Half of Ontario’s population says Doug Ford’s government will sway their vote: poll
An Ontario farmer recently made headlines after plowing a politically-charged message into his field, comparing Premier Doug Ford to Conservative leader Andrew Scheer.
“Scheer-Ford, Ain’t no difference,” reads the perfectly plowed out message.
And the latest poll from Angus Reid shows that some residents echo the farmer’s message.
According to the study from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute, virtually half of Ontario’s population (49%) say that Doug Ford’s government will sway their vote. Among this group, the vast majority say they are less likely to support Scheer and the Conservative Party.
The poll shows that overall, this equates to four-in-ten (42%) Ontario residents saying Ford’s government will dissuade them from voting for the Conservative party.
“In a province that many say could win or lose the election, every vote counts and this data suggests the federal party risks alienating much-needed voters by standing too close to Ford,” states Angus Reid.
Nationally, the study found four-in-ten Canadians (39%) say that the policies and actions of their provincial government will have an impact on who they decide to vote for at the federal level. As well, four-in-ten Canadians (39%) say that the policies and actions of their own provincial government will give them cause for consideration when they think about their federal vote intention.
- See also:
“Notably, the percentage of residents saying this is highest in Ontario, where Premier Doug Ford has emerged as a divisive figure both within the province and nationally,” says the poll.
Angus Reid
The provincial government could have an impact on a person’s federal vote in one of two ways – it could make a person more likely or less likely to support a given party.
In Ontario, 85% of residents who say Doug Ford will impact their vote say that it will make them less likely to support the CPC and Andrew Scheer, and considerably more likely to support the Liberal Party led by Justin Trudeau or the NDP with Jagmeet Singh.
Angus Reid
Recently, Ford has said that he has been too “busy governing” to campaign for Scheer.
At an event in northern Ontario earlier this month, Ford said he also doesn’t want to interfere in the federal election – he wants there to be a good race and to let the best party win.
“I’m busy governing,” Ford said when asked if Scheer’s campaign had contacted him.
“It’s a full-time job. I always joke around, they’re working me like a rented mule this whole summer. Honestly, I just haven’t had time. I don’t want to interfere in the federal election. I want them to go out there and have a good race and let the best party win.”
Ford says he has worked well so far with the Liberal government and would work well with whoever is elected October 21.