Liberals have no comment on poll
The Star has obtained a new opinion poll showing the governing Yukon Liberals in last place while the NDP leads the pack in a tightly-jammed race.
The Star has obtained a new opinion poll showing the governing Yukon Liberals in last place while the NDP leads the pack in a tightly-jammed race.
The results have the NDP leading in the polls with 33 per cent support, while the Yukon Party is second with 32 per cent, and the Liberals trailing at 31 per cent.
The poll, commissioned by one of the territory’s political parties, was conducted by the Léger firm.
A total of 600 interviews were conducted in the Yukon during the first week of February.
The numbers show the Liberal party has gone from 47 per cent support to last with 31 per cent.
The analysis of the poll says the party has lost nearly a third of its support from the November 2016 election.
The NDP has gone from 11 per cent to first with 33 per cent, the polling data suggest.
The Yukon Party has dipped from 36 per cent to 32 per cent.
The poll indicates 14 per cent of people are undecided.
It’s unknown as to when or if the party that commissioned the poll had planned to make it public.
“Kate White has been building an inspiring team of candidates and the response from Yukoners has been great,” said Robin Steudel, the NDP’s campaign co-director.
“More people than ever before are donating and signing up to volunteer, and we’re ready for a great campaign.
“Yukoners are looking for leadership on the housing crisis, making the economy work for everyone and tackling climate change,” Steudel added.
“Kate White is a strong, principled leader with new ideas, and it’s great to see people’s enthusiasm.
“That said, the most important poll is the one on election day, and we’re looking forward to that, whenever the election is called.”
“The poll that matters most is the one on election day,” said Tim Kucharuk, the press secretary for the Yukon Party.
“For now, we are going to continue to reach out to Yukoners so we can put forward a plan that reflects their vision of the territory.
“That said, we are not surprised to hear that the Liberals have fallen to last place, as their inability to get things done has become a defining trademark of their government,” Kucharuk added.
“In the nearly five years of government, it has become clear that the Liberals may have been good at making promises, but not so good at delivering on them.”
“We don’t comment on polls, especially those commissioned by political parties,” the Liberal caucus told the Star.
“Yukon is in a good position – the economy is strong, the unemployment rate is the lowest in Canada and the vaccine rollout has the territory well on track for population immunity in the coming weeks.
“We are proud of the work the Yukon Liberal government has accomplished over the last four years, and look forward to them continuing to serve all Yukoners,” the caucus said.
Léger is a large Canadian-owned polling and market research firm headquartered in Montreal, with offices across the country.
In the Nov. 7, 2016 election, the Liberals won 39 per cent of the vote, the Yukon Party 33 per cent and the New Democrats 26 per cent.
Premier Sandy Silver is not commenting on the timing of the next election, which must be called by November.
Comments (49)
Up 4 Down 3
Mick on Mar 2, 2021 at 4:50 pm
@ NickyB
Do you have both vaccines yet? Nope, I bet you’re not even getting one because of Bill Gates or some other delusion swirling around upstairs. We will move into Phase 4 once we have the 70% penetration of vaccinated people.
Life is pretty normal here anyways. I go to work everyday, go to the store when I need just not visiting with folks in the normal ways.
Take a deep breath pumpkin, the adults have things under control.
Up 8 Down 7
Brent on Mar 2, 2021 at 1:40 am
Hey, did you get a load of our new Liberal candidate in Porter Creek North? Poll that.
Up 9 Down 19
DL on Mar 2, 2021 at 1:35 am
Just found out about this new coalition of political representatives across Canada newly organized to END THE LOCKDOWNS.
These are the politicians we need.
"In response to the unprecedented mass violations of Canadian’s Charter Rights from government across the country in response to the COVID19 pandemic, a group of current and former elected representatives have come together to form the End the Lockdowns National Caucus."
https://www.libertycoalitioncanada.com/end-the-lockdown-caucus
Up 14 Down 16
NickyB on Mar 1, 2021 at 5:22 pm
Why are we not in Phase 4 with no restrictions like the info at the YTG Covid webpage promised us? "Yukon will move to Phase 4 once a vaccine is ready or an alternative public health approach is available." Both conditions have been met.
