POLL: Canadians don't believe WE scandal will bring down Trudeau government despite six point decline in approval

In recent months, Prime Minister Trudeau’s approval numbers began to rebound—then the WE scandal occurred.

According to data from the Angus Reid Institute, 59 percent of Canadians believe that the WE issue is a serious one, though roughly half that many people feel opposition politicians and the media have blown it out of proportion.

Half of Canadians responded that, in the last month, their opinion on Prime Minister Trudeau has worsened.

The data reveals that 43 percent think an unethical act was knowingly committed by the Trudeau government, while about 37 percent believe the government’s actions surrounding the charity possibly constitute a criminal act that should be investigated by police.

Over half, 56 percent, of respondents feel the scandal will not be a threat to the Trudeau government's viability, but 32 percent believe the issue could bring down the government.

Of the respondents, 16 percent said that one of the main three issues facing Canada at the moment is ethics and corruption—roughly the same percentage as when the SNC-Lavalin scandal took place in 2019. The main priorities of Canadians are still the coronavirus response, healthcare and the economy.

Of past Conservative voters, about 77 percent believe the government's actions surrounding the WE charity are possibly criminal and warrant a police investigation. However, only 19 percent of New Democrat voters share that belief and just six percent of Liberal voters.

Residents of Quebec are most likely to feel that the government may fall because of the scandal, at 43 percent. Saskatchewan and Alberta residents are more likely to feel this way as well when compared to other locations in Canada.  

Read the full report here.