Poll paints grim picture for Liberals in Quebec

"For the Liberals, they are in a worse position than they were in the middle of the sponsorship scandal," political commentator Jean Lapierre told CTV's Question Period on Sunday.

Political commentator L. Ian McDonald told Question Period that the CROP poll, conducted for the La Presse newspaper, establishes the Conservatives as the federal brand outside Montreal -- especially as the Bloc Quebecois sags.

The Bloc, which has been the province's dominant party, is down to 30 per cent support. The Tories are nipping at the sovereigntist party's heels with 29 per cent. The Liberals have only 20 per cent support, and the NDP are at 15 per cent.

"But when you drill down inside those numbers, they're awful for (Liberal Leader Stephane) Dion," McDonald said.

For francophones, who comprise about 85 per cent of Quebec voters, support breaks down this way:

Bloc: 35 per cent
Tories: 30 per cent
Liberals, NDP: Tied at 15 per cent

A key region is Quebec City, the so-called 418 region. The news for the Liberals there is even worse:

Tories: 41 per cent
Bloc: 25 per cent
NDP: 17 per cent
Liberals: 14 per cent

"Quebec City is Mr. Dion's home town. He's in fourth place in his home town," McDonald said. "A leader without a base is like a prophet without a homeland."

Dion currently represents a Montreal-area riding -- Saint-Laurent - Cartierville.

Lapierre said the bad news isn't confined to the Liberals.

"The Bloc has never been in such bad shape," he said, noting the party has lost 12 points of support since the 2006 federal election.

Lapierre credited Thomas Mulcair, elected in Montreal's Outremont riding byelection last fall (a take-away from the Liberals) and appointed deputy leader, with improving the NDP's fortunes in Quebec.

And he said the Liberal brand continues to be hurt in Quebec by the sponsorship scandal.

Deputy Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff tried to downplay the poll's results.

"We are the one political formation, this has been true since Laurier, that says to Quebeckers come and work together to make a great country called Canada in which French Canadians and English
Canadians work in partnership and harmony, in which the French identity of their country is recognized as being foundational to who we are," he told Question Period.

"We've got to get back to that simple message. Come and make this place, Canada, a great country. When we do that, they always listen. They always come to us and they always will."

Dion's leadership

The poll follows a week in which Liberal dissension in Quebec has publicly boiled over, with some critics openly taking potshots at Dion's leadership and the state of the party.

Dion in turn called for party discipline.

"The reality is that Mr. Dion is trying to kill the messenger," Lapierre said, adding Dion probably couldn't win more than 10 seats if an election were held today.

More ominously for Dion, McDonald said Ontarians like to vote for a national government. If the Liberals are seen as moribund in Quebec, it could start affecting their chances in Ontario, he said.

"When you're a federal leader coming from Quebec, usually the question is can you deliver Quebec," Lapierre said. "And right now the answer is a resounding 'no'."

This explains the dissension. "They (the dissidents) are trying to give him a warning, but he doesn't want to listen," he said.

Ignatieff

With people taking potshots at Dion's leadership, those perceived as his potential successors have been drawn into the infighting.

Ignatieff was alleged to have said Dion lacked the stature to be leader, but he has denied making any such statement.

"This is just rubbish," he said Sunday.

"It never pays to underestimate Stephane Dion. He has an extraordinary tenacity. That's the thing that strikes you day after day after day. Because sometimes there's a lot of pounding you get as an opposition leader. He stood up to it all. And I hope I can help him. My job is very clear. It's to make him the next Prime Minister of Canada and that's what I'm trying to do."

Many of those opposed to Dion in Quebec supported Ignatieff in the leadership race.

"I get up occasionally, pick up the phone and say in French, taisez vous, which means shut up in English," Ignatieff said.

"He's called for discipline. I called for discipline. We will win when we're united, and we will certainly hang separately if we're disunited, so that's the message I've been sending. It's the message he's been sending, and we're at one on that issue."

With the House of Commons set to resume on Monday, the talk may again return to election timing. Asked if Parliament can survive until fall, Ignatieff said, "I can't tell you."

There are rumours that Dion might reshuffle his front bench to give newly-elected MP Bob Rae, who finished third in the leadership race, a prominent role on the front bench.

"To the best of my knowledge, the front bench, there will be some changes to the front bench, but changing me is not one of the things we're discussing," Ignatieff said.

"This is an incredibly strong team. I can't remember now off the top of my head how many people on our team have had cabinet experience, but it's a hell of a good list and it's a hell of a good team. And when Canadians look at our team versus their team, they're going to think, 'I like that team, that Liberal team'."

Comments are now closed for this story

Fool
said

To Justin (In Ottawa) from NB:

I understand how universities are. They are all very left wing socialists. This is why you think this way and that is why MOST political scientists are socialist. Wake up buddy and recognise that the conservatives are here for a long time. The current conservative government is right on with most Canadians and are making the correct decisions. Remember, the conservative way is the right way.

Andy N
said

This is not good news for the Conservatives.

Once Dion sinks low enough in the polls he'll be shown the door. Then Harper will have some competition for a Federal election. And maybe, just maybe, the Liberals will keep a seat. This can't happen. Please, for all that is decent, support Dion, he's the best Liberal the Conservatives have.

bj
said

Response to Ray Jacques:
"(R)ight to govern based on Christian fundamentalist idiology" and "the Christian equivalent of Muslin extremeism" Where exactly are you living? This kind of propaganda and smear was tried once and I think Canadians were smart enough to realize it for what it was � the rantings of a desperate Liberal Party afraid of loosing power. Canadians are even smarter now given the exposure to the Harper government and what they have done with this minority Parliament � a strong economy, a stronger and respected military and global presence and domestic policies (ie. Quebec, equalization) that make Canadians proud to be Canadians.

