[LINK] "Ontario Tories, NDP smell blood as Liberal support falls"

[rfmcdonald]

An implicit reason for the appeal of George Smitherman as Toronto mayor is the fact of his past service in the Liberal Party government of Ontario, indeed as a close partner of Premier Dalton McGuinty. It's been eight years since the Liberals were elected, however, and some polls indicate that his government may fall in next year's elections.

Premier Dalton McGuinty's main rivals say a new poll showing 76 per cent of Ontarians want a new government reflects the restlessness across the province.

The Toronto Star-Angus Reid survey also suggested 86 per cent of voters feel it is harder to make ends meet now than it was two years ago and 71 per cent fear Ontario “is on the wrong track.”

“As I travel across the province ... people can no longer afford the Dalton McGuinty government,” Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said Tuesday.

“People are increasingly frustrated and tired of getting nickel-and-dimed to death. Every time they turn around, Dalton McGuinty is whacking them with some new tax increase, hydro rate increase or user fee. Families just can't afford it anymore and that's why they want change,” he said.

Of decided voters, 41 per cent supported Hudak compared to 29 per cent for McGuinty's Liberals, 22 per cent for NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, and 8 per cent for Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.

The online survey of 805 people, conducted Sept. 21-22, is considered accurate to within 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

It's an online survey, mind, and it is a year to the next election. Nevertheless.