The LIB gov is still lying to us and moving the goalposts again. They can no longer be trusted to govern honestly. It's becoming obvious they have no intentions of ending the restrictions.
I suspect they want to keep the restrictions in place to enable mail-in and on-line voting with no ID so they can cheat their way back in power like happened in the US.
Up 19 Down 11
Groucho d'North on Mar 1, 2021 at 11:54 am
@ Welcome
Thank you for a very well considered contribution to this topic. I agree there needs to be some fundamental changes to how governance in Canada functions. I'd like to see the governments' powers reduced so that they cannot do whatever they want including how much they borrow in our names. Also I'd like the electorate to identify the issues that the incoming government should be focusing the resources on rather than allowing them to interpret their mandate anyway they choose. The taxpayers are the bosses and we need governments of all stripes to honor that structure, and when they are in doubt, they should ask for clarity. And if a government is under investigation for wrong-doing of any kind, they must put at least 15 MPs in the penalty box until the matter is resolved. Governments have too much power they do not deserve.
Up 25 Down 13
Welcome to Crazy Town on Feb 28, 2021 at 9:22 pm
Dear Groucho - Neither the Yukon nor Canada will survive another Liberal controlled government whether it be by majority or by coalition. The Liberal/NDP alliance at the Federal level has demonstrated rather well the disaster of coalition governments.
We need someone or some government who has the ability to create unity rather than division.
This is not possible under Liberalism as it is an inherently contradictory ideology of reductionist logic; for example, identity politics and individualism; unity, and identity politics and on and on. It is a polemicist’s dream and democracy’s nightmare because it is prone to the emotionalism of mob rule.
We need to return to a more objective governance where procedure, policy, and the rule of law mean something again. We need to focus on ideals like equality rather than equity - We need to avoid socialism.
We also need to understand that things like racism, sexism, and genderisms, are distractions to the more pressing concern of classism. A government or wannabe government worthy of the support of the electorate would shine a light on the problem of classism - Why does 1% of the worlds population own 50% or more of the worlds wealth?
We need to break up the Social Media monopoly.
We need to get our kids back to school.
We need to divest ourselves from too heavy a reliance on technology - Our brains are being restructured in ways that we cannot begin to fathom the consequences of such changes - Evolution has occurred at a much slower pace prior to the rise of Social Media/Technology.
We need to re-emphasize the social nature of the human experience.
We need to understand things before we do them and we need to make responsible, deliberate thought fashionable again.
We need to eliminate the party system and we need to have a recall mechanism so that our politicians can be reminded that they work for all Yukoner’s and all Canadian’s - Not just FNs, Millennials, Women, or Transgendered persons and that all our rights are disserviced when special rights are granted.
We also need someone strong enough to go through the uncivil service and weed out the DMs, ADMs, Managers, and Supervisors, who lie, discriminate, and harass, their subordinates. Just so we are clear - If a Supervisor in H&SS is the subject of a complaint for harassment based on the prohibited ground of sex, or abuse of authority, the RWO should not allow the friend of the Supervisor to perform the intake - WTF!?!?
Generally speaking I guess - We need more transparency, and absolutely without a doubt, we need more accountability, timely accountability.
I am not so certain that the Conservatives are the solution either. This political impasse is the consequence of small pond, big fish paradox - The rest of us are just hosts for these parasites to feed on. Living in the Yukon is a rather poignant reminder of the nature of parasites.
Up 22 Down 10
Jacko on Feb 28, 2021 at 2:10 pm
Give it a rest with the polls. They only give the correct outlook if the right questions are asked.
In this case, the winning candidates come next elections will be those who advocate a clear end to these disastrous covid restrictions, promote actual health measures to improve people's health & immune system, and provide info about medications with a proven record of efficacy for treating covid. Many countries around the world are doing this, but not Canada so far. C'mon, wake up Yukon politicians.
Up 17 Down 5
We are on the thin ice of Lake Politic on Feb 28, 2021 at 10:56 am
@ Math Whiz - The numbers reflect Liberal transparency. They take into account the recent arrival of prospective Liberal voters to the Territory. When people know what you are and what you are up to, get new people.