�I want the Liberal policies whever the leader of the Liberals is� - give your head a shake! The Liberals had 13 years in power and were void of anything meaningful on the policy front and now they scream and yell under Dion about how terrible Harper and the Conservatives are for Canada, yet sit on their hands and vote � well those that bother to show up � for those very same Conservative policies. Maybe that�s because they don�t have any meaningful and relevant policies of their own.

Bring on the Harper majority!

Stephen H
said

The Liberal Team is so bad to point to one player as the problem is unfair.

Its is not just the sponsershio scandal, no one beleives them anymore.

Liberal are just seen as the spin masters but once everone one knows it is just manipulation they don't beleive it anymore.

George (Montreal)
said

The Liberal Media will always support liberals no matter what. The average person in this country is actually quite stupid.
Knowing that, the Liberals will always win a fairly large number of seats based on simple statements like "Conservative Hidden Agenda".
The Conservatives have done an excellent job.
Wake up everyone, stop listening to rhetoric and look at facts.

Jim
said

Good riddance to the Liberals, I hope they become a minor foot note in history. They so richly deserve oblivion

Barcs
said

"Don
Judging from these comments, the people of Canada respect bullying over diplomacy, lies over truth, meanness over goodness, immorality over morality, hypocrisy over responsibility, and idiocy over intelligence."

You are finally getting it Don... We elected Chretien 3 times too, so Harper must be good for 3 majoritys too.

Jean Guy
said

The Liberal name is shot, everything they said they beleive in they argue against.

Nobody beleives the Liberals anymore outside Toronto.

Its not fair to just blame the leader, they are just a group of left overs from other parties.

At the same time Canada continues to warm up to Harper and the Conservatives. There has been more Conservative Prime Ministers in Canada that Liberal Prime Ministers and that a fact.

Justin (In Ottawa) from NB
said

I have read all of these comments and I find it stupid. I'm a political science student and I actually read and study what is done in the house of commons. Harper's budgets, social bills,etc... Are just watered down liberal bills. When the liberals used scare tactics well they were true. If you want for people to vote for you and your in a region were people don't think like you, what will you do ? Answer: swing their way until you get your chance. A latest article showed how Harper and Flaherty have emptied the government coffers with the GST cuts. The GST cuts leaves the government with no money to help people who are getting laid off, it stops them from being able to feed their families and forces them to go work McJobs. The current government has no intention to actually help people, they have even let the environment go with their idiotic plan which has lower standards then industries already had. Their first priority in office was to cut all environment spending down to 5 million. They canceled rebates and tax cuts that helped people build efficient homes, then they reimplemented the program but watered down. Harper has many views and he won't show them until he has control and will try to muzzle MPs from the opposition as he could if he passed a law that prevented anything from being said outside the house of commons. He wants to kill abortions laws, the gun registry, he wants to enact legislation that would permit corporations to give unequal pay to women. If you look at Harper's comments about building a firewall around Alberta and separating or calling Atlantic Canada a culture of defeat, well you don't really look at him as a leader but more as a bully. He is a bully to Dion and normally a government website should show how they are doing things but instead their attacking the opposition everyday, actually check their website out everyday for two weeks and you will see what I mean.

Dion government we better hope because it's nice to get tax cuts and stuff but when you elect your MP he is there to vote someways in the ridings favor. Most of the time the MP is suppose to vote for the greater good of the country but still ensure that your riding gets representation somehow. Atlantic Canada might of found it stupid to encourage developing Alberta's tar sands but because of Alberta's tar sands, Atlantic Canada gets more money for equalization.

The Educated voter will always support the Liberals because they believe in balance. Most people would vote NDP because they say to make things equal or vote conservative for tax cuts but the thing is by example, NDP governments destroy economies and conservative governments run huge deficits as Brian Mulroney , Mike Harris in Ontario or Bernard Lord in New Brunswick.

People who read this I hope you make an educated vote and look at the parties and actually look at what is doable and think of the economy and rights.

JS
said

I guess that means that Canadians do not want an election till 2009, when by law they have to have an election. Or is it that the Liberals don't want an election now? They sure know how to represent their constituents well by sitting on their hands or by walking out. Maybe their constituents will wise up to them and sit on their hands or walk over to the Conservatives come election time. All Dion and the Liberals are doing right now is running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver sure look silly right now by voting for Liberals. The only reason that Chretien got in in the first place was because the vote was split between the PC's and the Reform. If you had put the 2 together at the time, more than half of the Liberals wouldn't have got in.
I hope that Dion will be leader of the Liberaltitanic ship for years to come.

Fool
said

To Ray Jacques:

This country, like all countries in the commonwealth, was founded on Christian beliefs, so suck it up. If you don't like our sane Christian ideologies, then move to North Korea, the Middle East or China for that matter and see how much you can take until you come running back - if your not imprisoned.
Furthermore, Stephen Harper does not base his decisions on religion like Bush does, but bases them on what is best for Canadians. In fact, I don't think Harper is religious. Get your head out of the sand and start appreciating the great leadership that we have and the great country we live in.

bill in ont
said

Intersting comments. Why is it that anything conservative is seen as evil, and bullying... that seems to me to be something one says when they dont like what they see in the mirror. Compare the cons to the rep in the states. Harper will govern and will work with obama and then what will be the next soapbox..... why do those espousing liberalism always throw fear and the world is coming to an end every time a non liberal is governing..... seems a bit too melodramatic, oh and yet we are still here...

I guess to be liberal means to be a student of rhetoric.

Ron
said

"And when in five years you wish you could say something about how you have no more rights, how you have no job, how you live in poverty and are owned by a corporation and your future is bleak while you watch Harper and his cronies who have never worked basking in your wealth and worshiping their "free" (see fixed) market,"

Good grief!!

Looks like the fear campaign is back on. Does anyone actually believe this stuff?

Jack CHan
said

The NDP should be considered as a breakthrough party in Quebec since it shares many values with Quebec voters whether environment, child care, infrastructure, Afghanistan etc... Even leader Jack Layton was born in Montreal. So federalist voters in Quebec, vote NDP.

