Saturday, July 05, 2008

Green Shift A Wash?

No horse-race numbers in Nik Nano's latest, but Canadians do trust the Libs a bit more with the Environmental file. In fact, they are slightly ahead on all three major issues covered: National Unity, Health-Care, and the Environment.

But, as Mr. Nanos points out here, The Green Shift hasn't moved the sticks much. More surprising is the opening the National Unity file presents:

"When the prime minister talks about autonomy and flexible federalism, it makes voters a little nervous ..."

And it must be hard for the NDP, to blo-vate so relentlessly and get so little out of it...

4 comments:

ch said...

Those are large numbers for "none" or "unsure". Strikes me that Dion was right to think one needs time to sell Canadians on a carbon/income tax shift.

There has been a lot of contradictory messages, with the NDP claiming one can do more for the environment and not have people feel any financial effects. With this false statement being repeated, it takes time to educate people that carbon pricing is a central ingredient to reducing emissions and that all carbon pricing will affect individuals financially, so one needs to take this into account (as the Green Shift does). The Liberals (and the Greens) have work to do in getting this message across.

In my opinion, it doesn't make much sense to debate the relative merits of a carbon tax, cap and trade, or combination of both, until people understand the principle of carbon pricing and its pervasive effects, and how it will always hit those who can least afford it unless this is explictly accounted for.

Greg said...

And it must be hard for the NDP, to blo-vate so relentlessly and get so little out of it...
Actually, it is harder to watch the Liberals do nothing and be rewarded for it, simply because they are the "Not The Conservative Party" and because of our undemocratic electoral system.

Greg said...

Actually, I agree with the poll. "None" and "Not Sure" kicks all of their asses.

ottlib said...

I like the slant of the article in The Sun.

It is the Liberals that are not doing well but nothing is mentioned about the lack of traction for the Conservatives.

You would think that the Liberals being in the lead, albeit not by much, on those three big issues would be cause to begin asking questions about the electoral prospects of the Conservatives.

Oh well, it is The Sun so they are not going to do that and Nick Nanos is not going to upset a steady paying client by pointing it out either.

As well, I wonder whose idea it was not to publish the horse-race numbers?

As for the results of the poll it is good news for the Liberals. They hold slim leads in these three area and there are alot of none and unsures, which makes for alot of room to grow.

Specifically for the environment this poll further demonstrates that the Liberal Green Shift made a good first impression on Canadians and that is all the Liberals could have wished for with the Green Shift announcement.