Outside a convention centre where Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a rally in Brampton, Ont., Wednesday evening, two of his supporters unfurled a long white banner that read: “Do you believe the polls?”
“If he’s not going to win, we’re going to lose Canada,” said one of the supporters named Sarah, who didn’t want to give her last name, and wore a sweater with the same message.
“Look at the crowd coming out for Poilievre! We cannot believe the polls are right.”
As of Thursday, CBC’s Poll Tracker shows the Conservatives trail the Liberals by more than six points nationally — a dramatic reversal from the 20-point lead they held just a few months ago.
Some of Poilievre’s supporters told CBC News they don’t believe the data because it doesn’t reflect the enthusiasm they see at Poilievre’s rallies, which have drawn the largest crowds of any campaign so far.
Some supporters suspect a conspiracy
“It doesn’t make sense,” said Paul, another supporter who held the banner and also didn’t want to share his last name.
“They’re trying to skew people’s votes … how do we know those polls aren’t biased?”
Paul said the idea to question the polls started around a coffee table with a small group of Poilievre supporters. He said they plan to travel across the country starting Thursday to conduct their own live polls from rallies since they believe there is a disconnect between the momentum that they say they’re witnessing on the ground and the results in public opinion surveys.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, speaking on Day 19 of the campaign from Milton, Ont., says he will respect the results of the election, no matter the outcome. The question to Poilievre came as some Conservative supporters have questioned polls, which when aggregated show Liberals leading Poilievre’s party.
Poilievre was asked on Thursday whether he believes the polls and will commit to respecting the federal election results no matter what the outcome.
“Yes, and that decision will be based on whether after a lost Liberal decade of rising crime and costs and a falling economy under America’s thumb we can trust, we can afford, a fourth Liberal term,” Poilievre said.
“Or whether we want change with a new Conservative government that will axe taxes, build homes, stop crime, unleash our resources so we can bring home our jobs and stand up to Washington from a position of strength.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who is even further behind in the polls and is at risk of losing his own seat, said he would also accept the results of the election.
But when it comes to the polls, Singh pointed out that pollsters projected that the Ontario NDP would lose party status during the February provincial election. The party formed the Official Opposition after the ballots were counted.
“Of course I’ve got my doubts about the way that covers our support,” Singh said. “Our support is not accurately being represented.”
Liberal Leader Mark Carney laughed when he was asked whether he believed the polls and would accept the election results.
“Of course. OK, this is Canada,” Carney said, while noting that the only poll that matters is the one that starts with advance voting and ends on election day.
