Sask. premier's approval down 20 points as COVID-19 hammers province: survey

SASKATOON -

For the first time in his tenure, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe isn’t enjoying a majority level of approval, with only two-in-five (43 per cent) saying they approve of him.

“Much like neighbouring Alberta, the fourth wave has been rough for Saskatchewan,” according to the Angus Reid Institute, which conducted an online survey on the popularity of Canada’s premiers.

“Vaccination rates in the province are lagging and Premier Scott Moe has been criticized by the opposition NDP for not doing enough to denounce the use of ivermectin – a medication used to deworm livestock – as a COVID-19 treatment.”

Moe and New Brunswick’s Blaine Higgs both saw their approval crash nearly 20 points in the last quarter, from 61 and 55 per cent then to 43 and 38 per cent now respectively.

“The situation has become dire in recent months with record numbers of people in hospital and intensive care units due to COVID-19. Saskatchewan’s top health authority, Dr. Saqib Shahab, commented in late September that the province was experiencing ‘a mass casualty event every day,’” according to Angus Reid.

Since June, all but one premier who was in power at the time has seen their respective levels of approval decline, the institute said in a news release.

Alberta’s Jason Kenney is the least approved-of premier among his own constituents at 22 per cent.

Ontario’s Doug Ford was the exception, with a statistically insignificant one-point increase on job performance.

The online survey was conducted from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3, 2021 among a representative randomized sample of 5,011 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum.