Poll finds economic fears, lack of optimism are problems for Tories

A new Canadian Press-Harris-Decima survey suggests 55 per cent of respondents felt Harper doesn't offer much optimism or inspiration.

It also found that 56 per cent were worried about a recession and 53 per cent said they felt the Tories don't care about the same issues they do.

"These are the three biggest challenges that stand in the way of the Conservatives reassembling the coalition that they had in 2006 - let alone making it big enough to command a majority," said Harris-Decima president Bruce Anderson.

Another 55 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement: "There is something about Stephen Harper I just don't like."

The sentiment was strongest east of Manitoba and among NDP voters and those age 25-34, but it also included about a third of those who voted Conservative in the last election.

Anderson said that's not a major problem for the Tories.

"While there is some personal resistance to Mr. Harper, there is even more surrounding (Liberal Leader Stephane) Dion," he said.

Anderson said the concern about the lack of optimism cuts across all segments of the population.

The worry about a possible recession is a new factor, he added.

"It played a negligible role in the 2006 election, but stands to be a considerably more important factor if the economy continues to look uncertain or troubled," he said.

"This is already generating a new uncertainty about the Conservatives, especially among voters east of Manitoba, women and lower-income voters."

Their fear is that "Conservative economic policies in times of recession would be hard on them."

Among women who did not vote Tory last time, 65 per cent said they were worried about a recession.

More than 70 per cent of these women also felt a lack of optimism in the Tory approach and said Harper's Conservatives don't care about the issues they care most about.

While pundits have argued that Harper is gaining a reputation as a mean-spirited character, Anderson said that feeling is shared by only 37 per cent of respondents to the latest survey.

However, 47 per cent reported Harper was more aggressive and partisan than they had expected.

Anderson says the results show that if Harper hopes to fashion a majority, or even hang on to the votes he won in the last election, he'll need to offer a more optimistic outlook and start looking at issues of most concern to voters.

The poll interviewed just over 1,000 people in a telephone omnibus survey between April 17 and April 21. It is considered accurate to within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.