Jack Layton is the best-rated opposition leader in Canada, according to pollster Angus Reid today.Over a third of Canadians think that Layton has what it takes to be prime minister -- 11 percent more than Liberal leader Stephane Dion.
(Clearly in a charitable mood, Reid asked about the seat-less Liberal spokesperson who runs the Green Party and found that only 14 percent wouldn't be apoplectic at the thought of her inside 24 Sussex).
Also interesting is the inverse figure. Angus Reid found that when Canadians were asked who they wouldn’t want to see running the country, Layton had the lowest disapproval, while a whopping 61 percent disagreed with the statement that Dion would make a good prime minister.
So when Liberals run the next campaign parroting their tired line that “Only one of two party leaders can be Prime Minister” they may be surprised when Canadians agree and choose Jack Layton over Stephen Harper.
3 comments:
Sometimes Angus-Reid gives pleasing results. Sometimes they don't.
What they don't have, however, is any track record. They've been doing online polls for the past few months, with no information available on how (or if) they obtain a statistically valid sample.
Regardless of who is conducting them and how they are done, I find leadership polls very dubious, considering the high ratings given to people like Paul Martin and Ed Broadbent, and the low ones given to people like Jean Chretien and Stephen Harper.
Regardless of what this poll indicates, barring an amazing upheaval, the next election will see the NDP in third place for votes and likely in fourth place for seats.
We've seen absolutely no signs of any kind of breakthrough, despite a lacklustre opposition leader and an appalling prime minister.
You can dispute the poll, but the polster seems beyond reproach.
Besides, its doubtful that Angus Reid would jeopardize their credibility with hokey methodology.
Aside from that, the results pass the nod test. Past polls confirm that people genuinely like and trust Jack Layton. And now that he's the only one standing up to Harper and putting issues on the table people are just seeing more of him and his team.
So, it's not surprising that he would be thought of favourably as a future PM. What is surprising is just how much Layton has broken away from the pack on that question.
BH said..."(Clearly in a charitable mood, Reid asked about the seat-less Liberal spokesperson who runs the Green Party"...
do I detect a hint of sarcasm ;)
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