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Approval for PM Harper at 34% in Canada
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A third of Canadians are satisfied with the performance of their prime minister, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies released by the Toronto Star. 34 per cent of respondents approve of Stephen Harper’s performance, down two points since September.
Only 15 per cent of respondents approve of the performance of Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, and 26 per cent are satisfied with the way New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jack Layton is doing his job.
Canadians renewed the House of Commons in October 2008. The Conservative party—led by Harper—received 37.6 per cent of the vote, and secured 143 seats in the 308-member lower house. Harper assembled a minority administration. The Tories also earned a minority mandate after the 2006 election, ending more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party. In December, Ignatieff took over as Liberal leader, replacing Stéphane Dion.
Layton became the NDP’s leader in January 2003. He was elected to the House of Commons in June 2004, winning the Toronto-Danforth constituency.
In late January, Canadian finance minister Jim Flaherty presented the federal budget, which predicts a $70 billion U.S. budget deficit over the next five years, and includes a $33 billion U.S. economic stimulus package, as well as tax relief aimed at the lower and middle class.
On Sept. 1, Ignatieff declared that the Liberals will no longer support the Conservative minority administration in the House of Commons.
The next election to the House of Commons is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 15, 2012. Sitting prime ministers can dissolve Parliament and call an early ballot at their discretion. In order to trigger an election, all three opposition parties in the House of Commons—Liberals, NDP and Bloc—would have to defeat the government in a no-confidence motion.
On Oct. 20, Ignatieff discussed his views on whether the Tory minority government should be toppled, declaring, "We’ve said clearly we won’t support the government but, at the same time, we won’t try to defeat the government each time. (...) We won’t support these people, because we’re the opposition. But we’re not trying to create opportunities to trigger an election."
Polling Data
Do you approve or disapprove of the performance of Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper?
|
Oct. 2009 |
Sept. 2009 |
|
|
Approve |
34% |
36% |
|
Disapprove |
45% |
48% |
|
Not sure |
21% |
19% |
Do you approve or disapprove of the performance of Liberal and Official Opposition leader Michael Ignatieff?
|
Oct. 2009 |
Sept. 2009 |
|
|
Approve |
15% |
23% |
|
Disapprove |
53% |
43% |
|
Not sure |
32% |
33% |
Do you approve or disapprove of the performance of New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jack Layton?
|
Oct. 2009 |
Sept. 2009 |
|
|
Approve |
26% |
31% |
|
Disapprove |
39% |
41% |
|
Not sure |
35% |
28% |
Source: Angus Reid Strategies / Toronto Star
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,001 Canadian adults, conducted on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24, 2009. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.