Every month, we conduct a survey of Canadians and Americans to explore their views on the economy, finances, and their respective governments. This month, our survey was conducted between October 27 and 29, 2023.
This survey explores Canadians’ and Americans’ perspectives on their household finances and economic uncertainty, and Canadians’ perspectives on federal politics.
Some of the key highlights of our survey about Canadian federal politics and the economy include…
Pierre Poilievre and the CPC increase their lead at the top.
Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party continues to increase in popularity, as the party leads voting intentions (40%), 14 points ahead of Trudeau’s Liberal Party (26%).
Canadians also think Pierre Poilievre is the leader who would make the best Prime Minister among the federal party leaders (29%), far ahead of Justin Trudeau (18%) and Jagmeet Singh (15%).
Less than one-third of Canadians are satisfied with Trudeau’s government (30%), 3 points lower than our last Tracker in September.
Canadians and Americans are worried about the economy
Almost 2 out of 5 Canadians consider their household’s finances to be poor (28%) or very poor (11%), while 58% consider them very good (7%) or good (51%), down three points from our September Tracker (61%). In the U.S., around two thirds of respondents describe their household finances as good (65%).
Almost two thirds of Canadians (65%) and over half of Americans (55%) believe their respective countries are in a recession.
Two-in-five Canadians (40%) are either very (14%) or somewhat (27%) concerned about losing their job in the next 12 months. The proportion is significantly higher among Ontarians (49%) and 18-34 year-olds (48%). The levels of concern are similar in the U.S.
METHODOLOGY
This web survey was conducted from October 27 to 29, 2023, with 1,632 Canadians and 1,000 Americans, 18 years of age or older, randomly recruited from LEO’s online panel.
A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey. For comparison, a probability sample of 1,632 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.4%, 19 times out of 20, while a probability sample of 1,000 respondents would have a margin of error of ±3.1%, 19 times out of 20.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is caving to political pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when it comes to their stance on the consumer carbon price.
Trudeau says he believes Jagmeet Singh and the NDP care about the environment, but it’s “increasingly obvious” that they have “no idea” what to do about climate change.
On Thursday, Singh said the NDP is working on a plan that wouldn’t put the burden of fighting climate change on the backs of workers, but wouldn’t say if that plan would include a consumer carbon price.
Singh’s noncommittal position comes as the NDP tries to frame itself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives in the next federal election.
Poilievre responded to that by releasing a video, pointing out that the NDP has voted time and again in favour of the Liberals’ carbon price.
British Columbia Premier David Eby also changed his tune on Thursday, promising that a re-elected NDP government would scrap the long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to “big polluters,” if the federal government dropped its requirements.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, minister responsible for consumer protection, has tabled a bill to force merchants to calculate tips based on the price before tax.
That means on a restaurant bill of $100, suggested tips would be calculated based on $100, not on $114.98 after provincial and federal sales taxes are added.
The bill would also increase the rebate offered to consumers when the price of an item at the cash register is higher than the shelf price, to $15 from $10.
And it would force grocery stores offering a discounted price for several items to clearly list the unit price as well.
Businesses would also have to indicate whether taxes will be added to the price of food products.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
