NS Liberals remain the preferred party by a comfortable margin
• Residents continue to be satisfied with the performance of the provincial government
• Premier McNeil continues to be the preferred party leader by a wide margin

The Nova Scotia Liberal Party continues to be the preferred party in the province, according to the most recent survey conducted by Corporate Research Associates Inc.  Specifically, six in ten decided voters support the Liberal Party (59%, compared with 56% in February 2016). Meanwhile, preference for the New Democratic Party stands at 18 percent (compared with 16%), while two in ten prefer the Progressive Conservative Party (21%, compared with 23%). Finally, two percent prefer the Green Party (down from 5%).

The number of Nova Scotians who are undecided rests at 31 percent (compared with 27%), while six percent refuse to state a preference (compared with 4%), and a similar number either support none of these parties or do not plan to vote (6%, compared with 5%).

Satisfaction with the performance of Stephen McNeil’s Liberal Government is stable and currently stands at 55 percent (compared with 54% in February 2016), while over three in ten Nova Scotians are dissatisfied (35%, compared with 39%). Meanwhile, nine percent (compared with 7%) do not offer a definite opinion.

In terms of leader preference, four in ten support Premier Stephen McNeil (41%, unchanged from three months ago), while two in ten prefer Jamie Baillie of the PC Party (19%, compared with 15%). Preference for Gary Burrill of the NDP rests at 11 percent (compared with 15%), while preference for the next leader of the Green Party stands at three percent (down from 6%). Meanwhile, two in ten (21%, compared with 17%) are undecided in terms of leader preference, while five percent prefer none of these leaders (compared with 6%).

These results are part of the CRA Atlantic Quarterly®, an independent, quarterly telephone survey of Atlantic Canadians, and are based on a sample of 800 adult Nova Scotians, conducted from May 9 to May 31, 2016 with overall results accurate to within ± 3.5 percentage points, 95 out of 100 times.