Tories have 37 per cent support nationally: poll

[tuvor]

The Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper is sailing along with 37 per cent support, a poll finds.

In fact, if you take the entire poll's findings together, pollster Tim Woolstencroft of The Strategic Counsel told CTV.ca on Wednesday that he wouldn't be surprised if an early election were called.

The poll, conducted between July 13 and 15 for CTV and The Globe and Mail, found the following support levels for the main parties (percentage-point change from a June 7-8 poll in brackets):

* Conservatives - 37 per cent (+1)
* Liberals - 26 per cent (-1)
* NDP - 18 per cent (-1)
* Bloc Quebecois - 11 per cent (+2)
* Green - 9 per cent (+1)

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060719/politics_poll_060719/20060720?hub=Canada

[daleo]

1. Conservatives haven't budged since the election

Although I distrust Strategic Counsel as an unbiased source. They always skew Conservative until the day before an election.

Why would the Conservatives call a snap election? They haven't gained support, so unless they think their is a nice fat wedge issue out there, I just don't see it. Their abandonment of Lebanon won't help in Montreal, which has a substantial Lebanese-Canadian population. Quebec was their big break-through hope. That seems very dubious to me now.

[MrPrax]

2. Greens are starting

to show more of a protest vote or a 'park' depending on how it works out...and NO not necessarily a protest or park for the NDP...the NDP looks finished.

There numbers will simply bring down the liberals and ensure a Tory majority basically and this is bad, IMHO, because the NDP isn't really doing anything that makes voting for it much of a point of 'conscience' over voting for the Liberal. THe NDP really have to start explaining why they are a federal party at this point. They have no discernible purpose, influence or issues and haven't had any for a few years now. Their last claim to fame was siding with the Liberal minority gov't in exchange for 'extra spending' which was summarily cut by the new Tory minority. So the NDP's strategy didn't even gain a single tangible for their party or their supporters, but cost them the 'optics' of being different from the Liberals.

So don't start jumping on me for saying the obvious -- I KNOW a few too many NDP cult members that are losing the faith and they are not sure what they are going to do.