NDP now enjoys 6-point lead over PCs, Angus Reid poll suggests
CBC
The New Democrats have opened up a lead over the Progressive Conservatives in Manitoba, according to a new popular opinion survey conducted by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute.
The NDP enjoyed a six-percentage-point advantage over the PCs across the province as the Oct. 3 provincial election approaches, suggests the survey of 990 Manitoban adults conducted from Sept. 13 to 19. Of the voters surveyed, 47 per cent intend to vote for the NDP, 41 per cent for the PCs and nine per cent for the Manitoba Liberals.
Within Winnipeg, home to a majority of the seats in the Manitoba Legislature, the NDP has a 22-percentage-point lead over the PCs, 53 to 31 per cent. Outside Winnipeg, the Tories have a 15-point advantage over the NDP, 53 to 38 per cent.
The poll suggests a shift in voter intention since June, when a Probe Research poll suggested a provincewide deadlock in party support.
The poll was conducted online among a representative, randomized sample of members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size would have a margin of error of three per cent.
The survey suggests a majority of voters in this election intend to vote against a party rather than for it. Angus Reid said 43 per cent of the Manitobans surveyed intend to cast a vote for a party or leader they really like, while 57 per cent intend to vote against another party or leader.
The poll suggests Manitoba voters are not overly enamoured with either NDP Leader Wab Kinew or PC Leader Heather Stefanson — but have a much more favourable view of Kinew.
The NDP leader is viewed favourably by 48 per cent of survey respondents, while Stefanson's favourability is 17 per cent.
The favourability gap between the two has widened since the start of the formal election campaign, the survey suggests. When asked whether their opinion of Manitoba party leaders has improved, remained the same or declined in recent weeks, Kinew's favourability went up two percentage points, which is within the margin of error, while the drop for Stefanson was 21 percentage points.
Asked who would be the best premier, 34 per cent of survey respondents chose Kinew, 23 per cent selected Stefanson and 11 per cent said Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont would be optimal. Significantly, 21 per cent said none of the leaders would make the best premier.
Survey respondents were also asked which party they believed is the best overall choice to form Manitoba's next government. Angus Reid said 39 per cent chose the NDP, 33 per cent selected the PCs and seven per cent favoured the Liberals.
The survey also suggests the PCs and NDP acted prudently to make the cost of living and health care, respectively, the main planks in their election campaigns. Affordability ranked as the most important issue among those who took the poll, followed by health care and crime.
The survey suggests 37 per cent of Manitobans believe the PCs are better positioned to manage the economy, compared to 28 per cent for the NDP. It also suggests 40 per cent believe the NDP would serve as better stewards of health care, versus 27 per cent for the PCs.
The PCs had a slight edge over the NDP on crime, 33 to 29 per cent.
Lawyers for a man acquitted in a high-profile Toronto murder trial where a police officer was killed are holding a news conference Thursday to address a recent Ontario Provincial Police report that re-examines evidence from the trial.
Quebec provincial police arrested two men after a suspicious package grounded flights headed to Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport on Wednesday.
A nurse in Winnipeg says Canada's immigration system is undercutting efforts to address a shortage of health-care workers, after his application for permanent residency was rejected based on a technicality.
This year's provincial budget is "essentially" the status quo for wildfire preparation and response, the finance minister says.
Parts of B.C.'s coast continues to see heavy rain as Environment and Climate Change Canada warns of a prolonged atmospheric river this week.
Alberta teachers say they face increasingly dangerous conditions at school, with the most common threat coming from their own students.
Cataract surgeries at Charlottetown’s outpatient clinic are expected to resume in April, after procedures scheduled for March were cancelled due to the clinic reaching its annual funding target earlier than expected.
Shannon Elgazzar can see planes taking off from Cairo International Airport from her balcony.
Yellowknife city council has voted in favour of signing an agreement with the federal government that's aimed at bringing piped water and sewer service to the city's airport.
While Canada's economy is far more reliant on exports to the U.S. than vice versa, Canadian negotiators have crucial ammunition in their efforts to land a trade deal that reduces or eliminates tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Nova Scotia PC MLA Rick Burns says he and his wife are victims of blackmail after hackers accessed and shared videos and intimate images on his personal devices this week.
The Saint John Board of Police Commissioners and Chief Robert Bruce have lost a bid to permanently deny public access to all court documents related to conduct complaints nine officers filed against the chief.
With the looming October election, Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard has delivered a modest budget as the province aims to withstand ongoing trade disruptions and mounting geopolitical pressure.