‘A precipitous drop’: Premier Kenney’s approval rating drops 15 per cent

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – The numbers are in, and it’s not what the UCP was hoping for.

According to a new poll, the approval rating for Premier Jason Kenney took a significant hit in the last three months, dropping to 40 per cent.

Back in September, Kenney’s approval sat at 55 per cent, among the highest for Canadian premiers.

John Wright, with Dart C-Suite Communicators, who compiled the survey, said he wasn’t surprised at the results.

“It’s been a precipitous drop. This government has initiated a significant structural change in a province that just finished with four years of deep NDP structural change. Understandably, it’s raising the ire of many on a range of issues and policies.”

Those policies include the reduction in corporate taxes, cuts to services in the budget and the firing of the Elections Commissioner, all leaving Albertans discouraged.

READ MORE: Quebec Premier most popular according to new poll

However, Wright adds Kenney’s situation is similar to one that happened in Ontario years ago.

“Under the premiership of Mike Harris, he brought in what was called the ‘Common Sense Revolution,’ and it turned the province upside down. It stung in the first two-and-a-half years, but progress was made in the last two years that afforded him back-to-back majorities.”

Harris resigned as leader of the Ontario PC party in 2002 for personal reasons and was succeeded by Ernie Eves.

The PC Party lost the provincial election in 2003.

Meanwhile, Saskatchewan's Scott Moe and Quebec's Francois Legault remain top two for 4th straight poll. pic.twitter.com/Cq5rqs3h2D

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) December 12, 2019

Wright says Kenney does have some work to do if he wants to see that approval rating rise.

“When you come into power, and you’re going to reverse engines, you don’t look at four years out, you look at the immediate, but in fact, you’re calculating four years out that you can get there and improve your ratings. He has a very short time at the moment to get the agenda rolling.”

The poll took in responses from just over 5,000 Canadians across nine provinces.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault led the pack with a 60 per cent approval rating while Ontario Premier Doug Ford polled last at 28 per cent.