Most Canadians uncomfortable with Liberal-Bloc cooperation

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With the demise of the NDP-Liberal partnership agreement in Ottawa, avoiding an early election may mean Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government will have to rely on support from the Bloc Québécois, who are making certain demands.

A new Leger poll of Canadian opinion, exclusive to the National Post, found half of Canadians (49%) are uncomfortable with the idea of the Trudeau government having to accommodate the Bloc Québécois, while 31% are comfortable and 20% are unsure.

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Andrew Enns, executive vice-president of Leger in Central Canada doesn’t think the discomfort is connected to the Bloc being a separatist party. “I suspect it’s more that the BQ is Quebec’s party and solely interested in Quebec affairs. Separation as an issue, based on this poll, is not high as an issue of concern.”

“I think Canadians see this more as the Liberals looking to remain in power,” he added.

The poll also asked whether Quebec should get special status and be treated differently regarding language and cultural protections; 64 per cent of Canadians said no. Twenty-four per cent said yes.

A majority of Quebecers (53 per cent) supported special status for their home province. Only 15 per cent of respondents in other provinces share that view.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Quebecers (47%) are more likely to be comfortable with a Liberal-Bloc alliance than respondents living in other Canadian provinces (26%). The BQ have strong support in Quebec because they are seen as defenders and fighters for the province’s interests, said Enns.

However, it should be noted that 35 per cent of Quebecers were uncomfortable with the possibility. And 18 per cent responded that they didn’t know.

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Albertans were the Canadians most uncomfortable with the idea of cooperation with the Bloc (65 per cent). “Certainly, Alberta has long voiced concern over Quebec’s ability to negotiate separate arrangements with the federal government on various matters,” said Enns.

Most men (50 per cent) and most women (47 per cent) said they were uncomfortable with the Liberals and Bloc becoming political bedfellows.

Canadians in the 55+ age bracket expressed the most discomfort with this idea (59 per cent), followed by the 35-54 bracket (44 per cent) and those 18-34 (38 per cent).

Rural residents (56 per cent) were somewhat more uncomfortable with accommodating the Bloc than suburbanites (51 per cent), and urbanites sitting (44 per cent).

Conservative voters (69%) were most uncomfortable with the idea. NDPers registered a 48 per cent no vote, the Liberals 39 per cent. Bloc supporters were, of course, the least uncomfortable at 19 per cent.

Most respondents said Quebec should not have special status, with Conservatives having the largest contingent in this camp (78 per cent). Among Bloc voters, a vast majority supported special treatment for Quebec (85 per cent).

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An almost equal number of men and women don’t think Quebec should be treated any differently. The same view was held by an even number of most urban, suburban and rural dwellers. Canadians 55+ held this view (70 per cent), more than Canadians 18-24 (56 per cent).

The Quebec separation question seems to still hold some continued relevance, with 26 per cent of those polled having that concern. Sixty-seven per cent were unconcerned.

“I’d say the issue is still ‘live’ in the sense it still surfaces in political discourse,” said Enns. “The PQ provincially in Quebec has made a comeback and their leader has spoken about pursuing the issue. However, he has also since downplayed that a little. It is not a topic actively touted in Quebec or outside currently as there are far more important issues to speak to voters about. It remains alive as I suspect there is still some political traction for it in Quebec.”

Liberal voters (37%) were more likely to be concerned, while Bloc voters (82%) were more likely not to be.

This was an online survey of 1,626 respondents 18 years of age or older with a margin of error no greater than ±2.43%, (19 times out of 20).

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