Prime Minister Mark Carney's approval rating has slipped below 60% for the first time since late January, according to a new Liaison Strategies poll, even as his Liberal Party maintains a significant lead over the Conservatives.
The weekly federal tracker poll shows that 58% of Canadians approve of Carney's performance as prime minister, down two percentage points from the previous week. Meanwhile, 34% disapprove, and 8% remain unsure.
"Fifty-eight per cent approve of the job he is doing as prime minister, while 34% disapprove and 8% are unsure," said David Valentin of Liaison Strategies. "A two-point drop is not nothing, but when your approval is still near 60%, you have room to absorb a little turbulence."
The decline marks a notable shift for Carney, who had consistently maintained approval ratings in the 60% range since his address to the World Economic Forum in Davos. The steady rise in disapproval over the same period is a concern for the Liberal government.
"Ever since the Davos speech, the prime minister has been in the 60s and now he's slipped to 58%," Valentin added.
Bad News for Poilievre as Well
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre continues to struggle in public opinion, with only 36% of respondents holding a favourable view of him, while 51% view him unfavourably.
"Thirty-six per cent have a favourable view of him, while 51% have an unfavourable view," Valentin said. "That is a difficult number for an Opposition leader trying to broaden the Conservative coalition beyond the party's existing base."
If a federal election were held today, the Liberals would capture 37% of the vote, compared to 28% for the Conservatives. The NDP would receive 9%, the Bloc Quebecois 5%, and other parties 16%.
Strong Liberal Support in Ontario
Valentin highlighted that Liberal strength in key regions is a major factor in the party's lead. "The Liberals remain in a very strong position in Ontario, where they sit at 51% among decided and leaning voters, and they are further ahead in Atlantic Canada at 52%."
While the Conservatives remain dominant in the Prairies, Valentin noted that this is not enough to shift national trends. "As long as the Liberals are around 50% in Ontario and comfortably ahead in Atlantic Canada, the Conservatives have a very narrow path."
The poll was conducted with a random sample of 1,526 Canadians between April 27 and May 9, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.51 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