Sandra
said

Liberals please just go away and regroup.Do Canada a favour.
Come back when you have your act together.

Ed Patatosa Munchosa
said

Stephan Dion is a genius; but right now, nobody believes this in Quebec. If the feds win in this province, don't bother pandering the soveignists like Mulroney did in the past and let industry be developed in the west other than ontario and quebec..

Al K
said

I think from all the negative coverage of Mr. Dion this past week, these poll results were bound to be inevitable. Look, the Liberals really need to rethink what they represent in Quebec. It may take them another 10 years to rebuild their base outside Montreal.

My advice to Mr. Dion is call the election now and focus all his cards into Ontario, the urban areas in the other provinces, Montreal, and Atlantic Canada. Let the Tories duke it out with the Bloc in francophone Quebec.

Then, when Harper gets his majority and Quebeckers see how bad he turns out to be with all that power, they'll start listening to the Grits again.

Adam
said

To Moe:

I understand the importance of repetition to get your message accross but can you use a different name the next time you post the same comment.

Lets call an election and give separtism (cough* duceppe) the power that he deserves, Quebec is out :)

Richard
said

Perhaps the LPC is about to learn that it is not the "natural governing party" of this nation. A little lesson in humility long overdue.

Brenda
said

My My what little minded people we have here. To be Christian, is to be scary.

PM Harper is the best leader we could ever hope for, he's not in it for the money like Liberals, he's in it for the good of Canadians.

What is scary is Dion. Close your eyes and imagine him as PM.

Carey
said

Serves the liberals right for Jean Chretien instructing all his cronies to vote for Chretien jr in the last leadership race. I have no idea what liberal policies are except that they will cost 10s of billions to implement. I think the funny thing is liberals think Canadians simply had a brief lapse judgement when they voted tory last election. Sorry liberals we were tired of you winning elections by default because the vote was split on the right.

bert
said

Ray Jacques,,The scare tactics dont work anymore idiot.So if you want to discuss the good Government we have now verses the corruption and nothingness that the Liberals brought to this country for 13 years of Chretien and before that the Trudeau disgusting years,lets talk.Otherwise your scare tactics are falling on deaf ears.Your type is not listened to anymore as we dont listen to CBC or CTV or most of the MSM.As a matter of fact Ray Jacques you are a left over remnant of the Martin scare campaign and where is your famous ex scare monger Prime Minister.Soldiers in our cities,,with guns,ew were all scared Mr Jacques.And on another subject the idiot or idiots who keep bringing up Conservative Reform/Alliance and Christian and on and on and on,give us a GD break and shut up.Its an old story and i would vote Reform many times before i would vote dishonest and corrupt Liberal.

CJ
said

If Dion shuffles Iggy out of the Deputy Leader spot watch the mess that creates!

Allan Eizinas
said

After a record 13 years in power the Liberals were defeated on a scandal, not on policy. It was the turn of the Conservatives to be in power for a while.

I believe that the �heavies� in the Liberal party understood that, backed off to do other things and assumed that the Conservatives would be in for a few years with a majority government. They were looking for some interim insignificant leadership to work in opposition for a while. That has been the Canadian cycle for the history of this country. To their surprise, the electorate refuses to give the Conservatives a majority, meanwhile the fixed date for the next election looms on the horizon.

Now the Liberal Party boasts some heavyweights in Ignatieff, Rae and Finlay with some of the Goodale-like old guard and the Kennedy, Trudeau et al youngsters in the wings. When the power brokers think it is time then look for the three M�s � McKenna, McCallum and Manley to start to flex muscles within the party in preparation for a leadership change.

Derek
said

As a politician Dion is good but he is NOT a leader. The LIberals need to find a new leader.

In other news, I am happy that the NDP are making ground in Quebec.

Tom Hawley
said

I believe it was in 1968 and US Pres.Nixon in a nutshell made a statement.
"If a party can not unite itself ,how can it unite a country".
Liberals ,some may disagree with who is at the helm.However,if we all let the holes in the ship get bigger and not stop the leaks ,we all sink.

Bob
said

It sure looks like the conservative rapid response team is filling this up with calls for a majority conservative gov't -- the one thing obvious about the conservatives is how highly organized tey are with their talking points -- the Liberal story would be different if their party had a similar mind synchronization

freedom lover
said

As soon as the election is called, the polls will change.

Go for it, Harper, pull the trigger if you're feeling so confident.

Oh, I forgot: right wing nuts are incapable of confidence or courage. That anxiety neurosis always inhibits them.

cantuc
said

Yep here we go . Bring on the fear and religion tactics. GO RAY GO !!! Sorry dude , nobodies buyin it . well maybe a few in downtown T.O. but what else is new ?Heres a fear tactic for ya , Bob Rae days all over Canada .

Bewildered
said

To Ray Jacques:

I wonder what colour the clouds are in your world today?

Keep smokin' whatever it is you're smokin"

Dave Schroeter
said

Conservative Majority by fall of 2009. It will just get worse for the Liberals between now and then.

Dave

Earl Robert
said

Mr. Dion, it's time to go. Bob is in the House now!

Bill
said

Can't believe someone on here thinks Justin Trudeau can be their next saviour. I always was under the impression the Trudeau name was an anathema in Quebec!

C.
said

I honestly do not know what I would do if an election were called today. I have voted Liberal since my very first election but cannot cast a vote in that direction so long as Mr. Dion remains at the helm.

Further, I would sooner light myself on fire than vote for the "con"-servatives.

I am always surprised to see the NDP get any votes. They would bury our children in so much debt they wouldn't be able to afford the air they breathe, can't cast my ballot there either.

The well intentioned Green Party will never see power, so why waste my vote?

I guess you can count me out on this one.

James Wright
said

MR. JACQUES seems to want to ignore or forget all the fraudulent activity and outright thefts that took place under Cretin and the LIEberals!!What's wrong with having an honest man in charge for a change??
Is it because he didn't name his dog Kyoto??

