More and more people feel comfortable with NDP: Pollster

OTTAWA, Ont. – As the NDP’s popularity continues to surge across the country – within three per cent of the Conservatives – and land them in second place in the polls, many may be left wondering what has led to Canada turning orange.

Over the past month, the Conservative strategy has been to show voters they have two choices: a Tory majority, or an opposition coalition – a tactic which some experts say is backfiring, especially in Quebec.

“61 per cent of Quebec respondents believe that the Conservative government has performed poorly and does not deserve to form a government,” said CEO of Abacus Data David Coletto. “There’s this overwhelming feeling that they don’t want anything to do with the Conservatives, and so coalition talk, and the fact that the Liberal brand is still so weak in Quebec, really made the NDP seem as an alternative.”

“No one really thought when Stephen Harper and the Conservatives were talking about coalition, that Jack Layton would ever be leading that coalition,” he told 680News.

Coletto said the NDP has become a force to be reckoned with, because more and more people are feeling comfortable with the idea of supporting them. In addition, Liberal fortunes are not great in Quebec, and left wing voters are looking for another option to oust the Tories. As a result, the orange support began to rise.

Coletto also believes voters love Layton’s smile, upbeat personality and positive attitude because coming out of a bad recession, they are looking for more than the status quo.

“At a time when people are looking for something positive, Jack Layton really did feel that void,” Coletto said.

At a rally in Winnipeg Wednesday morning, Layton sounded extremely confident.

“Everywhere I’ve been in this country, Canadians are turning towards a better choice,” Layton told the cheering crowd of supporters.

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Quebec, meanwhile, will be getting a visit from Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff over the next 24 hours, after a campaign stop in Toronto Wednesday night where he will be joined by former Prime Minister Jean Chretien.

“Jean Chretien will say what we know he’ll say, which is ‘I led three majority governments. I got the public finances of our country back in order. I dug us out of the Mulroney hole, and Michael Ignatieff will dig us out of the Harper hole,” the Liberal leader told reporters.

The Liberal leader took questions from kids at a Sault Ste. Marie high school Wednesday afternoon, where he was asked about marijuana use.

“I have smoked pot as a young man, yes, and it’s one of the reasons why I urge young people not to repeat the experience,” he told the teenagers.

“It did not ruin my life. I just think there are a lot more important and interesting things to do with your life, including a glass of wine after dinner, eh? I mean let’s all relax here.”

He said he is against decriminalizing pot, but does not think people should be locked up for possessing small amounts.

The Liberal leader will return to Ontario for last minute campaigning over the weekend.