NBers sour on power deal: poll
Published Tuesday November 24th, 2009
Survey says 60 per cent view proposed sale to Hydro-Québec unfavourably
FREDERICTON - A new poll says most New Brunswickers are sour on the proposed $4.75-billion deal to sell NB Power assets to Hydro-Québec, with 60 per cent saying they view the proposal unfavourably.
The poll, commissioned by Montreal-based Léger Marketing on behalf of Quebecor Media Inc., was conducted via the Internet between Nov. 19 and 21, with 502 New Brunswickers aged 18 and over responding.
The survey's statistical margin of error is plus/minus four percentage points, 19 times out 20.
Aside from the 60 per cent who view the deal unfavourably, 22 per cent say they have favourable views of the proposal while 18 per cent didn't respond or said they didn't know how they viewed it.
A comparative survey was conducted in Quebec, following the same sampling process, with 503 people. In those findings, more Quebecers had favourable thoughts about the deal (55 per cent), compared to those in the province who didn't (14 per cent), or those who didn't answer (31 per cent).
The new poll also gave a glimpse of how the New Brunswick Tories are getting a boost from initial public reaction regarding the NB Power deal.
When New Brunswickers were asked about their voting intentions in the survey, 45 per cent said they would support the Progressive Conservatives if a provincial election was held right now. Liberal support came in at 33 per cent while the New Democrats came in at 19 per cent.
Other political parties or candidates netted four per cent in support.
As for the Graham government's satisfaction rate, 35 per cent of survey respondents said they're satisfied with the government's performance at this time, while 57 per cent said they're not. Eight per cent of respondents said they don't know if they're satisfied or not.
The survey also asked respondents favouring the NB Power/Hydro-Québec proposal why they supported the deal. Of that portion, 48 per cent said they were supportive because they hoped such a transaction would significantly reduce the province's debt. Following that, 33 per cent said they were encouraged by the promised five-year rate freeze.
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How painful was this for the TT to print. you still got it wrong.
In total 78% were against it with 22% supporting it.
Graham only got a 4% strong approval with 31% light approval.
One word - Toast
There must be some way to block this deal - if 60% are against it and another 18% aren't sure, then maybe it's a bad thing. But I guess it's hard for a gym teacher to wrap his head around that possibility.
The T&T and other Irving-owned newspapers have been promoting this deal and, in effect, the Liberal government. Now the polls show that the Liberals are far behind in popularity. Oh oh!
CBC reports that at least 50 people voiced their opposition at Wally Stiles' office. His response was that there would be an opportunity to show how they feel about the power deal at the polls next fall, after the deal with Hydro-Québec is scheduled to be finalized. Stiles will then be unemployed but the province will be minus NB Power. The will of the people will have been ignored, and it will be business as usual.
Corporate NB will be most pleased, seeing how favourable this deal will have been for their coffers, the people be damned. Provincial newspapers will continue treating NB'ers with contempt too, relating to them as if they had no clues. No matter that there are legitimate concerns, the masses must be fed pap, as the hacks respond to their masters...
"...48 per cent said they were supportive because they hoped such a transaction would significantly reduce the province's debt...."
But the auditor general already proved that this was a lie. The Liberal media sweep is spreading lies that clearly at least 40% of this province still believe.
I wonder what the results of this survey would have been if the entire province knew the TRUTH, that this has no actual impact on provincial debt?
If we had an actual functional democracy, we'd be able to force an election because the government is ignoring the will of an overwhelming majority of the people.
I mean really, the Liberals came in second in popular vote last time around, and somehow won a "majority" with that. It's a cruel joke that they think they have a mandate to do anything.
Where did they possibly find that many people who weren't screwed over by them?