According to the most recent polling from Ipsos, signs are now pointing to a “volatile” election day that could easily be swayed one way or the other.
“I would describe Canadian public opinion for the first time in a long time, showing some movement and some potential for volatility, so all sorts of mixed motivations,” said Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs.
The poll found that at least three in 10 Canadians say they don’t know who’s going to win the election, while only 45% of those polled were certain of their vote choice. At least 13% of the country’s eligible voters remain undecided so far, according to the results.
Liberal Party sources have reported of Trudeau being panicked by a lack of party policies that will encourage voters to get out and vote.https://t.co/9Sh8zJG0cG
— Elect Conservatives (@ElectTories) August 23, 2021
“Layer on this the unpredictability of turnout in a pandemic election, strategic voting and other motivations, and this election has the potential to present a few surprises to Canadians and pollsters alike,” reads the poll.
Lastly, when it came to either voter turnout or the parties’ plans for the country’s future, no specific leader held an advantage — a finding that Bricker said only added further to the uncertainty and volatility of the election.
“When it comes to what the actual outcome is going to be, interestingly enough, Canadians say that they’d like to see a majority government come out of this. But by the same token, they feel that that there might potentially be the need to change parties,” said Bricker.
“And for the first time, as I said before, in a long time, we see volatility in Canadian politics.”
What was a guaranteed slam dunk for the Liberal Party has now turned into an election that anyone can win.
Trudeau will now surely be kicking himself for calling this election, given that his sole purpose for doing so was to obtain a majority government.
It is now up to the CPC under Erin O’Toole to ensure that these public polls, if accurate, do not go to waste. The Conservatives have a real chance to sway voters and call out Trudeau’s mandatory vaccine policies as draconian and infringing on civil rights. Let’s hope they don’t blow that opportunity.
(Photo credit: Maclean’s)
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