Harper Winning Support on Afghan Deployment

[Bragi]

Canadians get behind Afghan deployment
MICHAEL DEN TANDT

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

OTTAWA — Canadians' views have shifted sharply in support of the Afghan military mission even as troop casualties have mounted over the past three weeks, a new poll suggests.

A modest but clear majority -- 55 per cent of respondents to a nationwide poll taken for The Globe and Mail and CTV over the past four days -- now broadly support the decision to send troops to Afghanistan. Only 41 per cent oppose the deployment.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060314.wxharperpoll14/BNStory/National/home


All the smug lefties who think that the right can't win over Canadians, and that Harper isn't settling in for the long term, should ponder this poll.

- B

[daleo]

1. It was done by Strategic Council

"But the latest Strategic Counsel poll suggests that intense print and broadcast media coverage of the recent casualties, as well as the handoff of control to Canadians, has had the effect of solidifying public support rather than eroding it."

Strategic Council usually polls 5 to 10 percentage points slanted towards the Conservatives, in my observations.

"Perhaps most surprisingly, a clear majority -- 59 per cent -- said they are willing to tolerate Canadian casualties to "help achieve security and stability in the region.""

The question assumes the mission's success, so I am not surprised by a positive response.

"Canadians remain sharply divided on the strong combat element of the new deployment. A bare majority -- 51 per cent -- think the military should be prepared to see more active combat. Another 47 per cent oppose Canadian soldiers having this role."

I agree that a visit with lots of positive press will create a favorable bounce on most issues. But, I wouldn't read too much into it, as far as a permanent opinion goes. Much will depend on Canadian casualties, and whether there is any sense of progress in Afghanistan. An interesting poll, though.

[MrPrax]

2. Note To All:

All the smug lefties who think that the right can't win over Canadians, and that Harper isn't settling in for the long term, should ponder this poll.

<-----Ask Yourself...would a real Liberal write this and call members of their party 'smug'?

Notice the poster is NOT even questioning a Tory pollster results that goes from 60% against Afghanistan 3 weeks ago, to 55% in favour just after a Tory media blitz...

[Bragi]

4. Hmmm... Maybe MrPrax is a Tory

Mr. Prax's clairvoyance is as flawed as his political logic.

Clearly, what best serves the CPC's interests right now is continued belief among Liberals and NDPers that the centre-left can remain divided, and somehow Harper will still be defeated in the next election.

The last thing the Tories would want is for the centre-left to realize that Harper is operating now from a position of strength, and is gaining support, and that the majority of voters who traditionally split their vote between the NDP and Liberal have to get their act together if they are to defeat him.

And since MrPrax and other self-proclaimed leftists here are always promoting splitting the centre-left vote, I wonder if maybe they are actually Tories in disguise?

Hmmmm...

- B

[MrPrax]

7. Sure...

Everyone on this rather liberal forum calls their fellow posters...'smug leftists' or 'self-proclaimed leftists' like you...all the time!!!

NOTE: whenever Bragi posts--nothing about the relative strengths of the Liberals or NDP, or EVEN if Bragi has an 'center-left' opinion on anything else, but an 'ad' for the Tories: "that Harper is operating now from a position of strength, and is gaining support"

Search through the posts and you find this 'meme' all the time...Harper is invincible, but MIGHT be defeated if the NDP/Liberals merged?

Note that Bragi NEVER mentions the more obvious scenario that the two parties might consider an co-ordinated campaign like a coalition.

This is NOT what the Tories want--the Tories want the 'merge' meme out in front to scuttle any coalition--if the NDP merged with the Liberals, the Tories can THEN run an election campaign attacking traditional liberal supporters who are uncomfortable with the NDP...the NDP vote of course would simply disappear to apathy or Green.

This is the rationale for the Tories posting this crap...Tory support has hit a wall under Harper and won't likely increase.

[Bragi]

11. Wrong once again...

I've said quite clearly here that I'm ambivalent as to whether there is a mereger, or just strategic voting to defeat Tories. Either is fine with me. The point is that the centre-left has to get its electoral act together, and stop splitting their votes, which just elects Tories.

