Manitoba Premier Stefanson has lowest approval rating in Canada: poll
Posted December 7, 2022 4:44 pm.
Last Updated December 7, 2022 6:29 pm.
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson will end 2022 as Canada’s least approved premier, according to a recent poll.
Stefanson received a 26 per cent approval rating in Angus Reid’s year-ender poll.
There were 499 Manitobans polled, and 5,030 Canadians overall.
Political scientist Shannon Sampert says it’s “certainly not a great way to end the year,” for the Manitoba premier. “Probably disheartening for the Conservatives and for Heather Stefanson.
“Political strategists pay a lot of attention to these polling numbers. But it’s just indicative of this moment in time, a snapshot of this moment in time. The next election is at least a year away and all sorts of things can happen now until next year.”
When compared to previous Angus Reid poll results, Stefanson’s approval rating has gone up overall – from 21 per cent in January to 26 per cent in December.
“It does indicate that they’re throwing some money at a very big problem in Manitoba, that is provincial health care,” said Sampert. “And that may have had a desired effect.”
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Sampert expects the Stefanson government to ramp up funding announcements and make changes to the direction of their policy choice over the next three to six months.
Sampert says there are a few ways this government can make up ground, but it comes as a balancing act of gaining Winnipeg voters without losing rural votes.
“Softening perspectives on things like harm strategy and addictions issues, and also look at softening stance on child-care subsidies,” she said. “They have the federal money coming in and could adopt a $10-a-day program that they haven’t been taking advantage of, it costs them nothing.
“They could be doing a lot more to make them look a lot more cooperative, a little more centrist.”
Sampert says a key relationship to watch is between Premier Stefanson and the newly elected mayor of Winnipeg, Scott Gillingham. The political scientist believes announcements between the two could shift Stefanson’s favour positively.
“This is not a competition with another province, it’s a competition within itself. Anytime you’re moving ahead, it’s a good thing.”
The poll found Quebec’s Francois Legault had the highest approval rating in Canada with 57 per cent, followed by Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe with 56 per cent.
