TORONTO —
Canadians have been increasingly critical of the federal government’s performance since 2015, with an all-time low in the number who think the feds are doing a good job, according to a Nanos Research study that began tracking the “Mood of Canada” 13 years ago.
When asked, at the end of 2019, how they would describe the performance of the current federal government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 25 per cent of Canadians said “very poor” and 19 per cent said “somewhat poor”.
Meanwhile, six per cent said the government’s performance was “very good” and 21 per cent said “somewhat good.” Twenty-seven per cent replied “average.”
Nanos Research conducted the 13-year tracking study in conjunction with the Institute for Research on Public Policy. Pollster Nik Nanos said the latest approval rating numbers show the “significant amount of hope for the Liberals at the beginning of their mandate” has since been cut in half.
“Back in 2015, when the Liberals were first elected, about 60 per cent of Canadians thought that the federal Liberal government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was doing a very good or good job,” said Nanos on CTV News’ Trend Line podcast.
“Fast forward, and now it has dropped to 27 per cent.”
The tracking study also shows a growing number of Canadians who think the country’s moving in the wrong direction. At the end of former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper’s mandate in 2014, just 37 per cent of Canadians had a positive view of where we were headed. That number soared to 63 per cent after Trudeau’s Liberals were elected to a majority in 2015. But it has since dropped to 41 per cent.
INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION
When it comes to how Canadians perceive our global reputation, the numbers don’t get any better for the Liberal government. In the Nanos study, the first three years of the Trudeau mandate were stronger than any of the eight years tracked under Harper. Trudeau pledged to get Canada back on the UN Security Council, for instance, and to boost our foreign policy and improve our international reputation.
But, with only 22 per cent of Canadians now having a positive view of how we may look to the rest of the world, we’re at the lowest point since 2013.
“This is what’s interesting about this. The government was able to make headway on things like the USMCA, and that being of critical importance to Canadians,” said Nanos. “But it just seems that … Justin Trudeau, whenever he’s out representing Canada around the world, it just seems that there’s always some sort of diversion from, what I’ll say, his core mission, [that] undermines his ability to have a significant impact.”
The tracking study numbers don’t include the period in January after Iran admitted to the downing of a Ukrainian airliner, which killed 176 people, including 57 Canadians. Trudeau’s response to the tragedy and condemnation of the Iranian missile strikes was widely praised.
METHODOLOGY
Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land and cell lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,010 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between December 22 and 29 , 2019 as part of an omnibus survey. Participants were randomly recruited by telephone using live agents and administered a survey online. The results were statistically checked and weighted by age and gender using the latest Census information and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada.
The margin of error for a random survey of 1,010 Canadians is 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. This study is a joint initiative between Nanos Research and the Institute for Research on Public Policy.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
