Poll finds jump in support for leaders amid crisis,
PM, premiers have seen approval ratings surge, national survey suggests
Canadians are rallying behind their political leaders during the pandemic, a new poll suggests.
The Campaign Research survey for the Star found approval ratings for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Quebec Premier François Legault, and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe have soared amid the COVID-19 crisis.
“Trudeau’s numbers have improved since the (October) election,” Campaign Research principal Nick Kouvalis said Wednesday.
The Liberal prime minister had a 65 per cent approval rating, with 30 per cent disapproving and five per cent unsure for an overall rating of +35. Last October, Trudeau’s performance was approved by 31 per cent, with 54 per cent disapproving and 14 per cent unsure, for an overall rating of -23.
But the most startling change in political fortune has been for Ford, who was so unpopular last year that he was lustily booed at the Toronto Raptors’ victory celebrations in Nathan Phillips Square while Trudeau and Mayor John Tory were loudly cheered.
In July, the Progressive Conservative premier had a 20 per cent approval while 69 per cent disapproved and 11 per cent had no opinion for an overall rating of -49.
According to this latest survey, Ford, who has earned plaudits for his calm and methodical approach to the pandemic, had a 76 per cent approval, with17 per cent disapproval and seven per cent unsure, for an overall rating of +59.
Campaign Research polled 2,007 people across Canada on Saturday and Sunday using Maru Blue’s online panel. It is an opt-in poll, but for comparison purposes, a random sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
“Doug Ford in year one is different from Doug Ford in year two,” said Kouvalis, pointing out the premier made sweeping changes to his senior staff and cabinet last June.
Trudeau’s Liberals successfully used Ford’s unpopularity in Ontario last fall to mortally wound federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s prospects in Canada’s most populous province.
The premier was seen as such an anchor on Scheer that the Tory chief barely mentioned him during the writ period, while the prime minister cited Ford’s name numerous times daily.
But since the Oct. 21 election, Ford and Trudeau have not sparred publicly.
“People have noticed and they approve of Ford because this crisis has put him front and centre on a daily basis,” said Kouvalis.
“He has refused to engage in public fights with the federal government and the relationship between Ottawa and the province is at a high point, but many of Premier Ford’s changes in approach and process happened in July and August of last year. ”
The pollster noted that the Ontario premier, who had been a fierce Tory partisan, has set aside political differences to work with Liberal Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and one-time Grit operative Flavio Volpe, the high-profile president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association.
Ford, Trudeau, and Volpe have worked in lockstep to transition automotive companies to make ventilators and other urgently needed medical gear during the outbreak.
In Quebec, the hardest hit province in the pandemic, Legault had the approval of 82 per cent of respondents, with 12 per cent disapproving and five per cent unsure, for an overall rating of +70.
In Saskatchewan, Moe had the approval of 80 per cent, with 16 per cent disapproving and five per cent unsure for an overall rating of +64.
In British Columbia, Premier John Horgan had a 73 per cent approval rating with 13 per cent disapproving and 13 per cent unsure for an overall rating of +60.
But Kouvalis, who has worked with Conservative and Liberal candidates across Canada and managed the winning mayoral campaigns of John Tory and Rob Ford, emphasized “caution to the premiers with high approval ratings and low disapproval ratings.”
That’s because in Alberta, which has had perhaps Canada’s “most effective response to COVID-19, Premier Jason Kenney had the approval of just 44 per cent of respondents with 48 per cent disapproving and eight per cent unsure for an overall rating of minus four.
“It’s arguable that Kenney’s performance has been the best in the country on coronavirus, but he still faces significant challenges,” Kouvalis said, adding Alberta’s battered economy due to a global plunge in oil prices has left people there feeling “no sense of hope” for the future.
In Manitoba, Premier Brian Pallister had the approval of 52 per cent of respondents, with 37 per cent disapproving and 12 per cent unsure for an overall rating of +15.