Up 19 Down 11
F. U. BARD on Feb 27, 2021 at 10:28 pm
Dear BnR - How bizarre:
I can guarantee you that the education system did not fail me. You, not so much. Why do you have to resort to name calling? Moron? I dare you to do better. Show us the depth of your intellect that we may benefit from the rigours of your education.
It is not Liberal ideals that allow us to engage in critical discourse. It is democratic ideals that allow us to do so. It is rather clear on the evidence that Liberals do not currently countenance democratic ideals - They would prefer to stifle proper debate through cancel culture, back room deals, apparently fraudulent activity, unethical practices, discrimination, harassment, racism, sexism, and other isms. Nice ideology you got there.
While doing all of the above they advance policies that cheapen the value of the individual, of community, of a life, of life, while lowering humanity into an existential mire of a hedonistic debauchery... For them though this is utilitarianism... Liberal utilitarianism predicated on a reductionist view of humans being whatever it is they want to be no matter how cray, cray! It is a disintegrative perspective.
Interestingly, and rather fittingly the notion of disintegration in mental ill-health is something that the patient, client, service user, or whatever descriptor works in a given circumstance, attempts to reintegrate. When one is integrated that one is whole, complete, and functional. When one is disintegrated s/he/they become the Liberal ideal divested of any real power outside that assigned to ones membership to a group - It’s a real mind f#%*!
We know that Liberalism is linked to delusion, psychoticism, depression, anxiety, substance misuse/abuse, and other mental ill-health indicators. Not only is this a scientific, and a social fact you can order the book through Amazon:
Liberalism Is a Mental Disorder
Book by Michael Savage
Up 20 Down 12
Juniper Jackson on Feb 27, 2021 at 10:01 pm
There really is nothing the Liberals CAN say. Sorry we lied? Please vote for us anyway so we get that gold pension? Sorry we picked favorites? Please vote for us anyway? Sorry we were sneaky and underhanded about so many issues? Hey.. we said we're sorry. So? Vote for us. They threw us into so much debt that our children will never own their own home. Maybe the ones that don't have to sell for retirement money can leave their home to their child. There is no such thing as a free lunch.. said every father forever. A harsh lesson is coming for our youth.
Up 25 Down 0
Math Whiz on Feb 27, 2021 at 6:12 pm
NDP - 33%
YP - 32%
LIB - 31%
Undecided - 14%
TOTAL - 110%
Up 16 Down 26
We like us on Feb 27, 2021 at 5:32 pm
This poll funded by the YP is the closest they will come to imaginary power.
Up 43 Down 8
Yoduh on Feb 25, 2021 at 8:15 pm
Note to self.
Life is short.
Make sure you spend as much time as possible on the internet arguing with strangers.
Up 17 Down 8
The Final Housing Crisis Solution on Feb 25, 2021 at 7:57 pm
“Yukoners are looking for leadership on the housing crisis"
-create a central mortgage lender backed by the government
-lend out no-deposit loans at competitive interest rates
-renters now own their properties and pay rent to the government instead of landlords
-???
-the system funds itself within a generation because lending money to people is profitable
-because the central mortgage lender is backed by the government, it can never fail
Wait a minute, where have I heard this before? Oh that's right, the Nazis literally did this. You may downvote me now.
Up 26 Down 41
Snowman on Feb 25, 2021 at 7:21 pm
@John
If you think NVD is doing good under the Liberals, just wait and see what they get under Currie Dixon and the Yukon Party. You might not be aware but about half of NVD's head office is staffed with former Yukon Party executives, most of who are still good drinking buddies of Currie. That's where most of them fled to after losing the last election including their Chief of Staff and former Minister of Health Mike Nixon (who is an anti-vaxxer by the way, so just imagine if they were still in power right now). Don't take my word for it, look into it yourself, not like it's hidden information.
Anyways, I think it's important that we keep going with the change we made in 2016. Before that we had 15 long years of Yukon Party government, so change was long overdue. If the current iteration of the Yukon Party wins the next election it will be 'Back to the Future' with Currie Dixon, Brad Cathers, Scott Kent, Stacy Hassard, Patti Macleod and Wade Istchenko. They were all Ministers under the Pasloski government from 2011-2016 don't forget.