John
said

Those who continue to name the government with terms such as "Neo-Cons" and such just show how naive they are. It's truly laughable.

The fact is, the current Conservative government is pretty centrist when one takes the time to seriously analyze the policies. I personally feel that they have done a good job - keeping Canada close to the middle while shifting slightly right on issues such as taxes and crime, which most Canadians want.

Terms such as "Bush-lite" and Canadian versions of "Republicans" are truly ridiculous. Only those who have little to criticize the Conservative government use those empty terms. Take a look at the truth - the Conservatives are moderate centre-right, not far right-wing.

Scott Reeves
said

Am I the only person bothered by the fact that the bearer of this news is former conservative, turned separatist, turned liberal, Jean Lapierre who left the Liberal party following Dion's win in a huge display of sour grapes after the candidate he was supporting lost the leadership. He takes more pleasure than even the Prime Minister in pointing out Dion's perceived shortcomings. No mention on the disarray of the Conservative Party operations in Quebec from Mr. Lapierre or QP either. Maybe we should be reminded of the fable of Chicken Little.

Bobby in Victoria
said

Mr Dion as leader, is a disaster for the Liberal Party and he, like everyone else knows it. The real question to ponder is why he won't step down or call an election like he continues to threaten.
Could it be perhaps because he is far from paying off his leadership debts? There is no doubt that if an election was called, both he and the Liberal Party would be trounced. That would make it even more difficult to solicit funds to pay off his debts.
Sadly, this is all solely about protecting his own little derriere.

Canadian in Quebec
said

Hey Canada. I am a Quebecer and love Canada. I am sick of what the PQ and BQ have done to this province and the country. Let us get a huge majority Harper government, without any help from the idiot Mulroney. Let us put the stake through the heart of the PQ and BQ and start building a country again

Leasa
said

PM
CTV is so pro CONServative. What does it say about the "strong leadership" of Stevie if he is tied with Mr. Dion in the other polls that are not sanctioned by CTV.

Of course the media is biased! Of course there's no truth to any of this. Those polls that have Mr. Dion in 4th place must be 'rigged' to, right? Talk about shooting the messenger!

Sean
said

It's great to see all these Liberal whiners begging for us not to give Harper a majority. Perhaps they can finally see how the rest of the Country felt for so so many years of disgusting Liberal rule. You feel so completely powerless when your party doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of attaining power. I live in Ontario and have never and will never vote Liberal.

Bob Coxon
said

I get a charge having Iggy state that the Liberal Party is the only one that can make francophones and english Canadians work together. What crap from the party that damned near split the country. It would seem that our Quebec Canadians now realize the Lib myth and will vote accordingly. Thank gosh for Harper.

Mike L
said

What will the Liberals do when Bush is no longer President?

How will they scare Canadians into voting for them?

Time to put the final nail in the coffin...let's have an election.

Michaelm
said

Belinda will come back and save the Liberals. The days of Harper are almost over and Canada will be Liberal again. These polls are nothing about the future. The future is Belinda and the Liberal Party.

Rob
said

Hopefully the Liberal party will learn a lesson from all this. After years of bad decisions, wasting tax payers dollars, stealing tax payers dollars....they need to totally revamp. The national gun registry, the wasted monies on cancelling DND helo projects, the scandels, the political games....
I do not know the answer for them, but they have spent so much time digging the hole that they find themselves in, the PCs might as well have a majority, that is the way we are being run. We would just make it official with a vote.
Good job Stevie, just don't forget about us East Coasters, lots of new PCs popping up daily.

Caleb Del Begio
said

Ray Jaqcues,

Mr. Harper is in fact the most rational leader we have had in a very long time.

From the sounds of it you probably didn't come out of your home for a week after he was elected because you where afraid of the "soldiers with guns in our streets."

Time to get a grip on reality son.

Gypsy
said

Saskatchewan is booming now that we got rid of our Leftist Socialist gov't. We will beat Alberta for growth this year.

Come on Ontario...get behind Harper and your province will avert "have-not" status. Look what voting McGuinty has got you....debt and recession!

Even at his worst, Harper will do more for Canada than any Liberal has done or will do.

I would love to see the Liberaal Party decimated for about the next 30 years.

Newman
said

Both federal mainline parties have abandoned
Quebec's Anglophones, minorities, and loyal French Canadians in favour of pandering to the nationalist vote.

Continuing appeasement of Quebec nationalists is leading this country to dusty death!

My next political prediction
said

I predicted that Dion would win the race for Liberal leader. I also said at the time that he would be a political light-weight. It has now become clear that (for Liberals) there is no one better than him on the horizon. I now predict that the Liberals will try to get attention for their party by getting behind some female.

glenoman
said

yup we can only hope ontario can open it's eyes and see that "hey the liberals arent they the guys who ripped us off for a couple of hundred million"
and finally give harper the votes he needs to clean things up.

Mark
said

Now if the Prime Minister would just call for the elimination of the gun
registery and use it as a confidence motion.

At the same time introduce private property rights for the Canadian people.

Thank you Quebec !!

ibv
said

The media have joined in a feeding frenzy of their own creation. Step back a bit and stop exagerating. You have foolishly (I hope not intentionally) swallowed deep the leadership ability hook that Harperites through out a year ago. SHAME

Wes
said

How can Iggy have the liberal sense of entitlment down to a T when he's only been in Canada for the last two years?

James Birchall
said

James

Canadians want a government they can believe in and most importantly TRUST! Priminister Harper and the Conservative Party are working dilligently to regain government trust after 13 years of mismanagement by the Liberals. Canadians are sick and tired of learning of a new tax every time a Liberal speaks. Canadians want more money in their pockets, they want a majority Conservative government.

