Internal PMO polls showed Canadians backed pipeline plan

Internal government polls indicated that Prime Minister Carney's office was guided by public opinion showing broad support for his plan to build a new oil pipeline to the Pacific Coast. Documents obtained by Global News reveal that the Privy Council Office (PCO) conducted weekly polling, which is supervised by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) staff.

In mid-November, the PCO's polling program included questions about Canadians' views on new oil pipelines and other energy projects. A live-agent telephone poll of 2,000 Canadians asked directly: "Do you support new or expanded oil pipelines?" A significant 67 percent of respondents expressed support.

Crucially, a majority in every region of the country, including 64 percent in British Columbia and 56 percent in Quebec, backed pipeline expansion. This widespread support was a key factor for the government during negotiations with Alberta and British Columbia.

Even when a subsequent question was framed to highlight potential environmental concerns and risks, such as "cutting corridors across ecosystems, with impacts on nature and habitat, and pipelines come with risks of leaks and spills," support only slightly diminished to 62 percent. A majority in every region, including Quebec, still supported new or expanded pipelines.

This data provided political backing for Carney's pipeline initiative, influencing government strategy as negotiations progressed with provincial governments in Alberta and British Columbia throughout the fall and early this year.