Strategic Counsel: L-35, C-26, N-19, (Jul 16/05)

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Details

Strategic Counsel National Polling

Date/Lib/Con/New/Bloc

Jul 16/05/35/26/19/13

Jun 11/05/34/26/19/13

May 18/05/33/30/19/12

May 11/05/27/31/20/14

Apr 29/05/30/28/18/14

Majority of Canadians want both Martin and Harper replaced:

There are also indications of strong support for a change in the Liberal leader, but views are more divided: 52 per cent say that they want a leadership change, while 48 per cent indicate a desire for the status quo.

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Comparing today's polling results with our last national election in June, 2004, we see that the Conservatives with a very unpopular leader are down 4%, the Liberals with another unpopular leader are down 2%, and the New Democrats with a popular leader are up 3%.

Leadership is a very big issue for political parties.

Now that Canadians have had a chance to see Jack Layton perforn in the House of Commons, remember he wasn't even an MP during the last election, they are beginning to like what they see. The Layton New Democrats certainly have the momentum, and it is quite probable they will receive an additional 3%, or 22% support, come next election day.

[Riverwind]

The Layton New Democrats certainly have the momentum, and it is quite probable they will receive an additional 3%, or 22% support, come next election day.

Bigdude, polls go up and polls go down. Leadership will take second place to policy when people come to vote.

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I think a lot of Canadians will be quite pleased with the New Democratic $4.6 billion amendments to the budget, and with the New Democrats keeping the government in power, come next election.

But leadership is a big factor as well.

Let's face it, PM Martin is now being perceived as a pretty old guy, and Conservative leader Harper is considered not to be very much in tune with Canadian values. The Layon New Democrats have the momentum, both in terms of leadership and policies.

[Canuck E Stan]

Mirror, I'm afaid Mr.Layton gives himself too much credit for this $4.5 billion budget. The Liberals have other ideas.Maybe a few more years of experience will teach him about making deals with the LIberals.

Simon Doyle

The Ottawa Citizen

The Liberals have "double-crossed" and "outfoxed" the NDP by delaying funding from the $4.5-billion NDP-Liberal budget for a year, a re-election move that will attempt to take political credit for the party-negotiated spending, say New Democrats.

Last Monday, Liberal MP John McKay, parliamentary secretary to Finance Minister Ralph Goodale, seemed to spark a storm of confusion within the NDP caucus when he told the Senate finance committee the $4.5-billion budget money, brokered by the Liberals in exchange for NDP support in the House on confidence votes, can't be touched until summer 2006 at the earliest. …

"It's a double-cross and a breach of the agreement," said NDP finance critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis. She added that in this minority government, where parties are known to be in steady campaign mode, she suspects the Liberals are delaying the funding because they can roll it at a later date and take credit for it.

"Whenever the election is, I think it is to their own advantage to present this as their own idea and to do all the announcing so people credit the Liberals," Ms. Wasylycia-Leis said by phone from Manitoba.

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The Liberals already have enogh problems in this area and need to be very careful when it comes to issues of ethics and integrity. If PM Martin goes back on his word he will pay the price at the ballot box next February.

[ScottBrison]

Mirror, I'm afaid Mr.Layton gives himself too much credit  for this $4.5 billion budget. The Liberals have other ideas.Maybe a few more years of experience will teach him about making deals with the LIberals.

Simon Doyle

The Ottawa Citizen

The Liberals have "double-crossed" and "outfoxed" the NDP by delaying funding from the $4.5-billion NDP-Liberal budget for a year, a re-election move that will attempt to take political credit for the party-negotiated spending, say New Democrats.

Last Monday, Liberal MP John McKay, parliamentary secretary to Finance Minister Ralph Goodale, seemed to spark a storm of confusion within the NDP caucus when he told the Senate finance committee the $4.5-billion budget money, brokered by the Liberals in exchange for NDP support in the House on confidence votes, can't be touched until summer 2006 at the earliest. …

"It's a double-cross and a breach of the agreement," said NDP finance critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis. She added that in this minority government, where parties are known to be in steady campaign mode, she suspects the Liberals are delaying the funding because they can roll it at a later date and take credit for it.

"Whenever the election is, I think it is to their own advantage to present this as their own idea and to do all the announcing so people credit the Liberals," Ms. Wasylycia-Leis said by phone from Manitoba.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What the Hell are they talking about? I knew that the money couldn't be touched until 2006 ages ago, where the Hell were they?