eNewsletter

April 12, 2015

The Polls

by David McLaren

Bill C-51
A recent poll by Forum Research released April 9th shows that support for the
Harper Governments anti-terror legislation, Bill C-51 is dropping like a stone.
Only 33% of those aware of Bill C-51 now support the legislation. In February,
an Angus Reid poll discovered 82% of Canadians in favour of the Bill. Younger
Canadians (18-35) are most opposed: 75%. You can credit the scrutiny the
legislation has received from civil society and the dogged opposition of the
NDP. (The Liberals still plan to vote for the Bill.)

Voting Preferences
Another recent poll, this one by EKOS, shows the Tories support is slipping,
the Liberals are edging the NDP in Quebec , but the NDP remains strong in BC.
Although the NDP would claim 23% of the vote, we are in a better position
now than we were 7 months before the May 2011 election when we were under
15%.
A lot of people Ive talked to are wondering who they should vote for in order
to kick out Mr Harper. Some think they should park their vote with the
Liberals. But Liberal economic policy is virtually the same as Mr Harpers. And
Mr Trudeau has abdicated the high ground on Bill C-51. On social policy, the
Liberals are offering nothing that will help out those of us whose paycheques
refuse to stretch to the end of the month.

Strategic voting usually backfires. Besides, the NDP is the Official Opposition.
Given our progressive and practical policies, whoever wants to dump the
Harper Government and its regressive policies should be voting NDP.
A good and easy-to-digest source of key NDP positions can be found on You
Tubes new channel, Tom
Bits:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_YUdvDQiymzN2z9vJ7Axyg.
In Bruce Grey Owen Sound, I will continue to focus on the three major themes
of this campaign: the economy (good jobs), democratic renewal (good
government), and the environment (good legislation and regulation, including a
price on carbon). These, according to the EKOS poll, are also the issues top of
mind of most Canadians.
The NDP policy book can be found here: http://bit.ly/1HTyudo.