liberal party is second with 28 per cent, followed by the New Democratic Party (NDP) with 19 per cent, the Bloc Québécois with nine per cent, and the Green party with six per cent. Support for the Tories increased by five points since February, while backing for the Grits fell by six points.

Canadians renewed the House of Commons on Jan. 23. 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, who was sworn in on Feb. 6, leads a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party.

The Liberal party will elect a new leader in December. The list of 11 candidates includes former environment minister Stéphane Dion, academic Michael Ignatieff, former Ontario premier Bob Rae, and former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy.

So far, at least 17 current parliamentarians—including former ministers John McCallum, Stephen Owen and Denis Coderre—have endorsed Ignatieff.

Polling Data

If a federal election were held today, could you please rank your top two current local voting preferences? (First ranked reported)

May 2006

Feb. 2006

Conservative

38%

33%

Liberal

28%

34%

New Democratic Party

19%

18%

Bloc Québécois

9%

9%

Green

6%

7%

Source: SES Research
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 930 Canadian decided voters, conducted from May 4 to May 9, 2006. Margin of error is 3.2 per cent.