NL

Slight bump for PCs in latest poll shows 'shift' in voters, says Paul Davis

Premier Paul Davis says he's encouraged by a new poll, even though it shows the Liberals leading with almost twice the support of the PCs.

New poll

9 years ago
Duration 2:11
Premier Paul Davis reacts to the new poll numbers.

Premier Paul Davis says he's encouraged by the latest Corporate Research Associates poll, even though it shows the Liberals leading with almost twice the support of the governing Tories.

The Liberals have dropped 12 points since last year, while the PC numbers have roughly stayed the same. The NDP have made gains, and now are just behind the Tories. 

After the poll results were released on Wednesday, Davis told CBC News he feels good that respondents said they are mostly satisfied with the job government is doing.

"I'm actually encouraged by the numbers. What I see in the numbers is a shift," Davis said. 

"We know that from the poll today about half of the people in the province are agreeing and like the work that we've done as a government."

Voters in Newfoundland and Labrador will go to the polls on Nov. 30. (Rob Antle/CBC)

Davis said voters are waking up to the fact that his government is being honest and not sugarcoating how they plan to deal with financial difficulties currently faced by the province.

"We're not going to make promises to people that we can't afford to do," he said.

"We're going to do things that are affordable and we're going to do them in a way that's accountable and that's going to get us to a long term future. 

The CRA poll also found more than a quarter of the people surveyed said they were undecided on who they would vote for.    

Ball confident but taking nothing for granted

Meanwhile, the Liberal party is also welcoming the latest CRA poll, which shows the party is still the favourite heading into the fall election with a 48 per cent approval rating.

The NDP and PCs only got about half that level of support. 

Liberal Leader Dwight Ball said his party is cautiously optimistic in the wake of recent poll numbers when shows the party with a 48 per cent approval rating. (CBC)

Despite the comfortable lead, the party is down 12 points from late last year.

"We take absolutely nothing for granted," said Liberal Leader Dwight Ball, who added the poll confirms what he's been hearing as he travels the province.

"We respect the choice of the people of the province, and we want to demonstrate to those people that we deserve the votes."

The Newfoundland and Labrador provincial election will take place Nov. 30.