October 23, 2006
Bob Rae, every Tory's dream...
From: The Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061018.POLLSIDE18/TPStory/TPNational/Politics/
Rae would do best against Harper, poll says
Ignatieff comes second, Dion third and Kennedy fourth against PM
BRIAN LAGHI
OTTAWA BUREAU CHIEF
Former Ontario premier Bob Rae would be the best potential prime minister the Liberals could choose to take on Stephen Harper, says a new poll on national politics.
Although Mr. Harper is seen as the best prime minister when put up against any of the four leading contenders for the Liberal mantle, it is Mr. Rae who would make the greatest mark against him, according to the survey by The Strategic Counsel for the Globe and Mail-CTV News.
When Mr. Rae is figured into a race against Mr. Harper, the NDP's Jack Layton and the Bloc Québécois' Gilles Duceppe, 26 per cent say Mr. Rae would be the best prime minister of the four, while 36 per cent picked Mr. Harper. Mr. Layton was picked by 15 per cent and Mr. Duceppe by six per cent.
By comparison, the front-running Michael Ignatieff, was chosen by 23 per cent in a battle against Mr. Harper, who was picked by 37 per cent in such a contest.
More National Stories:
Ignatieff's Quebec strategy fraught with risk
Mr. Layton is favoured by 17 per cent and Mr. Duceppe by seven per cent.
Of the other two main candidates, Stéphane Dion and Gerard Kennedy, 21 per cent would pick Mr. Dion over the others and 17 per cent would opt for Mr. Kennedy.
Perhaps most interestingly, criticisms that Mr. Rae would do worse in Ontario than his counterparts appear to be at least somewhat checked by the poll, which shows that 29 per cent of Ontarians believe Mr. Rae would be the best prime minister, well higher than the 22 per cent who picked Mr. Ignatieff and the 20 and 21 per cent, respectively, who picked Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Dion, respectively.
"It puts to the test - or to the lie - the notion that Rae carries the most baggage in the province of Ontario and that his five years as premier makes him unacceptable," said Allan Gregg, chairman of the Strategic Counsel.
"In point of fact ... he's slightly more acceptable than the other candidates."
By contrast, Mr. Ignatieff was most highly favoured by Quebeckers, 28 per cent of whom said they would pick him first among the other three party leaders.
Mr. Rae had 25 per cent of Quebeckers, Mr. Dion 24 per cent, and Mr. Kennedy 14 per cent.
Among Quebeckers, Mr. Rae, Mr. Ignatieff and Mr. Dion are all seen as better prime ministers than Mr. Harper.
"The important thing here in the province of Quebec is just how far Harper has fallen," Mr. Gregg said. He noted that questions on who would make the best prime minister almost always favour incumbents.
Mr. Ignatieff, Mr. Rae, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Dion finished first to fourth in the recently completed delegate selection meetings. The leadership will be decided in early December.
The survey, conducted between Oct. 12th and 15th, polled 1,000 Canadians and is accurate to within 3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
Copyright 2006 -The Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061018.POLLSIDE18/TPStory/TPNational/Politics/
Rae would do best against Harper, poll says
Ignatieff comes second, Dion third and Kennedy fourth against PM
BRIAN LAGHI
OTTAWA BUREAU CHIEF
Former Ontario premier Bob Rae would be the best potential prime minister the Liberals could choose to take on Stephen Harper, says a new poll on national politics.
Although Mr. Harper is seen as the best prime minister when put up against any of the four leading contenders for the Liberal mantle, it is Mr. Rae who would make the greatest mark against him, according to the survey by The Strategic Counsel for the Globe and Mail-CTV News.
When Mr. Rae is figured into a race against Mr. Harper, the NDP's Jack Layton and the Bloc Québécois' Gilles Duceppe, 26 per cent say Mr. Rae would be the best prime minister of the four, while 36 per cent picked Mr. Harper. Mr. Layton was picked by 15 per cent and Mr. Duceppe by six per cent.
By comparison, the front-running Michael Ignatieff, was chosen by 23 per cent in a battle against Mr. Harper, who was picked by 37 per cent in such a contest.
More National Stories:
Ignatieff's Quebec strategy fraught with risk
Mr. Layton is favoured by 17 per cent and Mr. Duceppe by seven per cent.
Of the other two main candidates, Stéphane Dion and Gerard Kennedy, 21 per cent would pick Mr. Dion over the others and 17 per cent would opt for Mr. Kennedy.
Perhaps most interestingly, criticisms that Mr. Rae would do worse in Ontario than his counterparts appear to be at least somewhat checked by the poll, which shows that 29 per cent of Ontarians believe Mr. Rae would be the best prime minister, well higher than the 22 per cent who picked Mr. Ignatieff and the 20 and 21 per cent, respectively, who picked Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Dion, respectively.
"It puts to the test - or to the lie - the notion that Rae carries the most baggage in the province of Ontario and that his five years as premier makes him unacceptable," said Allan Gregg, chairman of the Strategic Counsel.
"In point of fact ... he's slightly more acceptable than the other candidates."
By contrast, Mr. Ignatieff was most highly favoured by Quebeckers, 28 per cent of whom said they would pick him first among the other three party leaders.
Mr. Rae had 25 per cent of Quebeckers, Mr. Dion 24 per cent, and Mr. Kennedy 14 per cent.
Among Quebeckers, Mr. Rae, Mr. Ignatieff and Mr. Dion are all seen as better prime ministers than Mr. Harper.
"The important thing here in the province of Quebec is just how far Harper has fallen," Mr. Gregg said. He noted that questions on who would make the best prime minister almost always favour incumbents.
Mr. Ignatieff, Mr. Rae, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Dion finished first to fourth in the recently completed delegate selection meetings. The leadership will be decided in early December.
The survey, conducted between Oct. 12th and 15th, polled 1,000 Canadians and is accurate to within 3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
Copyright 2006 -The Globe and Mail
