Posted on 04/11/2005 1:41:09 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Canada's minority Liberal government is heading for defeat at the hands of the Conservatives after more than 11 years in power, a dramatic new poll is predicting.
The EKOS poll, commissioned by the Toronto Star, was taken after an advertising executive raised the stakes in a scandal about misuse of government cash by testifying he had paid large kickbacks to the Liberals in French-speaking Quebec.
The poll published on Monday showed support for the Conservatives rose seven points to 36.2 percent while the Liberals fell by nine points to just 25 percent.
But both parties played down the chances of a snap election, saying they felt Canadians wanted to hear more information from a public inquiry into the scandal.
It was the lowest showing for the Liberals since they took office in 1993. Public support for the party dipped as low as 29 percent before last June's election, but the party recovered to poll 36.7 percent on election day.
The Toronto Star said the figures suggested a late June election, and EKOS predicted that Conservative leader Stephen Harper would win a minority government.
"There is little immediately apparent in the political environment ... to suggest a way back for the Liberals," the paper quoted EKOS pollster Frank Graves as saying. He said the poll pointed to "a breathtaking shift in what had been a stagnant and listless political landscape".
Prime Minister Paul Martin sought to distance himself from the scandal, which occurred under his predecessor, Jean Chretien. "I was personally offended by what I heard ... this is not the way I would do politics," he told reporters.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.reuters.co.uk ...
Just don't let them count the Canadian votes in King County! ;)
Fellow Canadian Conservatives. I never would have believed the Liberals would implode so quickly. Our time is at hand to take back the country!!!
They could always head overseas...
That analysis seems correct, although names like Myron Thompson and Cheryl Gallant would want to drive the party rightward (especially if they get into cabinet)
When is Canada's next scheduled elections?
When the opposition defeats the government on a Motion of Non-Confidence.
Well given the latest revelations a no confidence vote definately seems to be in order.
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