The great find of light barometer/The newspaper is that many Quebecers value their most important political leaders. At the end of a painful global pandemic that has yet to say its last word, Quebec is definitely an exception.
With 62% approval, François Legault continues to lead the pantheon of Quebec political figures at all levels. This demonstrates the prime minister’s stubborn popularity with a majority of Quebecers, whether they vote for the CAQ or not.
Christian Dubé, his health minister and co-manager of the pandemic, is hot on his heels with 59%, even as the juggernaut he spearheads crashes everywhere. Such trust capital will be invaluable to them for the promised reforms.
PSPP stands out
The figure for Deputy Prime Minister Geneviève Guilbault, at 53%, also confirms that she has earned the respect of a good half of the electorate.
Despite the CAQ’s hegemony, PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (PSPP) and Québec solidaire co-speakers Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois and Manon Massé do very well with 48% approval each.
PSPP excels in two ways. Nearly 22% of respondents say they have a bad opinion of it, while 30% don’t know. With such a low level of disapproval from those who know him, the PQ leader can hope to end up deceiving at least some of the 30% who don’t know him yet.
The big loser
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau follow with 49% and 47% approval respectively.
In short, the reality now is that many political leaders elsewhere in the world would dream of more or less half of their fellow citizens saying they have a good opinion of them, whatever they do or not.
Among party leaders, however, Éric Duhaime of the Quebec Conservative Party emerged as a big loser. With 57% bad opinion and without the least elected member of the National Assembly, he risks finding the next few years quite long.
