CALGARY HERALD EXCLUSIVE: PCs Lead Leaderless Wildrose

CALGARY, December 22nd, 2014. A new Mainstreet Technologies poll of 3,128 Albertans finds
Jim Prentices PCs leading a leaderless Wildrose Party. The poll carries an overall margin of error
of 1.74, 19/20.
"Support for the Alberta PC party continues to grow under the leadership of Premier Prentice.
The PCs hold a commanding lead over Wildrose and all other parties, said Quito Maggi,
President of Mainstreet Technologies. "Approval for Premier Prentice is now among the highest
for any Premier in Canada. Time will tell if this is sustainable with an election 2 years away."
The Mainstreet poll asked Albertans whether they supported a merger between the Wildrose
and PC parties, and if they approved of Wildrose MLAs crossing the floor to join the PCs.
"Voters disapprove highly of the floor crossing of Danielle Smith and 8 WRP colleagues. Almost
6 in 10 either strongly or somewhat disapprove vs only 3 in 10 who strongly or somewhat
approve of the move, noted Maggi.
For more information:
David Valentin, Media Relations
(613) 698-5524 - david@mainstreettechnologies.ca
Methodology
The poll surveyed a random sample of Alberta residents by Interactive Voice Response (IVR) on
December 21st, 2014. The questions were; 1. Which party would you vote for if a provincial
election were held today? (Party leaders and names - no leader for Wildrose, randomized, and
undecided). 2. Thinking about the 2012 Provincial Election, which party did you support? (Party
leaders and names, randomized, and did not vote/cant remember). 3. Thinking about the
Wildrose party and the Progressive Conservative party, do you support or oppose a merger?
(Scale was randomly inversed). 4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jim Prentice is
handling his job as Premier? (Scale was randomly inversed) 5. Recently, former Wildrose Leader
Danielle Smith and 8 Wildrose MLAs crossed the floor and joined the Progressive Conservative
Caucus. Do you approve or disapprove of this move? (Scale was randomly inversed).
Respondents were asked to indicate their age and their gender.
About Mainstreet Technologies
Mainstreet Technologies is an emerging national public research and complete campaign
services firm. With 20 years of political experience at all three levels of government, President
and CEO Quito Maggi is a respected commentator on Canadian public affairs.
Mainstreet has provided accurate snapshots of public opinion, having predicted a majority PC
government in Alberta, a majority Liberal government in British Columbia, and a majority Liberal
government in Ontario. Most recently, Mainstreet was the most accurate pollster in the Toronto
municipal election.

35%
16%
12%
14%
3%
20%

PC
WILDROSE
LIBERAL
NDP
ALBERTA
UNDECIDED

MARGIN OF ERROR: +/- 1.74, 19/20

TOTAL RESPONDENTS: 3,128

AGE & GENDER BREAKDOWN

18-34 35-49 50-64
38% 28% 36%
13%
19%
16%
18%
10%
6%
16%
13%
14%
6%
4%
1%
19%
19%
26%
577 1095
281

PC
WILDROSE
LIBERAL
NDP
ALBERTA
UNDECIDED
SAMPLE

65+
43%
14%
14%
15%
2%
12%
1175

Male
29%
24%
10%
17%
5%
14%
1537

Female
42%
7%
13%
11%
1%
26%
1591

PREVIOUS VOTE
PC
WILDROSE
LIBERAL
NDP
ALBERTA
DNV/CR*

PC WILDROSE LIBERAL
80%
10%
23%
15%
89%
22%
0%
1%
51%
2%
0%
2%
0%
0%
0%
3%
0%
1%

*DID NOT VOTE/CANT REMEMBER

PC
WILDROSE
LIBERAL
NDP
ALBERTA

44%
20%
14%
18%
4%

NDP
11%
21%
14%
54%
0%
0%

ALBERTA
33%
33%
3%
13%
15%
4%

Thinking about the Wildrose party and the Progressive Conservative party, do
you support or oppose a merger?
14%
19%
22%
36%
10%

STRONGLY SUPPORT
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
STRONGLY OPPOSE
NOT SURE

STRONGLY SUPPORT
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
STRONGLY OPPOSE
NOT SURE

33%
58%
10%

TOTAL SUPPORT
TOTAL OPPOSITION
NOT SURE

PC WILDROSE LIBERAL
33%
1%
6%
25%
21%
5%
19%
39%
15%
18%
39%
61%
4%
0%
12%

NDP
4%
7%
19%
59%
11%

ALBERTA
5%
13%
20%
58%
4%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jim Prentice is handling his job as
Premier?
STRONGLY APPPROVE
24%
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
39%
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE 16%
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE 10%
NOT SURE
11%

STRONGLY APPPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE

TOTAL APPROVAL
TOTAL DISAPPROVAL
NOT SURE

PC WILDROSE LIBERAL
5%
55%
7%
32%
42%
44%
1%
39%
18%
1%
39%
0%
10%
5%
2%

63%
26%
11%

NDP
3%
27%
35%
21%
15%

ALBERTA
3%
27%
20%
27%
23%

Recently, former Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith and 8 Wildrose MLAs crossed
the floor and joined the Progressive Conservative Caucus. Do you approve or
disapprove of this move?
STRONGLY APPPROVE
13%
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
18%
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE 14%
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE 45%
NOT SURE
9%

STRONGLY APPPROVE
SOMEWHAT APPROVE
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE
NOT SURE

TOTAL APPROVAL
TOTAL DISAPPROVAL
NOT SURE

PC WILDROSE LIBERAL
7%
31%
2%
8%
14%
39%
9%
21%
13%
64%
14%
70%
5%
0%
4%

31%
59%
9%

NDP
5%
3%
7%
78%
7%

ALBERTA
16%
6%
9%
67%
2%

SUPPORT BY REGION

PC WILDROSE LIBERAL NDP ALBERTA UNDECIDED

EDMONTON
23%
12%
10%
25%
6%
23%
CALGARY
50%
16%
13%
8%
3%
11%
REST OF ALBERTA 33%
19%
11%
14%
2%
20%

EDMONTON

MARGIN OF ERROR: +/- 3.02, 19/20

TOTAL RESPONDENTS: 1,050

CALGARY

MARGIN OF ERROR: +/- 3.02, 19/20

TOTAL RESPONDENTS: 1,010

REST OF ALBERTA

MARGIN OF ERROR: +/- 3.00, 19/20

TOTAL RESPONDENTS: 1,068