Canada’s newest premier continues to be the nation’s most popular as the post-election honeymoon phase continues for Manitoba’s Wab Kinew.
Mr. Kinew and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe remain the highest-rated leaders in the country, and were the only two to break the majority mark this quarter, according to a new Angus Reid poll.
Mr. Kinew, who was elected in October, is 10 points ahead of Mr. Moe, who took second place, and 15 points above the premier to take third place: British Columbia’s David Eby.
Mr. Kinew received a 63 percent approval rating from poll respondents, up six points over the previous quarter, while Mr. Moe’s approval rating dipped by one point, putting him at 53 percent.
Mr. Eby isn’t far behind with 48 percent of respondents saying they approve of his leadership, a 2 percent increase since December.
Mr. Moe and Mr. Eby both face elections this fall as does New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs.
Mr. Higgs, however, enjoys significantly less support, taking last place in the poll with a 31 percent approval rating. That’s down two points since December, seemingly placing him in an uphill battle for reelection.
“Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe and British Columbia’s David Eby head into their expected October competitions in a relatively strong place when it comes to public opinion, garnering approval from approximately half of constituents respectively,” the Angus Reid report said.
“For Premier Blaine Higgs in New Brunswick, the battle appears to have a steeper grade. Higgs is currently the least popular provincial leader in the country.”
Mr. Moe and his Saskatchewan Party have retained their popularity—staying above a 50 percent approval rating for the past year—by going head to head with Ottawa over the federal carbon tax, the report pointed out. Mr. Moe has been advocating for a carbon pricing pause on home heating and stopped collecting the tax as of Jan. 1 in the face of federal refusals to extend the exemption to natural gas.
Mr. Eby and his New Democratic Party government also enjoy a steady approval rating. Bolstering his popularity are “significant new expenditures” on housing and affordability relief in the government’s 2024 budget, the report says.
Only One in Three Approve of Legault and Ford
Also at the bottom of the spectrum is Quebec Premier François Legault, who was just one point ahead of Mr. Higgs. He garnered a 32 percent approval rating, a one-point increase since the previous quarter.The leader enjoyed a 77 percent approval rating in the summer of 2020, but his popularity has plummeted, particularly in the past two quarters. One reason for the dip in approval for Mr. Legault and his Coalition Avenir Quebec party is its forthcoming 2024 budget, the report found. The province will run a large deficit due to its recent deal with the province’s teacher’s union.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford again rounds out the bottom three with a 34 percent approval rating. He, too, was popular with voters in 2020, enjoying a 69 percent approval rating, but that has fallen over the years and dropped to an all-time low of 30 percent during the pandemic. He is currently attempting to boost his numbers with his “Get It Done” campaign, which introduces legislation to streamline infrastructure projects by shortening environmental assessments and speeding up approval processes.
It continues to be a tight race in the middle of the pack with leaders from Alberta, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia all within three points of each other.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith again stayed consistent at 47 percent approval, tying with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey, whose popularity fell by one point.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston’s approval rating sits at 44 percent, down two points since the previous quarter.
The poll was conducted online between Feb. 8 and March 6, using a randomized sample of 4,550 Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum.