Don Breen
said

Do the liberials actually have a leader? Mr. Dion is worst than John Turner,Kim Campbell or Joe Clark

kyle
said

I think that we need to have an elcetion asap to get rid of Harper if Mr. Dion doen't win then anyone but the TORIES!

robert
said

Dion the champion of state run daycare has not even taken the time to have afamily but he wants to run our country

Vic
said

Why didn't you headline your piece: IGNATIEFF ADMIRES DION'S TENACITY !!

GD Ont.
said

Hey people don't forget the lesson we had to give the conservative party a few years ago. I am quite happy with a minority government. there has been allot done in Harpers tenure and I think it shows that a minority can work. It also gives us the protection in case there is a Mulroooney hiding in our prime minister. If there was a minority when the GST was brought in it would of never been passed. Think hard.....A minority puts power in the hands of the people.

headstrong
said

If all the neocons & wannabe yankee doodles commenting here think Harper doesn't have a hidden agenda, just wait if they get a majority, and see what happens.
Hope you know how to pray 5 times a day!
Why don't all you right wingnuts move to the U.S., where you all really, really want to be anyway?
Good riddance!!

James Birchall
said

James

Stephane Dion is a winner even with the falling support of the Liberal party in Quebec. I don't believe Mr Dion has what it takes to be leader of the Liberal party. He should run for the Green party leadership!

As for Mr. Ignatieff, he may be a strong contender for the leadership if there are no other runners for the top spot. I don't think he will regain support in Quebec after many Francophones have decided to support Federalism which the Conservative Party can provide.

Pierre
said

This party is not about the people, it is about themselves. Remember the Martin/Chretien take over, well watch and shoot because the Ignatief/Dion take down is just around the corner. The Liberal politicians are not talking about what is good for the country, that is "Our Country" but when can we throw the current government. In my humble opinion I look at the state of the country, the state of it's people, my neigbours, family and we are all doing fine. Jobs are out there, inflation is low the dollar is high, I have three squares a day and nobody is shooting at me or the one I love. We live in an exceptional country populated by exceptional people doing exceptional things. Governance is not about one person but about a people; so far the current Leadership (note I'm not saying government) because it's about Leadership and by virtue of being a Canadian I can choose my leader. When I compare Loosy goosy Dion, Taliban Jack and Mr Harper, I think we made the right choice and for the long run.

Go Habs Go

Pierre
said

Denis P
said

Well, it looks like most Canadians are waking up, except of course the politically brain-dead in Ontario, read Toronto.
Harper is doing a fabulous job, in spite of the media and the supposed scandal-a-day Liberal fraud. This with a minority government. Well done Conservatives. The Liberals? Well, they're getting what they've earned. Scorn and contempt.

Matt
said

The biggest thing Harper has to worry about is the Liberals creating an appealing platform, or installing a strong Leader.

With their current lack of leadership and direction Harper is able to govern pretty much as he sees fit.

Strategically he's had enough time to set up several policies that are good for Canada in the long term and prove he isn't that scary.

The only way the Liberals can improve is to take a stand, something they haven't done in so long I'm not sure they even remember how.

david in Quebec
said

People in here are getting too excited about this poll.As a Quebecer outside of Montreal I am running into more and more people that voted PC last time and have said not next time.Macdonald a speech writer for Mulroney and Advisor to Harper gives an opinion here in Quebec that carries no weight.Lapierre flips and flops more than a fish out of water.I've seen 2 other polls that have the Tories 10 and 12 points behind the liberals in Quebec.If this poll was even close to accurate Harper would bring down his own government tomorrow.Everyone have a beer and relax Harper will never form a majority government.Canadians do not elect dictators.

Don
said

Judging from these comments, the people of Canada respect bullying over diplomacy, lies over truth, meanness over goodness, immorality over morality, hypocrisy over responsibility, and idiocy over intelligence.

If those are the qualities by which you deem someone "deserving" of a majority government, by which you decide to "follow" a "leader", maybe Mr. Harper WILL get a majority. And when in five years you wish you could say something about how you have no more rights, how you have no job, how you live in poverty and are owned by a corporation and your future is bleak while you watch Harper and his cronies who have never worked basking in your wealth and worshiping their "free" (see fixed) market, you will shut up and continue to let it get worse because the Ministry of Information might disappear you...

And I bet you'll all wonder how it happened. See the first sentence.

Ron
said

David - your comment -
"PERCEPTION = REALITY. The fact is with the continued hammering by the media and the constant releasing of stats and polls that paint Dion as a non-leader it is no doubt that the public opinion has swayed." - is bang on. Conservatives have, for years, been commenting on the bias and destructive nature of the Canadian media. Now that it is, for the first time in many moons, directed at the Liberal party, I am hoping the left of centre groups will finally acknowledge the poor quality and ethically challenged nature of our media and demand the CBC, Toronto Star, and many smaller outlets take a more balanced, professional approach in contrast to the current lazy, biased, drivel we are handed.

Ray Jacques
said

Mr. Harper is not stubborn, he is a disaster for Canada.

I hope that Canadians will wake up soon and elect the Liberals

It was the NDP who actually brought down the Martin government.

Do Quebecers really want to have a Socalist governemt or worse, a majority Conservative government ?

I pray that the answer is no.

This is serious stuff folks:- time to look at the OCnservatives for what they are: right-wing liars who do not study and analyse any issue but rather think that they have the right to govern based on Christian fundamentalist idiology.
They have no regard for the truth any more than any Republican ever did in the USA. It is American style politics - policies change based on ideoligy
whether or not it is actually an honest approach e.g. income trust flip-flop.

Because the media got hold of Ms Martin, the COnservatives made a flurry of calls, but it didn't seem to help them, so now, the Conservatives are actively trying to torpedo her.

These Conservative action are the actions of the bad guys, not people we want to govern Canada.

Everybody has bought-into the Conservative smear campaign against Mr. Dion painting him as a weak leader. I don't persoanlly care abour whether he is or isn't, I want the Liberals policies whever the leader of the Liberals is.

When Mr. Harper was in oopposition, he was screaming in Parliament sounding like a lunatic on many subjects. Now that he is in power, has he changed ? I think not !

