This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive.

Canada's Least, Most Popular Premiers Ranked By Angus Reid Global

Canada's Most, Least Popular Premiers
CP

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall is still the most popular provincial leader in the country, a new poll suggests.

But the latest quarterly survey from Angus Reid Global on the job approval ratings of Canadian premiers also has good news for some rookies.

Wall's rating is unmoved from late last year at 66 per cent. According to the polling firm, Wall — whose name is often floated as potential successor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper — has stayed above 63 per cent since August, 2011.

But while Wall is consistently found at the top of such polls, he may soon have some real competition.

The survey suggests Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil is also very well-liked in his province, with an approval rating of 59 per cent — up two points since December.

But the biggest shocker may be in Newfoundland and Labrador where Tom Marshall, who took over the job in January after the resignation of Kathy Dunderdale, sits at third place with 49 per cent. That is a 25 per cent improvement from Dunderdale, who, according to Angus Reid, had the lowest approval rating in Canada (24 per cent) when she called it quits.

Marshall is only holding the post until July but with those kind of numbers, one has to wonder if some in his party wish he would have considered a run to keep the job full-time.

B.C. Premier Christy Clark came in as the fourth most popular premier.

Story continues after slideshow

Least And Most Popular Premiers

As for unpopular leaders, Alberta's now-former premier Alison Redford would have topped the list this quarter.

The online survey was conducted among 6,445 randomly selected Canadian adults between March 3 and 9. Redford resigned as premier on March 19, with questions about her expenses and the growing threat of a caucus mutiny.

Redford would have ranked lowest on job performance with 23 per cent.

Quebec Premier Pauline Marois, currently fighting it out in a provincial election she may now lose, had an approval rating of 36 per cent — up four points from the previous quarter — when Angus Reid was in the field.

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger and New Brunswick's David Alward each sit at 28 per cent in the poll.

And Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, who is currently under fire due to the gas plant scandal and may soon find herself in a spring campaign, has an approval rating of 36 per cent.

Shachi Kurl of Angus Reid Global explained in an email to The Huffington Post Canada that the approval rating of Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Ghiz was not measured because the sample size for that province is too small.

Close
This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.