Canadians are largely happy with what they are seeing from newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney.
These results come from an online poll conducted between May 12th and May 22nd, 2025, of 2,517 Canadian citizens, 18 years or older. This survey was sponsored by INNOVATIVE Research Group Inc. and weighted to n=1,500 based on age, gender, region, education, and self-reported past federal vote to ensure the overall sample reflects the population according to Census data.
Four weeks after the election on April 28th, Carney’s early moves on files as varied as U.S.-Canada relations and cabinet appointments are creating generally favourable first impressions.
Canada This Month tracking shows that Carney currently leads all major party leaders in favourability, with a net positive score at +23, his personal best to date and the largest gap over Pierre Poilievre (27-points) since entering the political scene. Among decided voters, 54% believe Carney is the best option for Prime Minister, including particular strength among both women and Canadians over 55 years of age.
Our read, seen and heard tracking shows that Canadians paid attention to his first meeting with President Trump and, to a lesser degree, his new Cabinet and they generally like what they see. Among those aware of recent news about Carney, 46% said it left them feeling more favourable towards him, compared to only 21% saying less favourable. Giving most news is generally bad news, this is an unusually strong result for a government.
In addition, satisfaction with the government is on the rise overall. 49% of Canadians say they are satisfied with the federal government’s performance, which is a notable increase since March (37%).
Carney and his Liberal government still face significant challenges. As we noted earlier this month, time for a change remains highs and voters, including Liberal voters, are looking for clear change from the Trudeau era. President Trump remains unpredictable, and Carney does not control the outcome on the tariff files. And Alberta and the Prairies are disappointed with the election outcome and considering separatism to a degree not seen before.
That said, the opening of Parliament, the upcoming First Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for June 2nd, and the G7 Summit will provide many opportunities for the Prime Minister to demonstrate whether or not he can deliver on the promise of his CV.
