Despite Gaffs and a Sack, Harper's Tories Still Lead, But Having Country On The `Right Track' Tumbles

Ottawa, ON - On the heels of a series of recent gaffs and the sacking of one of the Conservative Party's rising stars, Maxime Bernier, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global Television finds that support for the Conservatives appears not to have suffered as a result. The Conservatives, under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, are receiving support from 36% of decided voters nation-wide (up 1 point), while support for Liberals sits at 29% (down 3 points). The NDP is receiving support from 14% of decided voters (unchanged), and the Green Party has received a bump in support to 11% (up 2 points).

In Quebec, the Bloc maintains a lead at 31%, while the Liberals (26%), Conservatives (18%), NDP (12%) and Green Party (12%) trail behind. In Ontario, the Tories have the support of 39% with the Grits (33%) not far behind. The NDP (15%) and Green Party (10%) lag significantly.

The proportion of Canadians who believe that Canada is moving on the `right track' these days has tumbled by 12 points since last October, dropping from 67% to 55%. Conversely, four in ten (39%) now believe Canada is headed in the wrong direction, rising by 10 points since October. Despite this shift in attitudes, perhaps caused by economic uncertainty, Canadians are consistent in their views of whether the Harper government deserves re-election, whenever that time comes. Nearly one half (46%, down 3 points) believe that `the Conservative Party under Stephen Harper has done a good job and deserves re-election', while a similar proportion (47%, up 1 point) is of the opinion that `the Conservative Party does not deserve to be re-elected and it's time for another party to be given a chance to govern the country'.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global Television from May 27 to May 29, 2008. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 1001 adult Canadians was interviewed by telephone. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 1773.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population of Canada been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.

Regional Highlights...

• Albertans (64%) have the highest propensity to say that Canada is on the `right track', with those living in Quebec (56%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (55%), Atlantic Canada (55%), and Ontario (53%) being less likely to indicate this. British Columbia is the only jurisdiction wherein a minority (48%) believes that Canada is on the `right track'.
• British Columbians (45%) are the most inclined to believe that Canada is headed in the `wrong direction' these days, followed by those living in Ontario (40%), Quebec (39%), Atlantic Canada (38%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (32%) and Alberta (30%).
• Albertans (63%) are the most likely to believe that the Conservative Party under Stephen Harper deserves to be re-elected, while those in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (55%), British Columbia (46%), Ontario (44%), Quebec (42%) and Atlantic Canada (39%) are less likely to think so.
• Atlantic Canadians (56%) are the most likely to think that the Conservatives do not deserve re-election to the government benches, followed by those living in Quebec (53%), British Columbia (48%), Ontario (47%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (42%) and Alberta (31%).

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Dr. Darrell Bricker
President & CEO
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
416-509-8460
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
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.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

About Ipsos
Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.

Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999.

In 2007, Ipsos generated global revenues of e927.2 million ($1.27 billion U.S.).

Visit www.ipsos.com to learn more about Ipsos offerings and capabilities.

Ipsos, listed on the Eurolist of Euronext - Comp B, is part of SBF 120 and the Mid-100 Index, adheres to the Next Prime segment and is eligible to the Deferred Settlement System. Isin FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP