New poll shows Conservatives and NDP tied in popular support

The Conservatives may have picked the wrong party to pick-on.

Earlier this week, Stephen Harper's crew released new campaign-style attack ads targeted directly at interim Liberal leader Bob Rae. But according to an Environics Research poll, they should have set their sights on the NDP and, believe it or not, the Bloc Quebecois.

The survey, conducted by phone between March 6 and March 19, claims the Conservatives and NDP are now tied with 30 per cent support among voters.

That's about the same percentage of the popular vote that the NDP earned in the May 2 general election. For the Conservatives, it represents a drop of 10 points.

Pollster Darren Karasiuk says the Conservatives are clearly paying a price for the robocalls affair, plans to increase the qualifying age for Old Age Security, legislation that would give the government information on individual Internet accounts, and increased uncertainty over the costs of new fighter jets.

These issues "haven't been managed particularly well," he told the Globe and Mail.

"And they haven't been managed well in spite of the lack of solid and stable leadership from the NDP or Liberals.

"So there's a disappointment among Canadians — particularly soft Tories — that the promised benefits of a majority haven't materialized."

The Liberals are in third place with 20-per-cent support, up one point from election day.

And in Quebec, the Bloc has rebounded from their May 2 decimation, and now have the support of 30 per cent of Quebec voters - only four percentage points behind the NDP.

Many analysts suggest that if Quebec MP Thomas Mulcair doesn't win the NDP leadership contest on Saturday, the Bloc will ultimately overtake the NDP, in La Belle Province.

"Should New Democrats reject their Quebec strongman for someone from outside the province, a Bloc resurgence is more than likely, " political analyst Lawrence Martin wrote in the Globe.

What a difference a year makes.