Are Canadians tiring of Jagmeet Singh propping up the Liberals and then pretending he’s opposing them?
A new Mainstreet Research poll shows the Conservatives maintaining their national lead over the Liberals.
Federal Polling:
CPC: 37% (+3)
LPC: 33% (-)
NDP: 14% (-4)
BQ: 6% (-2)
GPC: 5% (+3)
PPC: 2% (-3)
Others: 3%Mainstreet / January 27, 2023 / n=1261 / MOE 2.8% / IVR
(% Change With 2021 Federal Election)
Check out federal details on @338Canada at: https://t.co/kg1xi0UQKn pic.twitter.com/TtzJJX44B5
— Polling Canada (@CanadianPolling) February 4, 2023
According to the survey, the Conservatives are at 37%, while the Liberals trail with 33%.
Most notable is that the NDP has fallen to just 14%, down from 19% in the previous Mainstreet Research survey.
Though it’s just one poll, it is indeed notable that a recent Abacus Data survey showed Jagmeet Singh’s approval rating declining.
Singh – who had long held a net positive impression among Canadians – now has 34% approval and 34% disapproval according to Abacus, the first time he hasn’t been in net positive territory.
Perhaps this is because Singh continues to keep the Liberals in power while then pretending that he opposes them.
It’s a completely hypocritical and unsustainable position to be in, because Singh can’t escape the reality that he is now a part of the government.
If anything, the fact that he props up the Liberals without getting any NDP cabinet seats in return is a further indictment of his strategy.
This sets up an interesting dynamic.
The NDP is starting to pay an increasing political price for propping up the Liberals.
If that causes their poll numbers – and Singh’s popularity numbers – to continue declining, they will have less incentive to go to an election early.
But that means they will remain trapped in the Liberal-NDP Pact, which would only further weaken them.
At this point, it seems Jagmeet Singh has backed himself and his party into a corner, and the only way to get out of it would be to actually become an Opposition Party again.
However, that would take strong and principled leadership, two things that Jagmeet Singh has shown himself unwilling or unable to provide.
Spencer Fernando