A new Leger poll of residents in British Columbia (B.C.) reveals a significant gender divide in opinions about Pierre Poilievre and Mark Carney.
The poll, conducted in the last week of March, found that 48% of decided voters in B.C. would vote for Mark Carney and the Liberal Party if an election were held today, compared to 38% for Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Party.
While men (47%) and women (49%) were quite close in their support for Carney and the Liberals, they showed a wider divide when it came to Poilievre and the Conservatives, with men supporting him at 44% compared to 33% among women.
Similarly, while 43% of men and 39% of women thought Carney would make the best prime minister, there was a larger gap when it came to Poilievre. 34% of men thought Poilievre would be the best prime minister, compared to just 22% of women.
Pollsters have observed that the Conservative Party struggles to attract female voters, with some attributing this to Poilievre’s aggressive political style. “He has always been a fairly aggressive, fairly brash politician,” said Andrew Enns, executive vice-president at Leger.
Poilievre’s approach in 2023 and 2024, described as “a little bit in your face,” helped him gain traction with opposition voters, but his brash style may be turning off female voters. Enns suggested that female voters now prefer leaders who provide stability and comfort, especially in light of economic challenges like inflation and the trade war with the U.S. “Female voters want to hear a more confident, calm leader,” he said.
When asked who they think will win the election, 47% of men and 45% of women said Carney. Only 37% of men and 23% of women said Poilievre.
On the question of campaign performance, 45% of men said Carney performed better, compared to 38% of women. For Poilievre, 33% of men thought he performed best, while only 21% of women agreed.
Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at the University of B.C., noted that Poilievre’s “not subtle makeover” seemed to target a particular version of masculinity, which might resonate more with men. His style, with aviator sunglasses and tight T-shirts, appears to be more popular with male voters than female ones.
The Leger poll’s findings are echoed by a national poll from Angus Reid, which shows Carney leading among most demographic groups except for men aged 35 to 54, who are more likely to vote Conservative.
Meanwhile, 61% of women have an unfavorable view of Poilievre.
Angus Reid president Shachi Kurl pointed out that the Conservatives failed to connect with female voters, particularly those concerned about the cost of living, even when they held a 20-point lead in the polls. However, when women were given an alternative in Carney, they gravitated toward him due to his appeal and Poilievre’s unpopularity.
The poll was based on a sample of 501 respondents in B.C., with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.38% for the B.C. sample, 19 times out of 20.