NDP slips in Quebec: Poll

MONTREAL The New Democratic Party still ranks first among federal voters in Quebec, but an online poll conducted by Leger Marketing for the Montreal Gazette and Le Devoir, shows support among federal voters in Quebec in a steep decline.

Support for the NDP is now at 27 per cent, having dropped six points since October and 15 points since the late Jack Layton led the party to a stunning second- place showing and status as official Opposition in the May federal general election.

Meanwhile, the Liberals, with Bob Rae as interim leader, have climbed by five points since December, to 14 per cent. Support for the Bloc Québécois rose by one point, to 27 per cent while Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives appear to be less popular with Quebec voters, sagging from 18 points in December, to 15 per cent.

Among those polled, 71 per cent said they were not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with the Harper government. Just four per cent of respondents said they were very happy with the Conservatives in Ottawa.

The survey of 1,001 Quebecers, conducted between Jan. 23 to 25, has a margin of error of 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.