It is really the Christian equivalent of Muslin extremeism. Think about it !

I do not believe that any thinking Canadian will ever let the Conservatives get a majority. At least I pray that they won't.

It is time for a rational, sane Liberal government in Canada.

Stop "buying" the Conservatives attacks against our institutions and honourable people in opposition. At least consider your voteing intention carefully this time - please

DGK
said

The fact of the matter is that Dion is not the problem. The Liberal Party is the problem. They are corupt and the people of Quebec and Canada are now finally coming to terms with this.Expect them to be practically wiped off the map when a general election is called.

Jones
said

Utsav S.
"The Liberal Party of Canada has fallen to a historic low in Canada."

Strange that the liberal low is the neo-Cons ceiling.

And who should be worrying? Blind partisans only see what they want.

Dave T
said

A call to all Conservatives: We have to start supporting Dion. He's the best thing that has ever happened to the Conservatives. We have to support him so that he doesn't get tossed by his own party.

There was a comment earlier about Goodale in Saskatchewan. I'd be amazed if he held his seat. Sask is going a bright bright blue whenever the next election is. Right now that's the only seat that isn't Conservative and even a good big name like Goodale's isn't likely to succeed under Liberal colors here anymore.

I can't wait until the Conservatives get a majority. So wish that they'd lose a confidence vote any day now. However, it's unfortunate that the Liberals lack the rocks to do it.

J. Boileau
said

sounds like a bunch of happy conservatives. however for how long another 4 years or more or less before we find something wrong with them.

Jan
said

Min P says...
"I am independent and I refuse to register for a party because I vote for the one that serves me best at the time. I can clearly see that Dion will not serve anyone good."

So what you really mean is you are an independent conservative. Very rare that one would leave the Neo-Con Hive Collective.

This is just a variation on the liberal sympathy troll routine. Pretend to be one and feel bad for them and suggest voting otherwise. Where are you anyways? The Fear factory or Neo-Con HQ?

Nick J Boragina
said

The reality is that this is not 1978. Back in 1978 you could count on the Liberals to sweep Quebec, the Tories to sweep the West, the NDP to make serious inroads on the prairies, Ontario to break even, and the SoCreds to pickup a handfull of seats.

Now its 2008. The Liberals will sweep urban Ontario, the Tories will sweep the West, the Bloc will make serious inroads in Quebec, the Atlantic provinces will break even, and the NDP may pickup a handfull of seats.

If the Liberals win 3 seats in Quebec, it wont be a big deal, because they'll win 30 in Ontario even on thier worst day. How did I once hear it put, "Ontario is the new Quebec"

Al in Cranbrook
said

Harper is the first real leader I've seen in this country in my 53 years.

First leader to take Canadian sovereignty serious.

First to respect our military.

First take our roll for freedom and liberty in this world serious.

First to treat western Canada like part of the entire nation.

First to represent Canada as an equal with the US.

First to put realistic levels of taxation ahead of hairbrained pie-in-the-sky government programs.

But most of all, first PM since forever to actually make me feel proud again to be Canadian.

More power to him.

PM
said

CTV is so pro CONServative. What does it say about the "strong leadership" of Stevie if he is tied with Mr. Dion in the other polls that are not sanctioned by CTV.

Jack W
said

Yep, the Lib implosion is almost complete, in spite of their being propped up by the media. Time to go to the polls and rid Canada of this Lib blight once and for all. They are dead..they just won't admit it.
Finally this fine country can get on with it. Who said wishes don't come true.

Chris
said

Robert,

Maybe if Ontario get on board with THE REST OF CANADA, then our country will have a great government. That's what majority is!!!

Utsav S.
said

The Liberal Party of Canada has fallen to a historic low in Canada. Stephan Dion may become the second Liberal leader in all of Canadian history to win his party's leadership and not win government. Hardcore federalism does not work in Quebec. Our Prime Minister will come out on top, stronger than ever. Harper deserves a majority government.

Shawn
said

Dave T - the Official Leader of the Opposition is about all Dion could ever hope for and with him at the helm of the Liberals the Official Opposition is not likely going to happen.

For anyone who complains that all of our parties are junk, why not try to form your own party, otherwise stop whining and vote.

Ryan P.
said

Ha Ha Ha! Finally a poll that proves that Candians are smart and realize what a weak leader Mr. Dion is. Election.Now.Please.

Paul
said

The Liberal Party is virtually bankrupt in almost every respect. It seems to have absolutely no consistent policy on anything. It has very little money. It has no leadership.

Power, for the sake of power, seems to be the Liberals' only objective. I am surprised that so many otherwise intelligent Canadians still seem prepared to support this caricature of a political party.

I don't like Harper
said

This still doesn't mean that Harper will get his Majority ever!

edncda
said

I stand corrected. This IS Harper's fault after all. I have just been informed that his infamous "Secret Agenda" was in fact to take over the minds of Liberal party members so that they'd elect Dion to be Liberal Party leader forever. Which means that the snivelling and whining of the self-important will also go on forever. Goddam the CPR!

Robert
said

What is all this nonsense about giving the Conservatives a majority? They act like dictators with a minority government by muzzling ministers, controlling the message, fighting with the press, control in the PMO and Republican style tactics. If that is what they do with a minority imagine a majority??

John Royle
said

Raymond says
"Harper would chew young Trudeau up & spit him out all over the political landscape."

I think you meant to say lie, smear and plant rumours.

Yep! .......... Just like young Trudeau's old man would have done!!............

