As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
According to an online survey released Monday, more Canadians believe Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre would work best with Trump, while a slight majority thought Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the current U.S. vice-president would have a stronger relationship.
By the numbers
If Trump were elected:
- 38 per cent believed Poilievre would be better
- 25 per cent said neither Poilievre nor Trudeau would be up to the job
- 23 per cent believed Trudeau would be better
- 14 per cent responded “don’t know/can’t say”
If Harris were elected:
- 37 per cent believed Trudeau would be better
- 30 per cent believed Poilievre would be better
- 18 per cent said neither Poilievre nor Trudeau would be up to the job
- 15 per cent responded “don’t know/can’t say”
The poll found great disparities in results within regions of the country. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents thought Poilievre was best suited to deal with both Trump and Harris, while Ontario and the Atlantic provinces thought the Tory leader would best handle Trump.
Meanwhile, B.C., Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces thought Trudeau would complement a Harris presidency.
The majority of Quebec residents thought neither Poilievre or Trudeau could work with Trump.
The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey over a three-day period between Oct. 24-26 with a representative randomized sample of 1,627 members of the Angus Reid Forum, all of whom are Canadian adults. The Angus Reid Institute says the margin of error for its survey, which was self-commissioned and funded by the institute, is plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
