OTTAWA - A new poll suggests only about one in five Canadians want a federal election this year.
The Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey of just over 1,000 Canadians found 58 per cent wanted the election in 2009, while only 22 per cent wanted one this year.
"The public sees no big issue that today's Parliament stands in the way of solving, and no big idea that would require a reconstituted Parliament to put into place,'' said Harris-Decima president Bruce Anderson.
"Moreover, most people seem to lack passion for or against both of the parties that might form a government after an election. Absent those conditions, it's natural for people to wonder why an election in the near term would serve their interests.''
The federal Conservative government has survived in a minority Parliament since early 2006 and opposition parties have been back and forth over when to bring it down.
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion has said he wants to wait to decide on a confidence vote until after the federal budget, expected in February or March.
The poll, conducted Jan. 17-20, also suggests Conservative supporters are less likely than those of other parties to back the idea of an election this year.
Bloc Quebecois and NDP supporters were the most likely to want an earlier election, while just 26 per cent of those who intended to vote Liberal wanted to do so this year rather than next year.
Younger respondents were more supportive of voting this year than older ones -- 29 per cent of those between 18 and 34 wanted an election this year.
The survey is considered accurate to within plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times in 20.
