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In Canada, Liberals Lead By Six Points
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - The governing Liberal party remains the top political organization in Canada, according to a poll by Environics Research Group. 36 per cent of respondents would vote for the Liberals in the next federal election.
The Conservative party is in second place with 30 per cent, followed by the New Democratic Party with 19 per cent, and the Bloc Québécois with 11 per cent.
Liberal leader Paul Martin took over as Canada's prime minister in December 2003. In the June 2004 election, his Liberal party secured a minority government with 135 seats in the House of Commons.
The government and the Liberal party have been affected by the public inquiry into the federal sponsorship program initiated during the tenure of prime minister Jean Chrétien to promote Canada in Quebec. In February 2004, auditor-general Sheila Fraser concluded that approximately $75 million U.S. of the program's budget was paid to Liberal-friendly advertising firms for little or no work.
Martin called a public inquiry into the sponsorship program last year. Justice John Gomery was put in charge of the investigation, which is expected to conclude in December 2005. Last week, the testimony of Groupaction Marketing president Jean Brault was released to the public. Brault—who faces fraud and conspiracy charges—claims to have paid close to $1 million U.S. to Liberal fundraisers in Quebec, in order to secure advertising contracts with the federal government.
Yesterday, Martin said he still had the "moral authority" to govern, adding, "I put in place the Gomery commission, and I can assure you that when the commissioner has reported, I will act immediately against anybody who has transgressed against the public ethic."
Polling Data
If a Canadian federal election were held today, which one of the following parties would you vote for?
Apr. 2005 | Jan. 2005 | Oct. 2004 | |
Liberal | 36% | 37% | 39% |
Conservative | 30% | 29% | 28% |
New Democratic Party | 19% | 20% | 21% |
Bloc Québécois | 11% | 11% | 10% |
Other | 4% | 4% | 2% |
Source: Environics Research Group
Methodology: Interviews to 2,022 Canadian adults, conducted from Mar. 11 to Apr. 6, 2005. Margin of error is 2.2 per cent.