MONTREAL (CBC) - A new poll infers that the popularity of Quebec's minority Liberal government continues to rise, suggesting Premier Jean Charest would win a majority if elections were held now.

At the same time, the popularity of Opposition leader Mario Dumont is dropping, according to the CROP poll, published Wednesday by La Presse newspaper.

Just 17 per cent of respondents said they would vote for Dumont's Action D?mocratique du Qu?bec.

The Liberals had the support of 38 per cent of respondents, well ahead of the separatist Parti Qu?b?cois with 29 per cent.

Voter support for the Liberals would be enough to return them to power with a majority in the provincial legislature, pollster Claude Gauthier told La Presse.

In the March 2007 election, 33 per cent voted for the Liberals, 28 per cent for the PQ and 31 per cent for the ADQ. The increased support for the ADQ was the main factor in reducing the Liberals to a minority government, but those votes appear to have gone back to the Liberals because PQ support is largely unchanged.

Wednesday's CROP poll also suggested support has weakened for Quebec independence. Thirty-six per cent of respondents said they would vote for Quebec's separation from Canada.

Quebecers voted against separation by a margin of less than a percentage point in a 1995 referendum, and by 20 points in 1980.

The PQ, which was in power during the two independence votes, lately has been backing away from making it a priority to hold a referendum should it return to power.

Liberal party whip Norman MacMillan said Wednesday the surge in his party's popularity doesn't mean the government is tempted to call a hasty election.

"Quebecers don't want an election this year. We'll see next year," he said.

The CROP poll surveyed 1,000 people of voting age between April 17 and April 27, and is considered accurate to within three percentage points.

The results include a proportional distribution among the parties of the 19 per cent of voters who said they were undecided.

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