POLL: Conservatives re-take the lead, outpoll Liberals on key issues
A newly released poll from Abacus Data shows Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives taking a slim lead over the Liberals, at 41% to 39% respectively.
A newly released poll from Abacus Data shows Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives taking a slim lead over the Liberals, at 41% to 39% respectively. This is the first time since March that Abacus has shown the Conservatives in front.
The poll, published on Sunday, found Canadians now trust the Conservatives more than the Liberals to handle top concerns like the cost of living, the economy, and immigration.
“After a spring and summer of stability in public opinion, we may be seeing signs of fluidity in federal politics,” said Abacus Data CEO David Colleto.
“The Carney government still enjoys a solid approval rating, Prime Minister Carney personally remains well liked, and the Liberal brand remains broadly accessible but public concern around affordability is persistent, and the Conservatives are clearly benefiting from that focus.”
Asked which party was “better equipped to handle the cost of living,” 39 per cent of respondents chose the Conservatives, compared to 27% for the Liberals.
Similarly, 45% preferred the Conservatives on the economy, while 27 per cent chose the Liberals.
The Conservatives dominated when it came to dealing with immigration, with 56 per cent of respondents preferring them compared to only 15 per cent who chose the Liberals.
Of Canadians’ top concerns, the Liberals only scored higher among respondents regarding climate change and negotiating with the Trump administration. However, those issues have fallen behind in recent months.
“What’s notable this wave is that Donald Trump’s influence on Canadian political attitudes may be receding for now, allowing domestic issues to reassert dominance,” said Colleto.
“That’s not good news for the governing party, which holds strength internationally but continues to face trust gaps on the economy, housing, and cost of living.”
The rising cost of living has consistently dominated the political conversation, with 60 per cent of Canadians citing it as one of their top three concerns.
This is followed by the influence of U.S. President Donald Trump at 38 per cent, the broader economy at 36 per cent and housing at 35 per cent.
Healthcare and immigration came in at 33 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively.
“Donald Trump’s influence as a political issue appears to be diminishing. Mentioned by 38 per cent this wave and down from 44 per cent earlier in the summer, Trump now sits behind cost of living and is tied with the economy in salience,” reads the survey.
“While still significant, his shadow is receding slightly, likely reflecting both Canadian fatigue and a slight cooling in U.S. news coverage.”
The poll was conducted before Carney announced Friday he would withdraw counter-tariffs on some U.S. goods, a decision that contradicted his “elbows up” message.
The Conservatives and Liberals are tied provincially in B.C. and Atlantic Canada. The Liberals hold a marginal lead over the Conservatives in Ontario and the Bloc in Quebec. However, the Conservative party remains the primary choice among residents across Western Canada.
Nationally, 59 per cent of respondents already feel it’s time for a change in federal government, compared to 31 per cent who said that the Liberals deserve reelection.
Meanwhile, support for Carney as leader took a slight dip from 50 per cent in March to 49 per cent, while his disapproval rating edged up to 30 per cent from its low of 23 per cent in June.
“And for those who believe Pierre Poilievre can’t become Prime Minister: the data doesn’t support that view. The issue set remains an asset to the Conservatives, his favourability numbers are not better than Carney’s but not bad either, and the Conservative coalition remains firm,” said Colleto.
“With Poilievre back in the House of Commons this fall and with a complex set of issues in front of the government, we may start to see more shifts in public opinion.”
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On the surface, this may appear to be good news but I find the report to be discouraging. It makes it obvious that the Liberals and the media bamboozled the electorate by making it a single issue election - Donald Trump. People collectively ignored the horrible record of the Liberals and flocked back to them like frightening sheep. They got played. The fact that Carney is still viewed favorably as a leader means that no one has done any homework about who this guy really is. They are still taking their cues from the MSM. Meaning, Canadians are (generally) still pathetic lemmings that will run in whatever direction they are told. They've learned nothing. Lastly, the Libs are still ahead in the Maritimes, Québec, Ontario & BC. That's almost everywhere.
Sigh.
Lying #cbc poll says #Carney is the most popular Canadian Leader, ever??? Can we all admit that we Canadians actually pay the CBC, to lie to us?