Up 28 Down 17
Memory not lost on Feb 25, 2021 at 5:11 pm
@SN NDP are great people,? I can only suspect you weren't around when during the Penikett, MacDonald, Harding times. 2 out of 3 were so bad they had to leave the Yukon. The other ...........
Up 25 Down 65
Observer on Feb 25, 2021 at 3:13 pm
It just makes me laugh before every election the cons just work themselves into a lather with the same old tired lies. Every government runs into the red for various reasons. The difference is that the Cons do their best to spend it on themselves and their friends and the rest can have the scraps, at least the Liberals spread it around a bit.
Up 44 Down 13
Samwise Steele on Feb 25, 2021 at 1:52 pm
Is anyone actually excited at the prospect of any of these parties winning the election or is it just about the least bad team winning?
White is altruistic and good hearted but does not and will never see the big picture. She’s built a weak team and I doubt they will end up with more than the two seats they already have.
Dixon didn’t know what he was doing as minister and hasn’t gotten any better. Questionable to run as a “family man” with his track record. A scandal would shake things up though so that’s fun.
Silver and his crew just copy/paste whatever the federal libs do. They’d be better off not copying Trudeaus homework. His cabinet is 100% cringe.
Was devolution of power a bad idea? Are there no good candidates out there?
Up 19 Down 26
Patti Eyre on Feb 25, 2021 at 12:36 pm
This poll was indeed funny! Do you believe Brad Cathers demonstrates good leadership because he dyes his hair a youthful truck engine oil black, agree, strongly agree?
Up 40 Down 18
F. U. BARD on Feb 25, 2021 at 12:16 pm
Dear BNR & Wes - Liberalism is as the current government has amply demonstrated, fascism. It is the politics of division, anti-intellectualism, and cancel culture. It is an emotionally based chimera of weaponized temper-tantrums that puts itself beyond the reproach of logic, reason, and evidence.
This is why the intellectual base, the intelligent ones, left the Liberal Party en masse during the 60s Liberal Party Brain Drain to become the Neo-Conservatives. The Neo-Cons wanted stability, order, foundation, logic, reason, and science to be the standard from which to form a society rejecting the chaos of their Liberalized counterparts - Notice the similarity between Liberalized and Lobotomized.
Birth defect Wes? I suppose in a sense that one can view evolution as birth defect. Your suggestion makes sense given the evolution of the brain. We know that logic and reason operate as a consequence of the neo-cortex which is a product of the latest evolutionary stage of the human mind - The executive control, the rational part whereas Liberals tend to function with the Limbic system of the brain which is reactive, unthinking, uncritical, and given to impulse - The emotional mind. The current Liberal government has demonstrated this very well for us here in the Yukon, and at the Federal Level as well.
It is really neat to evolution by example. This absolutely explains the Liberal Governments inability to get things done. It’s a capacity issue - A failure to appreciate, plan, execute the plan, and verbalize that plan.
But hey, Liberalism feels good doesn’t it!?!? Unless of course you have one on your leg - Then it’s awkward.
Up 23 Down 13
Resident on Feb 25, 2021 at 12:13 pm
More proof we need to move to at the very least, ranked ballots. None of the parties have anything close to majority support. Every party has ~63% of votes against them. Majority power with 34% of the vote is infuriating.
Up 52 Down 24
Cautiously optimistic on Feb 25, 2021 at 2:42 am
This is encouraging - too often when an election rolls around people “forget” about the transgressions of the sitting government. This Liberal government has many, too many to count. Kate White is an amazing leader and ethical person - these two qualities are not currently anywhere to be found both in the government and in YG. I beg of all voters take a really good look at the Liberals and what they have accomplished over these past four years. There have been so many disasters with big price tags. I have read the numerous articles that have talked about the lies, harassment and incompetence of this government - Mostyn, Frost, Silver are names associated with these scandals.
