Nova Scotia premier McNeil in virtual tie with Saskatchewan’s Wall for most popular

by Angus Reid | June 17, 2014 5:44 pm

June 17, 2014 – For the first time in years, a Canadian premier has come within a razor-thin margin of catching Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall for top spot on the issue of job performance approval, according to the latest quarterly survey from Angus Reid Global (ARG).

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil’s job performance has earned the approval of two-thirds (66%) of respondents in his province, up seven points from March (59%).

This puts him in a statistical tie with Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, whose tenure as most popular premier in Canada holds with an approval rating of 67 per cent, essentially unchanged from earlier this spring (66%).

No premier has held a higher approval rating than Wall since November 2010, when then-Premier Danny Williams earned the approval of 67 per cent of Newfoundland and Labrador voters (Wall had 60%). Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger subsequently tied Wall in May 2011 with a job approval rating of 59 per cent.

Interim Newfoundland Premier Tom Marshall sees his job performance approval increase to 59 per cent, up ten points over March (49%). He is tied with Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, who won a majority government over Pauline Marois April 7.

In Alberta, interim Premier Dave Hancock, who replaced Alison Redford in March, has earned an approval rating of 39 per cent; a rebound from his predecessor’s last rating (23%). He’s followed by BC Premier Christy Clark (37%).

At the time this survey was in field, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was fighting for re-election. Even though only one-third (33%) of respondents approved of the job she was doing as Premier, voters handed her a majority mandate June 12, showing that personal job approval is far from the only ballot-box factor.

Last quarter’s last place finishers see no significant rebound. In New Brunswick, Premier David Alward’s rating is statistically unchanged from March at 29 per cent, while Manitoba’s Selinger comes in last at 26 per cent, down two points from earlier this spring.

Click here for detailed provincial results, charts, tables and methodology[1]

Source URL: https://angusreid.org/nova-scotia-premier-mcneil-in-virtual-tie-with-saskatchewans-wall-for-most-popular/

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