Latest news with #PollaraStrategicInsights
Hamilton Spectator
01-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Poll reveals who is Canada's most popular premier and who is most disliked
As first ministers gather against the backdrop U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war, a new poll suggests Alberta's Danielle Smith has the highest negatives of any premier. The Pollara Strategic Insights survey also found Ontario's Doug Ford is the country's most popular premier — thanks largely to his stance against Trump's tariffs. 'It's probably that she's been offside on the Team Canada approached to Trump — at least in some people's opinions — and she has raised the spectre of an Alberta referendum, which is obviously not going to be well received outside of Alberta,' Dan Arnold, Pollara's chief strategy officer, said Friday. 'She's potentially looming as a bit of a foil on the national stage,' said Arnold of Smith, who has publicly sparred with Ford over national unity and how to deal with the mercurial American president. Smith — who stressed she does not personally support separation — maintained she will hold a The Ontario premier, on the other hand, has been working closely with Prime Minister Mark Carney and has emerged 'as a bit of a national statesmen in some respects,' the pollster noted. 'Ford's national profile and popularity have really come from ... the 'Canada Is Not For Sale' hat and his tone against Trump,' he said. Using online panels, Pollara surveyed 3,400 people across the country May 16-20. While opt-in polls cannot be assigned a margin of error, for comparison purposes, a random sample of this size would have one of plus or minus 1.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The firm found 47 per cent of respondents had a positive impression of Ford while 27 per cent had a negative one for a net rating of +19 per cent. In Ontario, the premier, who was reelected Feb. 27 with a third consecutive majority, has a +12 per cent ranking while outside his home province he is at +23 per cent. 'By taking the Captain Canada cape and running with it, he has built up that national profile,' said Arnold. At the other end of the popularity scale, 19 per cent had a positive impression of Smith with 29 per cent negative for a net rate of -10 per cent. In Alberta, where she is dealing with a health contracts scandal and a possible referendum on secession, she was at -5 per cent and was at -12 per cent in the rest of the country. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has a +51 per cent rating at home and +16 per cent in other provinces. Quebec's François Legault, who polls suggest faces a challenging election next year, was at -10 per cent at home and +1 per cent outside his province. The Pollara poll comes as the recently elected Carney is meeting with first ministers in Saskatoon to discuss removing interprovincial trade barriers and expediting construction of 'nation-building projects' like pipelines, mines, ports and energy infrastructure to offset the impact of Trump's tariffs. 'Given that Carney's got Alberta roots ... I think for the next year or two that could be the interesting struggle in our politics — what happens in the midst of a referendum and how does Danielle Smith play in the rest of the country,' said Arnold.
Calgary Herald
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Poll shows Albertans support monarchy, despite growing separatist threat
Article content OTTAWA — A new poll shows that Albertans support the continuation of Crown rule in the province, even as they're increasingly skeptical about the province's future in Canada. Article content Article content The poll, taken by Pollara Strategic Insights, finds that support for the monarchy is at a net plus-nine in Alberta, with 46 per cent of Albertans saying that Canada should remain a constitutional monarchy with the King as its head of state, and 37 per cent saying it should ditch the Crown. Article content Article content This put Alberta three points ahead of British Columbia and 42 points ahead of Quebec, where just 25 per cent of respondents said Canada should keep its ties to the monarchy. Article content Article content Dan Arnold, the chief strategy officer at Pollara, says he expects the question of the monarchy to loom larger as separatists get into the nitty gritty of what an independent Alberta would look like. Article content 'There's a lot of hanging questions out there and this is another one that could potentially become a source of friction,' said Arnold. Article content Debate has recently surfaced online about whether residents of an independent Alberta would have an option to keep Canadian passports and stay enrolled in the CPP, for example. Article content Arnold noted that supporters of the governing United Conservative Party were a net plus-10 in favour of the continuation of Crown rule (48 per cent to 38 per cent). Article content Article content Recent polls show up to two-thirds of UCP voters would vote 'yes' in a referendum on Alberta independence. Article content Article content The Pollara poll, taken on the heels of King Charles III's first visit to Canada as monarch this week, finds the king has a net favourability rating of plus-22 among Albertans — 46 per cent view him positively while 24 per cent view him negatively. Article content The findings were drawn from on online sample of 500 Albertans contacted between May 16 and 20, with an estimated margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.4 per cent. Article content 'There are a lot of people in our movement who are either monarchists, or at the very least ambivalent to the continued role of the monarchy within the Commonwealth of Alberta,' Rath told the National Post in an interview.
