Kenney's approval as premier second lowest in Canada amid pandemic

Canadians have been looking to their leaders during this troubling time.

Legislation has seen rapid changes, public health acts have been announced, and residents have been tuning in to near-daily updates from their premiers over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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An Angus Reid Institute survey found that all of Canada’s provincial leaders saw an increase in approval rating over the past few months, though some have seen a much larger bump than others.

Ontario’s Doug Ford more than doubled his rating between February 20 and May 20, jumping from 31% to 69% during the pandemic.

Angus Reid Institute

Even with that bump, Ford comes fourth to New Brunswick’s Blaine Higgs (80%), Quebec’s Francois Legault (77%), and BC’s John Horgan (71%).

Alberta’s own Jason Kenney is on the other end of the scale, however, having gained just 1% in approval rating during the coronavirus pandemic.

At 48%, he comes second-last only to Manitoba’s Brian Palliser, who saw his own approval rating bumped by 4%.

Angus Reid Institute

Prior to the global health emergency, Kenney had been sitting fourth-highest on the list with an approval rating of 47%.

The online survey had been conducted between May 19 and 24 to a sample size of 5,001 Canadian adults.