Manitoba has highest Premier approval rating: poll

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew’s political honeymoon continues, as the latest Angus Reid Premiers’ Performance poll shows Kinew atop of all leaders across the country with a 66 per cent approval rating.

“Kinew’s is quite a bit higher than we have seen from some other premiers who have come into the picture in recent years. Danielle Smith has kind of only been about that 46 per cent mark where she is now and kind of in between there. David Ebe in B.C. is also kind of been in that range. It is notable that Kinew is so high,” explained Jon Roe, a research associate at the Angus Reid Institute.

Kinew’s 66 per cent approval rating is 20 per cent higher than Alberta’s Danielle Smith and Newfoundland’s Andrew Furey who both sit at 46 per cent.

“It’s the balance between pragmatism and more ideological perspectives,” said Felix Mathieu, an associate professor in the department of political science at the University of Winnipeg. “It’s pretty consistent. It seems that people are even more appreciative of his work as he has been working as Premier of Manitoba, then they were appreciative when he was only a candidate for the position.”

This news comes at a time of controversy for Kinew and the NDP, after the party decided earlier this week to remove MLA Mark Wasyliw, after it learned his business partner is acting as the criminal defence lawyer for Peter Nygard. Wasyliw told CityNews Tuesday that Kinew is a toxic and dysfunctional leader.

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“There’s a lot of bullying that goes on at the Legislature, demeaning behaviour, treating people really disrespectfully. It’s a toxic work environment and that all comes from the leader,” said Wasyliw on Tuesday.

Kinew however responded on Tuesday saying, “You have a choice, be a part of this thing, be a part of the team, but that means you have to give up being affiliated with Peter Nygard and so he made his choice.”

Mathieu says while there were other ways Kinew, and the caucus could have gone about this, he doesn’t believe his approval rating will be impacted.

“It is the prerogative of the leader of the party and the caucus to decide who should be within the caucus and if they feel that a member is not a team member and if they feel like they are not providing good support, good track record for the party, they might come under the view that they are better without that person.”