(Angus Reid Global Scan) - The Conservative party holds the lead in Canadian federal politics, according to a poll by Compas Inc. for CanWest Global. 34 per cent of respondents would vote for the Tories in the next general election, a five per cent increase since February.

The governing Liberal party is in second place with 30 per cent—an eight per cent drop in two months—followed by the New Democratic Party with 18 per cent and the Bloc Québécois with 15 per cent. Four per cent of respondents would vote for other parties.

Liberal leader Paul Martin took over as Canada's prime minister in December 2003. In the June 2004 election, his 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. Earlier this month, 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.

On Apr. 16, veteran Conservative parliamentarian John Reynolds declared a prospective administration headed by Tory leader Stephen Harper would respect agreements signed by Martin, saying, "We will live up to any contract signed by this government. That's the tradition of any government."

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