Alberta Election - Momentum And Issues

Calgary, AB - A new Ipsos Reid/Global Calgary poll reveals that none of the major political parties have established positive momentum with voters at the midpoint of the campaign. A majority of voters say their impressions of all major leaders and parties have stayed about the same since the start of the election campaign.

Although leading by a wide margin in terms of voter preference, Ed Stelmach and the Progressive Conservatives actually have the least momentum. Only 11% of Albertans say their impression of Stelmach and the Conservatives has improved since the start of the campaign, compared to twice as many Albertans (23%) who say their impression has worsened. A majority (60%) of Albertans say their impression has stayed the same.

The results are marginally positive for Kevin Taft and the Liberals (15% improved vs. 12% worsened) and Brian Mason and the New Democrats (13% improved vs. 9% worsened), although most voters say their impressions have not changed. Impressions of Paul Hinman and the Wildrose Alliance are equally balanced by a small number of improved impressions (7%) and worsened impressions (7%).

Alberta voters say that the issues matter more than local candidates or the leaders in this election. Nearly half (46%) of voters say that their main reason for supporting a party is the party's stance on the issues. About half as many voters (24%) say their preference is based on the local candidate and only 14% say the party leader is most important.

• Among Progressive Conservative voters, the main reasons for supporting the Tories include the party's stance on the issues (40%), their local candidate (29%) and the leader (16%).
• Among supporters of other parties, the main reasons for support include the party's stance on the issues (53%), their local candidate (19%) and the leader (11%).

If issues matter most, then the leaders and parties should have a heavy focus on health care. Voters rate health care (40%) as the top issue they would like to hear debated during this election campaign. Other top campaign issues include education (18%, including 9% K-12 and 9% post-secondary), the environment (15%), housing affordability (11%), royalty revenues (7%), infrastructure spending (7%) and taxes (6%).

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid telephone poll conducted between February 14 and 17, 2008. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 804 adult Albertans. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population of Alberta been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Alberta population according to Census data.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Kyle Braid
Vice President
Ipsos Reid Public Affairs
778-373-5130
[email protected]

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Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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