Ottawa: What’s Happening?

Politics

May 28

Guest: Mario Canseco, Research Co.

On this edition of Journal, we take a closer look at the federal political landscape through a pollster’s eyes. The people of Canada elected a minority Liberal government and now – poof – we have a majority government. Are people happy with that?

I have always found in my research that polls give us a snapshot of where we are at and what people are thinking at a given moment in time. Obviously, they are not perfect, but if you use them looking for trends or changes, they can be useful.

So, some questions: With a “new” majority Liberal government in Ottawa, what has changed in the business of governing Canada, if anything?

I assume there will be no patience for more words and speeches. People will now expect some action. Does this bare majority seem rock solid?

How do people feel about budget overruns, or do they care? Now that an imminent election seems off the table, does Mr. Poilievre’s position seem diminished?

Is his leadership of the Conservative party secure?

What are the top-of-mind issues for Canadians?

Who are the influencers behind the scenes – those voices leaders choose to listen to?

How is the Trump card playing now?

And here is a loaded question: what do Canadians think of floor-crossers and their ability to create a majority government when none existed after the election?

I always have a lot of questions, so for some guidance on these issues, I have asked Mario Canseco of Research Co. to join me and provide some factual context. Again, this is just a moment in time, but a really interesting moment in time.