Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister’s approval rating continues to drop, albeit only slightly.
According to quarterly polling data from the Angus Reid Institute, 34 per cent of Manitobans approve of the job Pallister is doing.
That’s down from 36 per cent in September and continues a steep decline since last fall, when his approval sat at 53 per cent.
University of Manitoba political scientist Chris Adams believes Pallister’s habit of butting heads with Ottawa may have had a negative impact on his image.
“We could look back in a couple of years and say all those battles were worth fighting. But right now, we’re in the middle of all these struggles, and after a while you start wondering if this is a pattern of behaviour or a clear strategy. It’s looking more and more like a pattern.”
Manitoba has opposed federal plans surrounding carbon pricing, health care transfer payments and cannabis revenue sharing.
“When you’re holding out on these things, I think it has some damage on the reputation of the governing party,” Adams said. “I think the Premier is hoping there will be benefits as a hard negotiator down the road. You have to wonder if we are choosing our battles wisely.”
Adams also has concerns about this government’s communication strategy.
“Just thinking of when it was announced by the Premier that he was pondering health premiums, or when the Premier when made remarks about the Chamber of Commerce leader’s wardrobe. I don’t think these things are malicious but they are mistakes. There has to be a little bit more work.”
Adams did point out that the previous government also suffered from major communications shortcomings, especially surrounding the PST hike.
Pallister’s approval rating ranks fourth in the country. Outgoing Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall ranks first with a 53 per cent approval rating, while Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne ranks last with just 20 per cent of Ontarians giving her a thumbs up.
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