If we do get a new government the YG house needs a major cleaning starting at the DM level. If the new government was smart they would invite back staff with integrity that were axed by the liberals and their minions who did their bidding. Child and Family Services and HSS should be top on the list for a cleansing. On Election Day I hope this poll is correct.
Up 59 Down 35
Max Mack on Feb 24, 2021 at 10:01 pm
As much as I can't stand the Liberals and their southern-inspired policies, gawd help us if the NDP take power.
"tackling climate change"
Yeah, like that's what we need to focus on in a territory that's frozen for more than 6 months of the year and where groceries and supplies have to be trucked 1000s of kms up the highway.
Up 24 Down 24
TheHammer on Feb 24, 2021 at 10:00 pm
Opinion polls called by the opposition are bent toward the opposition with trick questions. They want to know who you plan to vote for. And then they use the result for propaganda. This YP sponsored poll backfired in favor of the NDP.
Up 52 Down 6
Roast Beef on Feb 24, 2021 at 8:29 pm
Governments don't get voted in, they get voted out.
Up 41 Down 12
NeilAlexGeddy on Feb 24, 2021 at 6:41 pm
I hope the welfare is going to be good under Kate .... I might need some to offset the cost of heating my house. It is already bad enough under the Liberals. Whoever promises to reign in the pillaging by YEC gets my vote. Cost of living is through the roof now ........ thanks for the great work Sandy.
Up 31 Down 12
Olaf on Feb 24, 2021 at 6:36 pm
I am sure that the performance of the Federal Liberal party has some influence on the peoples decision for the Territorial Liberal party.
Trudeau has dropped the ball on COVID vaccinations.
He has dodged the ball on a few questionable personal relationships with private enterprise.
Unfortunately Sandy and team wear the same red cloak!
And..drum roll..
Yukon is famous for voting for who you don’t want-
“Vote them out” syndrome.
Up 47 Down 33
Tom Foolery on Feb 24, 2021 at 6:12 pm
Glad to see Kate White got her money's worth paying for this poll...it's the only time you will see the NDP in the lead ! #FantasyLand
Up 43 Down 19
Lattin on Feb 24, 2021 at 6:04 pm
I received a call during this poll, and based on the questions I'd be shocked if it wasn't commissioned by the Yukon Party. 'Is Currie too young to govern?' Who else would care to know that!
Up 44 Down 20
Matthew on Feb 24, 2021 at 5:17 pm
Oh please.. the NDP are just liberals that are orange and not red..
Up 24 Down 58
SN on Feb 24, 2021 at 5:00 pm
We the people are like goldfish, we forget the absolute sh^%% show that the Yukon Party on (Yukon Energy Privatization, Peel, Mountain View) not to mention Deputy Minister after Deputy Minster and management changes when bureaucrats challenged a Ministers misguided crookedness.
NDP are great people, good alternative views, but seriously, would people vote for a party that doesn't understand anything about economics.
Say what you want about the Liberals, but they had to start from scratch, manage a pile of issues and then slammed with the worst health in 100 years. I'm proud to be a Yukoner and I'm also proud of what all the hard working government employees have worked through and I believe it's in part due to the leadership of the Liberals. Looks at other provinces folks, then ask yourself "how are we really doing".
Up 26 Down 4
Groucho d'North on Feb 24, 2021 at 4:52 pm
I am pleased to read more viewpoints from contributors to this forum, it tells who we are as a community. I would like to hear what we in the electorate believe is important for the term of the next government. The post-COVID world will be different in many ways - who do you want at the wheel and what do you want them to accomplish?
Up 41 Down 24
bonanzajoe on Feb 24, 2021 at 4:25 pm
The only difference between the Liberals and NDP today, is the NDP is more left wing commie style socialism. But, unfortunately, most people don't pay attention to political ideology in Canada, which is why we have so many disappointments.
Up 27 Down 14
Wilf Carter on Feb 24, 2021 at 4:13 pm
A report card was done on the Liberals performance since 2016
They failed on over 40 areas in government operations for the Yukon people.
They passed on one.
What was so interesting was Yukon Liberal government passed on a failing grade over 15 times
Up 32 Down 10
Bingo on Feb 24, 2021 at 4:07 pm
How can you interview 600 people and extrapolate a result that would be anywhere close to being accurate....must be the same people counting Bison.
