NATIONAL PULSE – Horgan tops premiers in voter approval ratings

By ANGUS REID INSTITUTE

March 10, 2021 – As the hot, bright and unyielding spotlight of scrutiny shifts from Ottawa to provincial capitals in the next phase of vaccine distribution, premiers will be judged over the next three months on this key performance indicator, among others.

For now, however, Canadians are still more inclined – for the most part – to give their provincial leaders better assessments than worse in terms of approval.

Indeed, five of Canada’s premiers receive the endorsement of at least half of their respective provincial constituencies, including B.C.’s John Horgan. Two-thirds (66%) of British Columbians approve of the job he’s been doing.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Anthony Furey draws a split review, with as many people in his province affirming his performance (45%) as disavowing it (45%). Nova Scotians, meantime, are still trying to figure out their brand-new premier. While he appears to be the least approved-of premier in the country, this is a function of fully half the province (51%) as yet unable to render an opinion on the job he’s doing.

This leaves Manitoba’s Brian Pallister and Alberta’s Jason Kenney as not only the least-approved of, but the most disapproved of by those in their provinces. Pallister appears to be bouncing back a little, at 36 per cent compared to 32 per cent last quarter. Kenney’s approval remains statistically unchanged, currently at 39 per cent.
Link to the poll here: www.angusreid.org/