Vancouver Sun
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Poll shows Albertans support monarchy, despite growing separatist threat
OTTAWA — A new poll shows that Albertans support the continuation of Crown rule in the province, even as they're increasingly skeptical about the province's future in Canada . The poll, taken by Pollara Strategic Insights, finds that support for the monarchy is at a net plus-nine in Alberta, with 46 per cent of Albertans saying that Canada should remain a constitutional monarchy with the king as its head of state, and 37 per cent saying it should ditch the Crown. This put Alberta three points ahead of British Columbia and 42 points ahead of Quebec, where just 25 per cent of respondents said Canada should keep its ties to the monarchy. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Dan Arnold, the chief strategy officer at Pollara, says he expects the question of the monarchy to loom larger as separatists get into the nitty gritty of what an independent Alberta would look like. 'There's a lot of hanging questions out there and this is another one that could potentially become a source of friction,' said Arnold. Debate has recently surfaced online about whether residents of an independent Alberta would have an option to keep Canadian passports and stay enrolled in the CPP, for example. Arnold noted that supporters of the governing United Conservative Party were a net plus-10 in favour of the continuation of Crown rule (48 per cent to 38 per cent). Recent polls show up to two-thirds of UCP voters would vote 'yes' in a referendum on Alberta independence. The Pollara poll, taken on the heels of King Charles III's first visit to Canada as monarch this week, finds the king has a net favourability rating of plus-22 among Albertans — 46 per cent view him positively while 24 per cent view him negatively. The findings were drawn from on online sample of 500 Albertans contacted between May 16 and 20, with an estimated margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.4 per cent. Jeff Rath, a lawyer with the Alberta Prosperity Project, says there's room for both monarchists and republicans in the Alberta separatist movement. 'There are a lot of people in our movement who are either monarchists, or at the very least ambivalent to the continued role of the monarchy within the Commonwealth of Alberta,' Rath told the National Post in an interview. Rath, who's worked extensively in treaty law, says the Crown could be a bridge to Alberta's Indigenous population during the transition to independence. 'If one of the conditions the First Nations put on independence is… instead of having a (civilian) head of state we talk to King Charles and have a Governor General, so that they can maintain that relationship with the Crown and their treaties, I personally wouldn't have any issue with that,' said Rath. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said that any referendum question on the province's independence must respect the existing treaty rights of First Nations . Philippe Lagassé, an expert in Canadian constitutional law at Carleton University, says it won't be easy for Alberta to go over Ottawa's head and deal directly with the king. 'The treaties are now understood to be with the Canadian Crown, not the British one… I suspect these treaties would come into play in a significant way were Alberta to try to secede,' said Lagassé. Cameron Davies, leader of the Republican Party of Alberta, says he disagrees with Rath and wants to cut all ties to Westminster. 'The Republican Party of Alberta believes our future should be shaped here—by Albertans—not Ottawa, not Buckingham Palace,' wrote Davies in an email. 'The monarchy represents a colonial legacy and an unelected institution rooted in hereditary privilege—values that have no place in a modern, democratic Alberta.' The poll's findings were drawn from on online sample of 500 Albertans contacted between May 16 and 20, with an estimated margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.4 per cent National Post rmohamed@ Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what's really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Edmonton Journal
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Poll shows Albertans support monarchy, despite growing separatist threat
Article content OTTAWA — A new poll shows that Albertans support the continuation of Crown rule in the province, even as they're increasingly skeptical about the province's future in Canada. The poll, taken by Pollara Strategic Insights, finds that support for the monarchy is at a net plus-nine in Alberta, with 46 per cent of Albertans saying that Canada should remain a constitutional monarchy with the king as its head of state, and 37 per cent saying it should ditch the Crown.