DCI
said

I believe that it is time for the hardcore Liberals in Ontario to finally realize just how long they have been getting the shaft from the liberals. And look at the liberal record in the federal government. Jean Chretian, Paul Martin and now Deon!! WOW! That is very scary. How much more can the liberal voters take?
Realisticly enough, if you combine the green party and the NDP as the opposition . And get rid of the liberal senate. We as a country could really make some great changes.
Yes, we need the minority liberals in the house. They still have a say.
It's very frustrating to see how much we the tax payers shell out for all the scandals and garbage in the govenment.
Mr. Harper may not have all the answers, but at least we have a chance to move foreward in this world.
I believe that there are over 100 senators. Why not have 10 from each party.
And give this money back to the taxpayers. I think they make around one hundred thousand per year each plus perks.
We Canadians pay a lot of taxes for things that are just not needed.

edncda
said

Amazing. Not a single post blaming Harper for the Liberals' dilemma. Probably the first time in at least 5 years that Harper hasn't been held personally responsible for something. But it's early yet......

Raymond
said

Jones says:

"I think you meant to say lie, smear and plant rumours."

Kinda' like the Liberal Party did/attempted to do to Harper in the 2004/2006 elections?

Politics is a blood sport, my friend.

Norbert Philippe
said

The writing has been on the wall since the last leadership convention when the third-place candidate was elected leader. Even within the Liberal party, he is still third choice so why not in the rest of Canada.

Norbert

John
said

It doesn't matter who wins the next election ... Canada will be the loser. A country without a leader or anyone of vision. Why bother voting with the crop of politicians we have now. I feel like I'd be voting for the less worst. Where oh where will we ever find an individual who can lead this country.

Moe
said

All right! Let's call an election and get the majority Harper deserves. Quebec is in!

Min P
said

What a shocker people don't like a whiny leader who is yet to come up with his own plans. I love how before the budget he rejected it but then he didn't have the guts to vote against it. I am independent and I refuse to register for a party because I vote for the one that serves me best at the time. I can clearly see that Dion will not serve anyone good. He is the typical left leaning candidate with the same comity this and government program that solutions. Nothing new just tax more and waste that money on the vocal %10 of the population while ignoring the %90 who have to pay for it. I am glad everyone else sees it and they are choosing like me and saying pass.

Joe
said

Please, whatever you do, do not hand over a majority to the Tories. You'll never recognise Canada if you do that. Minority works, or switch to some type of PR. Tories only ever represented 30% of the electorate. Not people you want to rule at 100%.

Jones
said

Raymond says
"Harper would chew young Trudeau up & spit him out all over the political landscape."

I think you meant to say lie, smear and plant rumours.

Jan
said

"Chris - Winnipeg
For God's sake Liberals, read the writing on the wall, and everywhere else."

What writing would that be? That the cons have all the redneck support? To me it means vote liberal before a bunch of uneducated buffoons run our country to the ground. Just a little info. Harpocrite only has the rural Quebec regions due to the disgusting pork barrelling they have been involved in with OUR taxpayer dollars. I am sure you don't mind that, right? Just like you didn't mind adscam.

Dale
said

Maybe they need a new leader, say from someplace other than Quebec. Heaven forbid if they had someone from Western Canada as leader

David in Exeter
said

PERCEPTION = REALITY. The fact is with the continued hammering by the media and the constant releasing of stats and polls that paint Dion as a non-leader it is no doubt that the public opinion has swayed. He hsa done nothing to sway it one way or another - but the media keeps it up and people believe it ti be fact (I believe it to be fact based on his inaction when he was actually a Minister in government - he didn't get the job done!) - but the media is not to be underestimated in the power of influence it has. Funny thing - with Prime Minister Harper being not media friendly you think the media would want to pick on him. The fact is though - he is actually governing. Some may not care for his style or some of the touch decsions he has made - but that is the price of leadership. It is not a popularity contest - to goevern a country takes true leadership based on solid policy and a firm stand on issues - even if they are not popular - but after the waves subside people see that results are achieved and see that the government, albeit a minority, is actually accomplishing what it is do with a leader that is poised for a soon to be majority government. The liberals had best do something if they wish a chance of survival. With the libs, ndp and green fighting for the center-left votes it is inevitible that we will have a conservative majority. The best thing the libs can do for the country is keep Dion in to ensure this happens. It would be intersting to see if the Libs keep party status after the next election.

Terry G
said

"Where's "Justin Trudeau"?

Far, far away I hope.

Fat Tony
said

I hope Citoyen Dion stays on as the liberal leader. The Conservatives are getting thing done with their pseudo majority. Come on 2009.

Anonymous
said

Mark - "Now that Canadians are familiar with Harper, Liberal accusations of hidden agendas and right-wing extremism are being revealed for the hyperbolic red herrings they'd always been."

If you compare Harper's early writings and speeches with what he's saying now, it paints a pretty clear picture of a leader who's playing nice until he can get a majority to do whatever he pleases. This is consistent with judge Gomery's comments about the "alarming concentration of power"
in the PMO only getting worse since his report.

Its unfortunate that voting for a wonk like Dion is the best way to keep Harper from that majority, but that's the way it is. It's worth noting that with a less divisive leader (e.g. McKay or Prentice) the conservatives would quite likely be in comfortable majority territory in the polls right now.

Ryan
said

Just when the comments start making sense we get a call for Trudeau. Justin has been "in" politics for a little over a year. "In" being simply mentioning interest. I'm all for new blood in politics, but putting a complete neophyte as a leader is amazing foolish. Justine needs to earn his way to the top. Entitled isn�t the way to head governments. Atleast not outside Ontario.

Yvonne in Huntsville, ON
said

Okay Dion, it's time: for the sake of the party and for the sake of the nation, step down and allow the Liberal party leadership to be taken over by someone whom Canadians see leadership qualities in and will vote for. You gave it a try and failed. What we certainly DON'T need is a Harper/Reform/Aliance majority in the next election!!

Pat K.
said

The old saying applies - "if it ain't broken don't fix it". The Conservatives are doing an ok job - if Mr. Harper stopped being so bossy, private and secretative about his cabinet and was more open then he'd get a majority for sure. Mr. Dion I like but he just doesn't have it! Time for a new "gutsy" leader. Sorry! An election we don't need.

