maplesyrup Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 Layton poised to beat Mills Stronach looking at landslide; Broadbent, Brison likely to win James Cowan and Mark Kennedy National Post and CanWest News Service Friday, June 11, 2004 NDP leader Jack Layton holds a 20-point lead over three-term Liberal MP Dennis Mills in his downtown Toronto riding, a new poll suggests. The surveys of 12 key ridings across Canada also show former Conservative leadership candidate Belinda Stronach with a 29-point lead in the suburban riding of Newmarket-Aurora. The findings, part of a public opinion research project commissioned by the National Post and Global Television and conducted by COMPAS Inc., point to easy wins for other high-profile candidates such as former NDP leader Ed Broadbent in Ottawa Centre and Scott Brison, the Tory-turned-Liberal, in the Nova Scotia riding of Kings-Hants. Mr. Layton has 53% support among decided voters in Toronto Danforth, while Liberal Dennis Mills has 33%. Conservative candidate Loftus Cuddy has 10% and Jim Harris, the national leader of the Green party, has 4% support. "It's the effect of the national decline of the Liberal party along with the area already having some NDP propensities," said Conrad Winn, the president of COMPAS Inc. While Mr. Mills has represented Toronto Danforth since 1988, the riding is represented by New Democrats at both the municipal and provincial levels. According to the pollster, the NDP would likely win in the riding without Mr. Layton as a candidate. If different candidates replaced the current ones, 44% of those polled said they would still vote for the NDP, followed by 35% for the Liberals, 14% for the Conservatives and 7% for the Green candidate. Mr. Layton's lead is based not only on strong support for his party in the riding, but also his record as a city councillor for the southern portion, which he represented for a decade. "I'm not sure if being NDP leader helps Mr. Layton, but I do think somewhat positive memories of him as city councillor help him," Mr. Winn said. When asked to rate his performance as a councillor on a scale of one to 100, respondents gave Mr. Layton an average score of 63, compared with an average score of 57 for Mr. Mills based on his performance as an MP. Backers of both men said positive personal interactions with the candidates had influenced their decision. "Jack Layton has worked with me for many years and that is why I will vote for him," one respondent told pollsters. "It's the fact that we know Dennis Mills. It's the candidate that matters," another said. Quote An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't. Anatole France
maplesyrup Posted June 11, 2004 Author Report Posted June 11, 2004 I wonder how Belinda is going to enjoy the House of Commons? Quote An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't. Anatole France
Argus Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 Good riddance to Mills, Mr. Corruption, the top apologist for the sleaze of the Chretien government. He never let up on attacking the Auditor General and was the lead player in the Martin effort to turn the comittee hearings into mush, and then close them down. Quote "A liberal is someone who claims to be open to all points of view — and then is surprised and offended to find there are other points of view.” William F Buckley
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