NDP gathers momentum in Abitibi-James Bay-Nunavik-Eeyou: poll

(updated April 22, 8:20 p.m.)

Abitibi-James Bay-Nunavik-Eeyou will be a riding to watch during the May 2 federal election because it’s become a four-way race.

Bloc Québécois incumbent MP Yvon Lévesque is looking for a fourth mandate.

But, according to a recent survey conducted by Radio Nord/Léger Marketing, Lévesque’s support has dropped from 39 per cent to 30 per cent in the riding, which also includes Nunavik.

Conservative candidate Jean-Maurice Matte follows with 24 per cent support, according to the poll, conducted April 14 to 17.

The New Democratic Party’s Roméo Saganash stands at 22 per cent and Liberal Léandre Gervais has 20 per cent support, the poll said.

Johnny Kasudluak of Inukjuak, who is running for the Green Party, came in at three per cent.

When compared to election results from 2008, the poll suggests the NDP is siphoning off support from the Bloc in the riding.

Lévesque’s support has dropped nine percentage points from 2008, while the NDP has risen 14 points from its previous eight per cent finish.

In the last election, Matte finished second to Lévesque with 30 per cent of the vote.

NDP leader Jack Layton was in Val d’Or this past week to support Saganash’s candidacy.

“I’m looking forward to working with you in Parliament, Roméo,” Layton said. “I’m honoured to have a candidate like Roméo in my team. With his talents as a leader, we need someone like him to Ottawa to make it work.”

Layton said the chances of winning the Abitibi-James Bay-Nunavik-Eeyou riding are “very good” — “especially with a candidate of the calibre of Roméo Saganash.”

Throughout Quebec, support for the NDP is up, and the party is now in first place in Quebec, according to an Ekos public opinion poll.

The poll, conducted earlier this week, found support for the NDP has jumped 10 percentage points to 31.1 per cent in Quebec, while support for the Bloc has dropped by 7.4 percentage points to 23.7 per cent.

The poll puts the Liberals at 20.6 per cent, while the Conservatives have dropped to 16.9 per cent in Quebec.

A more recent CROP poll, conducted from April 13 to April 20, puts NDP support even higher — at 36 per cent in Quebec, with 31 per cent for the Bloc, 17 per cent for the Conservatives and 13 per cent for the Liberals.

And nationally, the NDP is stronger than ever,

A nationwide survey by Ipsos Reid, conducted for Postmedia News and Global TV, reveals a historic shift in public opinion has occurred as the political parties have fought for votes in this campaign.

If an election were held April 21, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives would receive 43 per cent of the vote among decided voters, up two points from two weeks ago.

The NDP would receive the support of 24 per cent of voters — up by five points.

This is the first time in 20 years that the federal NDP has been ahead of the Liberals in the polls.

Four of the five candidates Abitibi-James Bay-Nunavik-Eeyou squared off April 19 at a public debate held in Val d’Or.

Kasudluak, the only candidate who didn’t participate in the debate, said he couldn’t attend due to his limited campaign budget.

Harper also visited Val d’Or last week, and to shore up Lévesque, Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe was in Val d’Or on April 22, visiting the Native Friendship Centre there.

with files from Postmedia