Canada gets a 'C' for economy in poll

OTTAWA, April 14 (UPI) -- More than 60 percent of Canadians asked gave the Conservative government a passing grade in a national poll for its management of the economic downturn.

The Ipsos Reid polling group questioned 2,035 adults across Canada for the Canwest News Service and found, on average, Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper's economic management had 60 percent support, with some notable regional differences.

Support was highest at 72 percent in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, while Quebec respondents gave the lowest support -- 40 percent, Canwest said.

The poll found a higher portion of older people asked -- 65 percent -- gave the government good grades than younger age groups, Canwest said.

John Wright, senior vice president of the polling firm, related the poll's grading system to school activity.

"`It's like a student who's grinding it out,'' Wright said of the Conservatives. "They're not the superstar. They're certainly not the class clown or the failure. They're the student who goes to school every day and is just grinding it out and getting a solid 60-plus.''

The poll had a 2.2-percentage-point margin of error, the report said.