Nik on the Numbers
The third annual Nanos-Policy Options Mood of Canada poll finds that nearly two Canadians in three (64.3 percent) think the country is moving in the right direction, up from just over half (53.6 percent) who thought so a year ago after the stock market crashed and the country plunged into the deepest recession since the Second World War. The "right direction" scores have virtually returned to 2007 levels, and the "wrong direction" response is relatively the same (33.2 percent) as it was last year (32.1 percent) and is much higher than in 2007, when it was measured at 20.2 percent. The difference, of course, is that the "not sure" response has fallen sharply to 2.5 percent from 14.2 percent last year and 14.0 percent in 2007.
Canadians felt that relations between the federal and provincials governments have not improved over the past year. When asked to rate the relationship "on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is not improved and 5 is improved" only one in ten Canadians felt that relations had improved (3.7 percent) or somewhat improved (8.7 percent).The lowest approval numbers were in the Prairies, where 22.5 percent registered either a one (11.0 percent) or a two (11.5 percent) on the five point scale.
Finally, Canadians were asked to describe the performance of the current federal government led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on a five point scale from "very good" to "very poor". This is the Prime Minister's basic management score and his score is stable over the past two years. While only 6.8 percent said it was "very good", another 26.3 percent said it was "somewhat good", and a further 35.8 percent said it was "average". These numbers are virtually identical to those of a year ago.
Based on "the right direction" and the approval rating for his government, the mood of Canada at the end of 2009 is generally stable for Stephen Harper and his government.
These are the principal findings of the latest Nanos-Policy Options Mood of Canada poll. To chat about this poll join the national political online chat at Nik on the Numbers. The detailed tables and methodology for the past three years are posted on our website. You can also register to receive automatic polling updates.
Methodology
Nanos conducted a random telephone survey of 1005 Canadians, 18 years of age and older, between November 7th and November 10th 2009. A survey of 1005 Canadians is accurate to within 3.1 percentage points, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.
Right Direction Question: Would you say that Canada as a country is moving in the right direction or the wrong direction? (Percentage change from previous year in brackets)
Right Direction: 64.3% (+10.7%)
Wrong Direction: 33.2% (+1.1%)
Unsure: 2.5% (-11.7%)
Federal-Provincial Relations Question: On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is not improved and 5 is improved, how would you rate the relationship between the federal government and the provincial governments over the past year? [1=Not Improved, 5= Improved]
1: 13.8%
2: 18.6%
3: 43.3%
4: 8.7%
5: 3.7%
Unsure/Undecided: 12.0%
Performance of Stephen Harper Question: Would you describe the performance of the current Federal Conservative Government led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as very good, somewhat good, average, somewhat poor or very poor?
Very good: 6.8%
Somewhat good: 26.3%
Average: 35.8%
Somewhat poor: 15.5%
Very poor: 9.7%
Undecided/unsure: 5.9%
The third annual Nanos-Policy Options Mood of Canada poll finds that nearly two Canadians in three (64.3 percent) think the country is moving in the right direction, up from just over half (53.6 percent) who thought so a year ago after the stock market crashed and the country plunged into the deepest recession since the Second World War. The "right direction" scores have virtually returned to 2007 levels, and the "wrong direction" response is relatively the same (33.2 percent) as it was last year (32.1 percent) and is much higher than in 2007, when it was measured at 20.2 percent. The difference, of course, is that the "not sure" response has fallen sharply to 2.5 percent from 14.2 percent last year and 14.0 percent in 2007.
Canadians felt that relations between the federal and provincials governments have not improved over the past year. When asked to rate the relationship "on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is not improved and 5 is improved" only one in ten Canadians felt that relations had improved (3.7 percent) or somewhat improved (8.7 percent).The lowest approval numbers were in the Prairies, where 22.5 percent registered either a one (11.0 percent) or a two (11.5 percent) on the five point scale.
Finally, Canadians were asked to describe the performance of the current federal government led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on a five point scale from "very good" to "very poor". This is the Prime Minister's basic management score and his score is stable over the past two years. While only 6.8 percent said it was "very good", another 26.3 percent said it was "somewhat good", and a further 35.8 percent said it was "average". These numbers are virtually identical to those of a year ago.
Based on "the right direction" and the approval rating for his government, the mood of Canada at the end of 2009 is generally stable for Stephen Harper and his government.
These are the principal findings of the latest Nanos-Policy Options Mood of Canada poll. To chat about this poll join the national political online chat at Nik on the Numbers. The detailed tables and methodology for the past three years are posted on our website. You can also register to receive automatic polling updates.
Methodology
Nanos conducted a random telephone survey of 1005 Canadians, 18 years of age and older, between November 7th and November 10th 2009. A survey of 1005 Canadians is accurate to within 3.1 percentage points, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.
Right Direction Question: Would you say that Canada as a country is moving in the right direction or the wrong direction? (Percentage change from previous year in brackets)
Right Direction: 64.3% (+10.7%)
Wrong Direction: 33.2% (+1.1%)
Unsure: 2.5% (-11.7%)
Federal-Provincial Relations Question: On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is not improved and 5 is improved, how would you rate the relationship between the federal government and the provincial governments over the past year? [1=Not Improved, 5= Improved]
1: 13.8%
2: 18.6%
3: 43.3%
4: 8.7%
5: 3.7%
Unsure/Undecided: 12.0%
Performance of Stephen Harper Question: Would you describe the performance of the current Federal Conservative Government led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as very good, somewhat good, average, somewhat poor or very poor?
Very good: 6.8%
Somewhat good: 26.3%
Average: 35.8%
Somewhat poor: 15.5%
Very poor: 9.7%
Undecided/unsure: 5.9%
