Poll: RSR ROBBINS Research - British Columbia Politics March 4, 2013

Question #1

Which BC political party do you support at this time?

BC New Democrats		50 %
BC Liberals		24 %
BC Conservatives		15.5 %
BC Greens		10.5 %
Other/Undecided		7 %
No Answer		1.5 %

Question #2

Premiers of British Columbia have over the last two decades - except for a very brief period with Dan Miller all come from the city of Vancouver including current premier Christy Clark. In your opinion should a premier be chosen from another part of BC other than the city of Vancouver?

Yes		63 %
No		28 %

Question #3

A recent television commercial speaks about the benefits of improved pipelines for transporting oil delivery across the land, and for doubled hulled ships for delivery by sea. The commercial is sponsored by the Government of Canada. In your opinion is this an appropriate use of tax payer dollars by the federal government?

Yes		21 %
No		72 %

Question #4

Are these commercials appropriate for broadcast in British Columbia while independent hearings for the Enbridge pipeline review are being heard?

Yes		7 %
No		90 %

Question #5

What is your opinion about the April 1, 2013 transition back to the PST from the HST?

We should just keep the HST		31 %
I am looking forward to the change back to the PST		49 %

Commentary

This ROBBINS medium size quick survey provides some insight into the political consequences of the recent BC Liberal ethnic voter scandal.

In this scandal the premier's office became involved with an apparent plan to 'pay' to procure votes from ethnic groups in the province by making apologies for past government transgressions against some of those same ethnic groups.

This political scandal close to a provincial election follows an announcement from the government of British Columbia to pay $11 million dollars for the right to hold the Times of India Bollywood awards in Vancouver.

In a previous large sample survey of 2009 voters by ROBBINS - focusing on the upcoming provincial general election, we noted that the governing BC Liberals had declined from 34% highs to around 30% but that vote was 'soft' in our estimation.

We noted that an Angus Reid on line poll supported the 30% number but made no comment as to how firm that support was. A medium size Justason poll which preceded Angus Reid suggested the BC Liberals were at 26%.

The BC Liberal ethnic voter scandal has dominated political news in the subsequent days following the ROBBINS survey and Angus Reid on line poll and the impact of that scandal on BC voters reflected in question 1 of this medium size ROBBINS survey.

BC Liberal support is declining rapidly (24%), while BC New Democrats are flying high (50%) and BC Conservatives are crawling back to previous highs (15.5%). The BC Greens are holding at double digits and do not appear to have benefited from the scandal.

In question 2 we ask British Columbians whether or not the premier of the province should continue to come from the city of Vancouver. We include the fact that Christy Clark is also from Vancouver.

Seventy per cent of decided respondents are of the opinion that the premier of the province should come from outside the city of Vancouver. Just less than one if five respondents in this survey are from the city of Vancouver. BC NDP leader Adrian Dix is from Vancouver.

In our questions 3 and 4 we found a TV commercial sponsored by the Government of Canada which promoted the apparent improved safety of oil pipelines and double hulled tankers essentially advocating better transportation by land and sea of oil - presumed to be from the Alberta Tar Sands.

These questions raise the doubts that British Columbians have about the ethical standard of such TV promotions at a time when the Enbridge pipeline is before an independent panel and the Keystone pipeline is being considered by the US State department.

From the reaction of respondents in this survey it is crystal clear that any link between tax payer dollars and partisan political advertising no matter the circumstances is frowned upon by British Columbians.

The best news for the government is that the HST tax they brought in under dubious circumstances and which they are now getting rid of is supported by 36% of decided British Columbians.

This ROBBINS survey conducted March 2-4, 2013 features a margin of error of 4.11% - 19 times out of 20 @ 95 per cent confidence. The mean and median numbers suggest a margin of error closer to 3%. This survey sponsored in part by Jim Van Rassel.