CALGARY — A new poll suggests support for the federal Conservatives is falling while growing for the NDP in Alberta.
An Abacus Data survey found 38 per cent would vote Conservative in an upcoming election, while 29 per cent would support the New Democrats.
Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams says the lower support for the Tories could be due to leader Erin O’Toole failing to connect with voters.
“The other reason why those numbers are low, I think, has to do with the conservative government in Alberta that is very unpopular currently,” said Williams. “It’s really struggling because of recent policy decisions that are fairly broadly opposed”.
Williams says it’s possible the popularity of the provincial NDP is helping its federal counterparts, although she says the two parties have different approaches toward economic growth and the economy in Alberta.
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“It’s both significant and, in my view, quite surprising that the NDP is polling very close to the Conservatives in Alberta, and ahead of the Liberals,” she said. “Because outside of Edmonton, the federal NDP is not nearly as popular.”
Williams points out previous polls have shown greater support for the federal Conservatives than the one by Abacus Data.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is widely expected to call an election for sometime in September.
