Why polling in Saskatchewan needs to be taken with a grain of salt: expert

Daniel Westlake explains the challenges of polling in Saskatchewan and why we should be taking data points with a grain of salt.

A few polls have been weighing in on the Saskatchewan political landscape over the past few months, but they may not tell the whole story.

Daniel Westlake, assistant professor in the department of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan, said a large number of polls are needed to get a true idea of what is going on, and explained why that is particularly challenging in Saskatchewan.

“Small populations are very difficult to poll accurately,” Westlake said.

An Angus Reid poll done in August suggested that many respondents were in favour of the Sask. Party’s pronoun policy.

A poll from spark*insights in mid-October suggested that the pronoun policy was low on respondents’ priority list.

A Leger poll around the same time suggested that Canadians were torn on whether sexual orientation and gender identity should be discussed in schools.

And most recently, an independent poll from Insightrix, commissioned by the Skoop Podcast, suggests that the Sask. Party and the Sask. NDP are in a tighter race than some may think.

Westlake said caveats need to be added to all polling in terms of the timing and the number of polls.