Raymond
said

"Where's "Justin Trudeau"? Time to call in somebody with some real moxy to fix this party and give it credibility."

Wishful thinking. Harper would chew young Trudeau up & spit him out all over the political landscape.
Here's some advice, Liberals: Recruit Frank McKenna. He's the only potential leader I can see that would give the current pm a run for his money.

Moe
said

All right! Let's call an election and get the majority Harper deserves. Quebec is in!

cantuc
said

Its more than just Dion. Does ANYBODY seriously think Bob Rae would have gotten elected anywhere but downtown Toronto ? I wouldn't even be surprised to see Goodale lose his seat .Saskatchewan is changing .

Mark
said

I don't think the Liberal decline has anything to do with the sponsorship scandal at this point. It may have been the catalyst that got them out of office, but Canadians are mostly over the issue and ready to move on.

For the most part, I think we're seeing the gradual wearing off of the Liberal's fearmongering campaign.

Now that Canadians are familiar with Harper, Liberal accusations of hidden agendas and right-wing extremism are being revealed for the hyperbolic red herrings they'd always been.

They're no longer able to scare Canadians into voting for them and we are beginning to see that, despite their claims for the last decade, the sky will not fall without them and Canada is as strong as it's ever been.

Sean Calder
said

Richard, I thought that it was Dion who said that he'd be coming forward with new ideas and a policy platform that would bring the Liberals back to power.

You ask what the dissidents brought forward, I ask what Dion has brought forward. And before anyone cites examples, try to cite one that the party has consistently stood behind.

Richard de Vancouver
said

I think we need to bring back Chretien. If a poll was conducted to test his winability I sincere believe he could win.

PJR
said

Mr Dion: would you just quit already! S'il vous plait!

Vaughan
said

dion reminds me of a little whinny kid that was my first impression of him in 2006 when i fist heard of him and its still the same and it looks like quebec feels the same

Jeff S.
said

That's right baby. The Liberal brand is slowly but surely bleeding away and it looks good on them.

Conservative majority by 2009! And a well deserved majority it will be.

Norm
said

It seems that the people of Quebec are a lot more savy political wise than are the people of Ontario, especially the people of Toronto.

Paul in ON
said

What does Dion expect? The Liberals' pathetic performance of sitting on their hands instead of doing their jobs ia an emberassment.

An Official Opposition that only "opposes" in the media but whimpers on Confidence votes in the house is a joke.

It's a defacto Majority government now.

Dion - call an Election or resign.

Alberta Roger
said

Remember how we kicked out the PC'S now let us kick out the Liberals so new blood can take over. It did wonders for the PC'S even though
they are Conservatives now. The Liberals will come back fighting another day.

JPC
said

Let's call an election!!

Frank Buchan
said

And what is the surprise there? People can see through smoke and mirrors given enough time? Dion is a dud as a leader? No surprise at all.

Richard
said

Fair point. The dissidents are trying to warn Dion. But more importantly, when will these so-called dissidents actually put forward an idea, a set of policies, or a something tangible that Mr. Dion ought to be pursuing?

I think the bigger problem for the Liberals here is that for a decade they were able to successfully elect MPs out of Quebec by simply (a) not being the Bloc and (b) not being Preston Manning or Stockwell Day. The Liberal Party never actively stood for anything when campaigning in Quebec. They never had to. The promise of access to power was about the only tangible thing that federal Liberals in Quebec ridings had to offer. And we saw how that ended up. So now, for the first time since the early Trudeau years, federal Liberals in Quebec actually have to decide to stand for something. And that's the one thing the rest of us outside the province have yet to hear from any of these so-called dissidents.

JoeNorthAmerican
said

Where's "Justin Trudeau"? Time to call in somebody with some real moxy to fix this party and give it credibility. Personally I believe the "sponsorship" scandal has become very "exaggerated" and "used" for too long now. Every party be it Liberals, NDP or Conservatives seem to have some kind of scandal going on that the media and its opponents like to beat to death like a dead horse.

Political parties without scandal would be like Florida without sunshine. Get used to it and move on!

Mark Nova Scotia
said

looks good on them for choosing another Chretien sounding style leader.

Denny in SK
said

Faith in Dion's leadership ability has been shaky at best since the Liberal convention. I wish he'd admit to himself that he's doing more harm for the party than good, and resign as leader before he sinks the party further.

Dave T
said

I think that this poll is all wrong. I think that Mr. Dion is a great Liberal leader and I hope that he will be the Official Leader of the Opposition for a long long time.

I guess the only real test will be a federal election... which I wish would happen asap.

Brian A
said

As a Liberal, I have to say that I like Mr. Dion a lot and have always respected his intelligence and representation of his riding and his province. But as a leader, he needs to go, because he's killing the party!

Colin
said

Nice work Dion. Gee I guess now that the Libs can't scare anyone into voting for them now they are screwed. Looks good on them. Ok start the lefty whine- fest.... now.

Chris - Winnipeg
said

For God's sake Liberals, read the writing on the wall, and everywhere else.

JD
said

Ontario need to drop the liberals as well. Its about time ontario and quebec stop giving the liberal party power while every other province does not support liberals

a
said

Im just hoping Ontario will go with the flow and give the liberals a lesson by giving a conservative majority. Liberals take Ontario for granted and its time for competitive elections in Ontario where the voters are actually given a choice of either voting liberals or conservatives. And right now as a citizen in Ontario i think the conservative deserve a chance to govern in majority territory and get the mush deserved respect we deserve in this world.

Craig
said

And people call Mr. Harper stubborn. At least the Prime Minister listens to the electorate and tries to please them (by doing what is right, not by what is popular).

Mr. Dion refuses the acknowledge the dissent in his own party. He is making the same mistake as every recent Liberal leader. He thinks that he has the natural right to win, that people will vote for his party no matter what and that he does not need to listen to them.

Moe
said

All right! Let's call an election and get the majority Harper deserves. Quebec is in!

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