OTTAWA — Canadians still like having Michaelle Jean as their defacto head of state, a new poll suggests.

With Stephen Harper preparing to replace the Haiti-born, fluently-bilingual Jean as Governor General, almost half of Canadians asked say they would prefer it if the prime minister reappointed her to another five-year term.

The latest opinion sampling from Harris Decima for The Canadian Press finds that 58 per cent of respondents believe Jean has done either an excellent or good job as Governor General. Only five per cent think she has performed poorly.

Similarly, 47 per cent believe Harper should appoint her to another term, as opposed to 36 per cent who believe he should find someone new.

The results are not much changed from the last time Harris Decima asked the question in April, indicating that opinions about Jean are fairly entrenched.

Pollster Doug Anderson said Canadians likely don't spend a lot of time thinking about the performance of the viceregal, but what they know about Jean they have generally liked.

Still, he said it would be a mistake to say Canadians are clamouring for her reappointment.

"I don't think people have a very high expectation for that role," he said. "But for all the things that people know that she did, they feel she was probably doing her best and being a good person in that role."

The survey of 1,000 was conducted between May 6 and 9 and is considered accurate plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The extension issue has become somewhat a controversial topic since Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff revealed that Harper had asked his opinion on the matter and that he advised him to keep her on.

Canadians are not so sure making the advice public was such a wise move on the part of the Liberal leader -- 39 per cent said it was appropriate and 43 per cent said it wasn't.

Anderson found that how Canadians split on this question largely depended on whether they support Jean's reappointment, and whether they were Conservative or Liberal backers.

Jean's term officially ends on Sept. 27, but there is speculation the prime minister wants to install a new viceregal in time for the Queen's visit to Canada in July.

Largely regarded as a ceremonial post, the circumstances of being in office during an extended period of minority governments has made Jean one of the more consequential people filling the job.

In December 2008, she made the fateful decision that allowed Harper to prorogue Parliament and buy time to thwart an attempt by the three opposition parties -- Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois -- to establish a coalition government.

Jean has also become known for her sincere support and effusive praise for the men and women in uniform.

As commander-in-chief of the military, she's visited Afghanistan, attended numerous repatriation ceremonies at CFB Trenton and penned countless messages of condolence to the families of fallen soldiers.

Honorary Lt-Col. Luc Lavoie, who met the Governor General on Saturday in Montreal at the renaming ceremony of century-old armoury, said Jean has helped instill a sense of pride among the troops.

"These people are mostly anonymous," he said.

"They go abroad, they go to Afghanistan and Haiti and they sometimes live with the perception no one cares what they do. Having the commander-in-chief and number one person in the state of Canada stop and talk to them -- it makes them extremely proud."

And her recognition of the fallen soldiers has helped endear her to soldiers like Master Cpl. Jean-Francois Victor, who met Jean at the armoury.

"In her speech, she took the time to have a minute of silence for (Pte. Kevin McKay) who recently lost his life," he said. "To do that means a lot."

Jean also gained international prominence thanks to a video showing her eating raw seal meat at Rankin Inlet in what some interpreted as a sign of support for the controversial seal hunt.

She also was accused of taking on airs at a speech in Paris in which she referred to herself as the head of state, a position officially held by the Queen from England.

The most lasting image of Jean, however, may be her tearful appeal in support of Haiti relief following January's devastating earthquake.