http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/912782--canadians-split-on-federal-budget-poll-shows?bn=1#article
As I have been saying for quite some time now, these polls can not be properly interpreted without taking into account the die-hard support (manifesting in 33%) for Harper and the Cons.
I refer to this phenomenon as the 'die-hard right-wing extremist, epi-centre in Alberta' factor:
33% points of Harper and the Con's support in a poll can be attributed to the die-hard right-wing extremist*, epi-centre in Alberta factor. They will support Harper and the Con's pretty much no matter what, and no matter what the impact on Canada or all Canadians which makes them extremist in the expression of their views - that it is extreme right wing is manifest.
This is particularly important when looking at "Best able to deal with the following issues:"
Con range from 36% - 33%. The 33% die-hards are going to choose Con no matter what and these numbers show nothing to very little above that.
National Debt & End Recession may be slightly outside the margin of error, but by at most approx a point. Also, these are very low on the Concern's list - vis.: spending: 7%/5%/1% for Spending/ Infrastructure spending/ Defence spending, respectively.
If so many people had so little concerned about the Harper spending you would expect the number for the Con's in the 'Best to deal with the issues' to include a significant non-Con-die-hard element, and it doesn't.
The important thing here is the 'not sure' and given the 10 of millions Harper has spent on promoting themselves and the Con party regarding 'solving' the recession, these numbers show a significant rejection of the Harper con on being the best to handle the economy.
In other words, the only people 'buying into the Harper 'con' on the Economy are the die-hard Con's' and pretty much no one else.
Lloyd MacILquham cicblog.com/comments.html
| Best able to deal with the following issues | |||
| | Conservative Party | Liberal | Not sure |
| Rein in national debt | 36% | 21% | 42% |
| End the recession | 36% | 17% | 47% |
| inflation | 34% | 21% | 45% |
| Create jobs | 33% | 28% | 39% |
| Priorities What is your biggest concern regarding the Canadian economy? | |||||||
| | Canada | BC | AB | MB/SK | ON | PQ | ATL |
| Balancing budget | 28% | 29% | 23% | 38% | 23% | 35% | 17% |
| Job creation initiatives | 23% | 26% | 16% | 7% | 31% | 15% | 28% |
| Health care spending | 21% | 23% | 28% | 13% | 17% | 24% | 29% |
| Spending | 7% | 6% | 7% | 19% | 8% | 5% | 4% |
| Infrastructure spending | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 4% |
| Defence spending | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 2% |
| Other | 5% | 3% | 3% | 6% | 7% | 4% | 6% |
| None these | 1% | 1% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 4% | 0% |
| Not sure | 8% | 5% | 16% | 10% | 7% | 7% | 10% |
