Survey Shows Canadians Chose Green Party As Second Choice In Upcoming Election

September 24, 2008 1:10 p.m. EST

Ottawa, Ontario (AHN) - The latest Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey showed that the Green Party is emerging as the second choice for Canadian voters in the Oct. 14 snap federal election, next to the Tories.

The Conservative Party enjoyed a 37 percent voter support in the poll taken the past four days, followed by the Liberals at 24 percent, the NDP third with 16 percent. However, 28 percent of Conservative voters picked the Green party for the second choice, while 27 percent of Liberals, 34 percent of New Democrats and 19 percent of Bloc supporters had the same second preference.

Meanwhile, in Saskatoon, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the idea of an NDP-Liberal coalition government will go against the will of Canadian voters. Harper made the comment following a statement last week by NDP leader Jack Layton that the party is willing to enter into a coalition with the Liberal Party just to unseat Harper.

The prime minister said such a scenario is not democratic. Harper explained, quoted by the Canadian Press, "Whoever wins the election will have the mandate to govern... I think it will be incumbent upon the opposition parties - at least for a period of time - to respect that mandate. I think they would not do so at their peril."