Hamilton Spectator
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
King Charles sees rising support in Canada, poll suggests
A Trump bump has turned the Crown frowns upside down. As King Charles III gets set to deliver the Speech from the Throne Tuesday in Ottawa against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump's bellicosity toward Canada, a new poll suggests support for the monarchy is on the rise here . The Pollara Strategic Insights survey found Charles' popularity has jumped since he ascended the throne in 2022 upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for 70 years. More Canadians now support the country remaining a constitutional monarchy than becoming a republic with 45 per cent backing the status quo and 39 per cent wanting to abandon the Crown while 16 per cent were unsure. That compares to a September 2022 Pollara survey that found 35 per cent wanted Canada to remain a constitutional monarchy with the King as its head of state while 44 per cent opposed that and 21 per cent of respondents weren't sure. 'At a time when we're looking for stability, there's something stable that the institution offers and that's the biggest reason we see that growth in support,' Dan Arnold, Pollara's chief strategy officer, said Friday. 'In the face of Trump and chaos and everything else, there's a certain degree of stability that the institution and the King himself offer,' said Arnold. Indeed, that's a major reason why Prime Minister Mark Carney invited Charles to deliver the throne speech that will outline the new Liberal government's legislative agenda. Such speeches are normally delivered by the governor general — the last time a reigning monarch did so in Canada was in 1977 with Queen Elizabeth. Pollara found the new prime minister's move has been well-received with 48 per cent of respondents saying the King reading the speech is 'good for Canadian sovereignty' while only 22 per cent felt it was bad and 30 per cent didn't know. 'Certainly Carney is trying to position this as a counter to Trump annexation talk,' said Arnold, referring to the president's comments that Canada should become the '51st state.' 'This (the monarchy) is obviously one of the connections Canada has in the world outside the U.S.,' the pollster said. Using online panels, Pollara surveyed 3,400 people across the country from last Friday until Tuesday. While opt-in polls cannot be assigned a margin of error, for comparison purposes, a random sample of this size would have one of plus or minus 1.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The King's personal popularity is also on the upswing since the earlier poll — 45 per cent have a positive view toward him compared to 23 per cent with a negative view and 32 per cent unsure. In 2022, 37 per cent had a favourable view with 33 per cent viewing him unfavourably and 26 per cent having no opinion. Overall, his rating has climbed to plus 22 per cent from plus four per cent. 'That probably speaks to him putting some of the doubts to rest,' said Arnold. 'He certainly took over the role of monarch at a time when people were very down on him, given everything that happened with (his late ex-wife Princess) Diana and other controversies,' he said. Arnold said the King's very public fight with cancer, which has increased awareness of the need for people to get screened for the disease, has also left an impression on Canadians. 'He's managed to put some of the questions around him to rest for the people who were negative towards him.' But not all Canadians want the country to remain a constitutional monarchy with a sovereign who lives in the United Kingdom. Only 25 per cent of Quebecers support the Crown while 58 per cent want to end the monarchy. 'That's the only area where this is potentially dicey for Carney. Other than Quebec, there's not really any demographic or part of the country where there's opposition to this,' said Arnold. In Ontario, 54 per cent back the monarchy with 32 per cent opposed. Similarly in Atlantic Canada, it was 54 per cent in favour and 31 per cent against. That compared to 52 per cent in favour in Manitoba and Saskatchewan with 32 per cent opposed. Alberta, home to a smouldering secessionist movement, was 46 per cent in favour with 37 per cent opposed while British Columbia was 43 per cent in favour and 37 per cent against.
