The convoy in Ottawa haxjmtzyws put the spotlight on the far-right populist movement in Canada, and one poll suggests the national attention may be attracting some voters.
On the latest episode of Trend Line, Nanos Research’s Nik Nanos said that the percentage of Canadians polled who would consider voting for the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) usually sits at around 10 per cent. But as of Feb. 16, that number has gone up to 16 per cent, which Nanos calls a "material increase."
On the ballot question, when it comes to how many Canadians would actually vote for the party as their first ranked choice, the PPC is polling at seven per cent nationally, ahead of the Green party and on par with the Bloc Quebecois.
"It hasn’t converted a lot of new support," Nanos said. "Some new support, but not a boatload of new support, or why don’t we say ‘truckload’ just to be tongue-in-cheek."
But the increase in Canadians who would at least consider voting for the party could indicate that remaining in the spotlight might be an important part of the PPC’s plans moving forward.
"I think if you’re Maxime Bernier or a People’s Party supporter strategist, you’re looking at this and saying the first objective of that party, if they want to pick up more support, is to be on the political menu," Nanos said. "What’s clear is that over the last number of weeks, an increasing number of Canadians have put them on the political menu as an option."
To hear more analysis from Nanos, click on the audio attached to this article.
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People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier speaks from a podium at an announcement in Toronto on June 21, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
