NDP support in Quebec could plummet if Layton doesn't return: Nanos | The Hill Times - Canada's Politics and Government Newsweekly

In Quebec, politics comes back to personalism, not ideology. So much for our vaunted 'sophistication'.

NDP support in Quebec could plummet if Layton doesn't return: Nanos | The Hill Times - Canada's Politics and Government Newsweekly

In all the commotion, Mr. Nanos said the much more serious question facing New Democrats is the loss of Mr. Layton. Nanos polls have shown 51 per cent of Quebecers believe Mr. Layton has the best vision for Canada, with Mr. Harper getting only 16.5 per cent in that area, while 58.7 per cent of Quebecers say they trust Mr. Layton, compared to only 14.5 per cent for Mr. Harper.

“Even compared to Stephen Harper, his brand is three and a half to four times stronger than Stephen Harper in the province of Quebec. It speaks to the enormity of the importance of Jack Layton to the New Democrats in Quebec,” said Mr. Nanos.

“Now, the New Democrats are on the defensive and their message is significantly distracted,” he added. “They have to find a way that hopefully changes the channel, so that for voters, especially voters in Quebec, they’re not thinking ‘how about that Nycole Turmel being leader of the NDP?’ They want voters in Quebec to think ‘what are the NDP doing to challenge the Harper government?’”