Kinew enjoys highest premier approval rating, Legault the lowest
Manitoba NDP Premier Wab Kinew is enjoying the highest approval rating of any premier in the country, while Quebec’s Francois Legault is faring the worst.
Manitoba NDP Premier Wab Kinew is enjoying the highest approval rating of any premier in the country, while Quebec’s Francois Legault is faring the worst, according to a new survey from the Angus Reid Institute.
While Kinew’s approval is down 10 points compared to Angus Reid’s June survey, he still holds the top position, followed by New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt and Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe.
“No premier generated more attention this fall than Ontario’s Doug Ford, who made international headlines after running an ad featuring former President Ronald Reagan espousing views of tariffs in contradiction to those of current President Donald Trump,” reads the study.
“At the time, more than half of Canadians said Ford made the right call in running the ad, but he sees his approval in Ontario drop considerably this quarter, from 41 to 34 per cent.”
Meanwhile, public opinion for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and British Columbia Premier David Eby “appears frozen as residents evidently wait” to see how both leaders will ultimately handle their heated dispute regarding a west coast oil pipeline. They shared similar rankings, with Smith receiving 44 per cent approval and Eby at 40 per cent.
Quebec Premier François Legault continues to be Canada’s least approved provincial leader, garnering support from only 25 per cent of Quebec residents.
“Legault’s government reportedly ‘outraged‘ physicians in the province after adopting Bill 2, which will change the way doctors are compensated and matching pay to performance targets. Doctors in Montreal said that this will cause health clinics to close and put patients at risk,” noted the Institute.
Newly-elected Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham has only been in office since October, with an approval rating of 41 per cent, while 31 per cent do not support his performance thus far.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston secured a second mandate in a snap election last year and confirmed he plans to seek a third. He remains relatively popular with a 50 per cent approval rating, despite declining nine points from earlier this year.
The survey did not include any of the premiers from Canada’s three territories.