United party gains little, poll finds (Canada)

[TrogL]

http://www.thestar.ca/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1071875408476&call_pageid=968332188774&col=968350116467

The new, united Conservative Party of Canada is only marginally more popular than the old Canadian Alliance was in the 2000 election, according to a new poll.

Only about 25 per cent of people surveyed this month said they would be likely to support the new, united-right party, which was formed in a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative party, according to the poll by EKOS Research Associates.

"The current available market for a united conservative party is currently modest," EKOS president Frank Graves says.

This is an unmitigated disaster for conservative politics in Canada. Former conservative [sic] Conservatives [sic] (the fact that that even makes sense shows how bizarre Canadian politics can be) are supporting the Liberals (yes, Liberals are conservative [sic] by Canadian standards) especially because they like Paul Martin's pro-business stance and hate the Freeperish aspects of the former Alliance.

Unless something comes out of the new Conservative [sic] party leadership review in March, it's another four years of Red (triple-pun intended).

[Lisa]

1. driving away Joe Clark ...

That was a bad sign for the Red Tories, a former Prime Minister quitting. (I feel sorry for Joe ... and for Robert Stanfield too ... heaven knows what Bob felt about this turn of events. I am wondering whether Stanfield's death a few days ago might have been brought on by the news that his party was no more.)

I suppose the new Conservatives might try to consolidate as a regional party (e.g. parts of the West, and rural Ontario?).