Up 54 Down 21
Pikachu on Feb 24, 2021 at 4:02 pm
This poll is a joke. It was clearly commissioned by the NDP to make themselves look like they have a chance. I would love to hear how the questions were phrased. There is simply no way this is close to reality. Everybody knows the NDP is a distant third behind the Yukon Party and Liberals.
The NDP has become a leftist fringe party under Kate White and they have no serious candidates. They are basically a professional protestor party or non-gendered mountain biking club. I cringe to think of any of them as serious Ministers in control of a government department. The candidate they announced in Riverdale the other day doesn't even seem to have a job currently.
So thanks but no thanks NDP!
Up 20 Down 6
Can someone confirm election security? on Feb 24, 2021 at 4:02 pm
With a push for mail in balloting and introduction of e-ballots, i'd hate for us to end up in a conspiracy riled pile of mess.
I hate the fact that e ballots can't be audited post facto.
Up 27 Down 4
Insane on Feb 24, 2021 at 3:52 pm
I took a poll and 100% or respondents support me being premier.
How does a party funded poll even get press?
Up 22 Down 30
Wes on Feb 24, 2021 at 3:23 pm
If liberalism is a disease as per the third comment, what's conservatism? A birth defect?
Up 25 Down 12
YT on Feb 24, 2021 at 3:19 pm
I participated in that poll.
It was a joke. Right after the second question it was pretty obvious what the take was.
“Would Currie Dixon make a better leader because he’s young or because he’s young and has nice hair?”
Strongly agree, agree, sort of agree, all of the above.
Up 16 Down 35
BnR on Feb 24, 2021 at 3:15 pm
F. U. Bard wrote “Liberalism is a disease....”
Apparently our education system has failed some people....
Liberal ideals are precisely why you get to write your BS and not get heaved in jail.
Moron.
Up 31 Down 5
Dan Davidson on Feb 24, 2021 at 3:05 pm
And, of course, it is possible for a party to go from third place to government. That's how we got here.
Up 48 Down 23
John on Feb 24, 2021 at 3:01 pm
Yukon party 100% . Conservative Yukon and Federal. The liberals have made a mess and put us in unprecedented debt. Well they got a chance, gave NVD and the FNDev corps big advantages, left senior YG government running the show (campaigned they would be open and transparent) and look where we're at. Now they're taking credit for low unemployment rates - for goodness sakes we get a 1.4 billion welfare cheque every year to play with....
Up 86 Down 92
Sam on Feb 24, 2021 at 2:54 pm
People want a change, it's about time we had one. Liberals and the Yukon Party had their chance
Up 73 Down 50
Leading the pack? on Feb 24, 2021 at 2:20 pm
This ain't no horse race.
This poll might have *some* relevance if there was significant difference, but there isn't. It's anybody's game
All it shows is the Liberals are tu*ds, which we knew anyways (yukyukyuk)
Up 68 Down 21
The wheel keeps turning on Feb 24, 2021 at 2:12 pm
Isn't it the same every time before an election that everyone hates the current government? And who were these random 600 people?
Up 40 Down 76
F. U. BARD on Feb 24, 2021 at 1:50 pm
Liberalism is a disease and the hope for a Territorial remedy possibly rests on the results of a necropsy so that we can better prepare ourselves for the debilitating effect of another potential outbreak of the pathogen. We need to excise a sample of the necrotic tissue so that we can study it and immunize the electorate against this viral strain of ideology. Until we can find a cure for Liberalism we need to vote “it” into quarantine.
An NDP government however is a subsyndromal version of this current Liberalism that could develop into a more virulent form of ideology. The Conservatives have demonstrated that they do not present much of an alternative...
We are FUBAR’d.
Up 97 Down 36
Johnson on Feb 24, 2021 at 1:23 pm
Hate to agree with Tim, but this government has been a let down. Glad to see Yukoners waking up to their fluff and considering the alternatives.
Up 59 Down 21
KC on Feb 24, 2021 at 1:11 pm
Whatever complaints I might have about the government call me skeptical on this one...