NDP popularity slips into 3rd place in rural Manitoba

Manitoba's governing party is on the move, spiralling downwardin support outsideWinnipeg according to a recent poll.

Conducted by Probe Research for the WinnipegFree Press, the poll suggests the NDPisstruggling, while the Liberals appear to havemomentum.

In rural Manitoba, the NDP is now in third place behind the Liberals, according to the poll.

Research associate Curtis Brown saidthe Liberals are now sitting at 19 per cent outside of the citywhile the NDP is at 17 per cent.

"The Liberals are gaining momentum everywhere it seems. There are a lot of people who maybe wouldn't go all the way over to casting a ballot for the Tories, who are right now sitting with the Liberals," Brown said.

In the province as a whole, theOpposition Progressive Conservatives have the supportof 46 per cent of decided votersdown two points from the lastpoll in December.

The NDP garnered the support of 28 per cent of decidedrespondents up two points from December and the Liberals scored23 per cent up three points.

The telephone survey involved 1,010 Manitoba adults between March17 and 28.Twenty per cent were undecided or refused to state a preference.

The rate of error is plus or minus 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20, Brown said.

NDP has time to make up ground, expert says

Meir Serfaty heads Brandon Universitys politics department.

He said when a party is in power for a long stretch as the NDP have been in Manitoba, they have to work especially hard to maintain voter satisfaction.

Theres a growing discontent, I think, with the NDP party particularly of course in areas where theyre not strong, said Serfaty.

He said the PST hike isnt the NDP partys only problem.

There is one issue that has been the proverbial last straw, and I think thats the amalgamation issue. A lot of rural municipalities are quite upset, and they really dont believe the NDP really understands rural areas, said Serfaty.

But, he said, Manitobas Tories may not want to celebrate just yet.

[NDP voter] discontent is going to the Liberal party and perhaps to a lesser extent to the PCs, he said.

Serfaty also pointed out the provincial election is still far off, so there is time for the NDP to make up ground.
I think the [NDP] strength can be easily regained, especially in the areas that matter to them, he said, pointing to southeast, central and north Winnipeg.