Incidentally, I think the assessment below is actually quite funny:

This is NOT what the Tories want--the Tories want the 'merge' meme out in front to scuttle any coalition--if the NDP merged with the Liberals, the Tories can THEN run an election campaign attacking traditional liberal supporters who are uncomfortable with the NDP...the NDP vote of course would simply disappear to apathy or Green.

Huh? How many moving pieces do we have in this bizarre theory? Is this a conspiracy within a conspiracy?

- B

[MrPrax]

15. Yer as phoney as a three dollar bill...

Busted, you Punk...go back to Babble or Free Dominion...disruptor

[GirlinContempt]

3. Oh Bragi Bragi Bragi

Maybe when you learn about politics we'll start taking you seriously.

[Bragi]

6. Hi Girlincontempt...

You back for another passionate round of explaining how calling for united centre-left voting is divisive and un-Canadian?

- B

[GirlinContempt]

8. You back to make wild claims

without any supportive evidence and then act surprised when I think you're full of shit?

[Bragi]

12. IWhy would I be surprised...

You've been advocating the importance of splitting the centre left vote now for some time. Nothing really new I can see.

- B

[GirlinContempt]

13. Oh hey guess what

Back up shit you say with reality, and then we'll talk further on this 'issue'.

[Mother Jones]

5. To add a bit more...

to what has been said;

I've been noticing that when the news shows people's reactions, they obviously don't know the level of detail that many of our posters here do. But there is one thing that seems to be widely understood in this country;

That we are supposed to be there as peace-keepers.

So when the combat and casualty reports come in, people are realizing that something is not right with this picture.

[HEyHEY]

9. If only people would stop voting Liberal and support the NDP

We could rid our government of these tories

[Monkeybumper]

10. It would also rid us of

A strong economy and most small business.

[arikara]

14. The economy is crap for the average person

The best thing would be to get rid of Nafta and get some GOOD jobs back for Canadians instead of the great race to the bottom for wages and benefits.

[Monkeybumper]

16. What part of the country are you in that the economy is crap ?

The economy here is doing just fine . The biggest problem in Ontario is finding skilled people to fill the jobs available .

[V. Kid]

18. I think the point is simple...

...and refers to the fact that even though economic indicators like the GDP are up, the average person's real wages, and standard of living are going down. It's a common theme everywhere in the country, except perhaps Alberta.

[arikara]

21. On the west coast

There's tons of construction jobs and lots of part-time minimum wage jobs. Obviously not everyone can work in construction. And who can support a family or even themselves on mcwages?

The food bank lineups are longer than ever and the increases are coming from the underemployed. You don't hear that from the governments patting themselves on the back though.

[V. Kid]

17. I thought the Liberals brought us into Afghanistan in the first place...

...but maybe I'm mistaken and it was actually Jack Layton's moustache.

[ConcernedCanuk]

19. Another deceptive conclusion from polling

.
.
.

One must consider the environment of the polling respondents awareness.

Consider this observation from the Posted Article:

"For one thing, most Canadians still appear to be confused about the nature of the deployment. About 70 per cent of respondents said they think the troops' main role is peacekeeping, whereas only 26 per cent said they think their primary function is combat."
_________________________________________________________________________

So most Canuks ARE sorta OK with us in Afghanistan, but for PEACEKEEPING.

The poll sorta left that wee detail about combat out of the equation.

What y'all know as a "push-poll"

so it means squat.

[Bragi]

20. Not quite right on that assessment

You wrote:

The poll sorta left that wee detail about combat out of the equation.

Actually, the 70 per cent statistic you referred to wasn't left out, it was the result of one of the questions that was asked in the poll.

This result was reported in the article with the lead-in sentence At the same time, there are warning signs for the government.

As for it being a "push poll" I don't see that.

A push poll is a telemarketing device where a campaign tries to negatively link a candidate to an issue through dubious polling questions (such as "Do you support candidate X calling for the sale of hard drugs in schoolyards.")

- B