Notley gets slight bump in latest premier approval poll

Premier Rachel Notley got a little Christmas cheer in the most recent polling on premiers.

In the Angus Reid Institute’s quarterly survey on provincial premiers’ popularity, Notley had a 32 per cent approval rate, up three points from the last survey released in September.

The premier’s disapproval rate also dropped to 56 per cent from 64 per cent three months ago.

But Shachi Kurl of the Angus Reid Institute warned Canada New Democrats shouldn’t get too excited just yet.

“We’ve seen a tick upward but it’s not necessarily significant in terms of the trend we’ve seen,” Kurl said in an interview.

“She’s been settled at about that 30 per cent/one-third approval rate for quite a while.”

Kurl said Notley faces an uphill battle in taking on the new United Conservative Party in the 2019 provincial election.

However, “politics always takes weird bounces,” she added.

“It sounds like a cliche but you can never say never.”

The poll, conducted between Dec. 7 and 14, surveyed a randomized, representative sample of 607 Canadans who are members of the Angus Reid forum panel.

Notley’s approval rating puts her in the middle of the pack among Canadian leaders, tied for fifth with Quebec’s Phillippe Couillard.

Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall, as usual, came in on top with a 53 per cent approval rating as he prepares to retire in January. British Columbia’s John Horgan is second at 49 per cent approval.

Ontario’s Kathleen Wynne is the least popular premier, with a 20 per cent approval rate.

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