Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has achieved his highest approval rating to date since assuming leadership of the Liberal Party. Despite his impressive 60 per cent approval rating, this surge in popularity has not translated into a significant boost for his party in the polls, both on a federal level and specifically in British Columbia.
Recent findings from the Angus Reid Institute indicate that the Liberal Party is currently in a tight race with the Conservative Party in B.C., a more competitive scenario than in other regions of the country. Shachi Kurl, the institute’s president, notes that while Carney’s personal popularity soared following his impactful speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, this positive trend has not been mirrored by his party’s fortunes.
Kurl emphasizes that the future of Canada-US relations could be a crucial factor for voters moving forward. She highlights that moments of strong rhetoric from the Prime Minister, particularly in B.C. and across the nation, have led to a slight increase in his personal momentum.
Although Carney enjoys a slightly lower approval rating in B.C. at 58 per cent compared to the national average, it remains the highest among all western provinces. Conversely, Conservative Poilievre’s approval rating is higher in B.C. at 40 per cent than the national rate of 36 per cent.
Despite Carney’s popularity, the intention to vote for the Liberals has not seen a significant change, according to Angus Reid’s data. Kurl points out that the Liberals are only marginally ahead of the Conservatives in B.C., with 39 per cent of constituents indicating support for the Liberals and 38 per cent for the Conservatives.
While this represents a slight lead for the Liberals in B.C., it signifies an improvement from previous polling results in December. The gap between the two major parties remains narrow, indicating a closely contested race in the province.