As the House of Commons prepares to break for the summer, a majority of Canadians say Justin Trudeau should no longer be prime minister when MPs return in the fall, a new poll suggests.
Ipsos polling done exclusively for Global News shows 68 per cent of Canadians want Trudeau to step down. The desire for him to call it quits is highest in Alberta (79 per cent) and Atlantic Canada (76 per cent.)
“This is as bad as we’ve seen it for Trudeau. It’s close to rock bottom,” said Ipsos CEO Darrell Bricker.
Ipsos surveyed 1,001 Canadians between June 12 and 14 and found that if an election were held tomorrow, the Conservatives would enjoy a “comfortable victory” with 42 per cent of the decided vote.
The Liberals would receive 24 per cent, with the NDP at 18 per cent.
According to the polling, after eight years in power Trudeau may be “dragging the success of his party down with him.”
The reverse appears to be true for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who “has grown his lead even ahead of his own party,” says Ipsos.
Nearly half of Canadians (44 per cent) say he would make the best prime minister.
The poll also shows 75 per cent of Canadians want another party to take over, while just 25 per cent think the Liberals “deserve reelection.”
“What’s worse is that they have thrown everything they can think of at changing this dynamic,” Bricker said. “Nothing has worked. It’s frozen in solid.”
Despite the waning popularity, some members of Trudeau’s inner circle dismissed the numbers, pointing instead to what they consider policy achievements.
“We’re not focused on the polls. We’re focused on the fact that we need to continue to put forward dental care, pharmacare, housing supports, supports for families and students,” said Treasury Board President Anita Anand on her way into cabinet Tuesday.
Government House Leader Steve MacKinnon echoed Anand’s message.
“Canadians will come to realize we have made significant progress on a lot of fronts … $10 a day childcare is a reality across the country,” he said. “These are transformative things.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland was also asked about the sagging poll numbers.
“This is a really, really challenging time in the world, in the global economy,” Freeland told reporters Tuesday. “We’re the people right now whose job it is to help steer our country through this.”
But some backbenchers appeared less optimistic on their way into caucus Wednesday about whether the party can change the trajectory.
“I don’t know,” said Sean Casey, Liberal MP for Charlottetown.
“We’re doing good things. It seems as though the electorate has tuned out. I don’t know what we can do except to continue to do good things,” he added.
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather who represents the Montreal riding of Mount Royal was also asked how the party can win back voters.
“I’m going to be convincing my constituents they should still be voting for me. You vote for a person on a ballot and not a party,” he said.
The Liberals are struggling to reverse their fortunes amid a consequential race in Toronto. A federal byelection will be held June 24 in the riding of St-Paul’s, which has stayed red for nearly three decades.
It used to be considered a bellwether riding, often voting for the governing party, but has been considered a safe Liberal seat, until this contest, which is shaping up to be more competitive.
Liberal staffer Leslie Church is running to replace former longtime MP Carolyn Bennett, who represented St. Paul’s for 26 years, while the Conservatives have nominated financial professional Don Stewart.
“St Paul’s will show how polling translates into votes. If the Liberals lose what should be an easy win, it shows how far they have fallen in voter esteem,” Bricker said.
— with files from the Canadian Press
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