Politics

Nanos: Federal Liberals 5 points ahead of Conservatives

The latest poll by Nanos shows the federal Liberals maintaining an almost year-long lead over the Conservatives. In Quebec, the battle for federal seats is largely between Liberals and NDP - although the Bloc Quebecois is showing signs of life again.

Among decided voters, Liberals are at 34%, Conservatives 29%, and NDP 23% according to latest Nanos poll

The latest numbers from Nanos Research show Justin Trudeau, right, and the Liberals maintaining their nearly year-long lead over Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservatives and the NDP under Tom Mulcair. (Canadian Press)

Although it's still 18 months away, more than four out of five Canadians say they know which party they intend to vote for in the next election.

According to the latest Nanos poll released to CBC News, 34 per cent of decided voters would cast a ballot for the Liberals were the election held today.

The governing Conservatives would garner 29 per cent, the NDP 23 per cent, and the Greens five per cent.

In Quebec, it's a tightening three-way race. The Bloc Quebecois is at 25 per cent, the NDP at 29 per cent, and the Liberals at 33 per cent.

That is very near to the margin of error for Quebec of almost 7 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Nationally, the weekly tracking poll of 1,000 telephone interviews is considered to be within 3.4 per cent of the real picture 19 times out of 20.

The Liberals have stayed well above the 30 per cent mark since electing Justin Trudeau as their leader in April of last year — a level the Conservatives have barely dipped above in the same timeframe, while the NDP has been in the mid-20s.

The party preferences seem somewhat at odds with Canadians' stated priorities.

Economy and jobs, the almost singular focus on the governing Conservatives, is the top national concern for 26 per cent of respondents. Scandal and accountability is now top-of-mind for 6 per cent — half of what it was just a few months ago.