Poll shows CAQ has gained support since election

A new poll shows the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government is even more popular now than when it was first elected.

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Forty-six per cent of Quebecers would vote for the CAQ now, compared to only 37 per cent on election day, according to a new poll conducted by Forum Research and La Presse.

That’s close to a 10 point gain in eight months.

“Governments that are brand new, especially in places like Quebec, like the CAQ haven’t really had a chance to prove themselves or disappoint in that short amount of time, so it’s really good news eight months in,” said Luc Dumont, Forum Research general manager for the eastern division.

“But then again they may be riding off the aura of their campaign promises and what they’ve been doing which is focusing on the bigger, bigger issues that they talked about.”

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The poll also found that the CAQ was most popular with voters between 55 and 64 years old and that Premier François Legault has a 51 per cent approval rating.

Forum Research conducted the poll on June 11 and 12, but Dumont said he doesn’t think the poll results would be much different today after the closure motions over the weekend that forced the adoption of two controversial government bills — Bill 9 on immigration reform and Bill 21 on religious symbols.

“Those who support the CAQ kind of buy into that whole discourse ” he said.

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The poll also found that the CAQ dominates in the Quebec City region and the north and south shores of Montreal, but on the island itself, the Quebec Liberal Party remains most popular.