Signs show Harper Conservatives’ popularity beginning to slip

I'm not completely convinced these poll numbers are right. That said, governments are not defeated by others, they defeat themselves:

http://natpo.st/GRFeID

"The Environics poll had the Conservatives and NDP tied on 30%, with the Liberals back on 20% support. In the by-election, Liberal Grant Gordon saw his party's share of the vote rise by 11%, even though he lost to New Democrat Craig Scott.

The common trait in both these stories is the relative decline of the Conservatives. Most polls have been showing the Tories slipping since the party won nearly 40% of the vote in last May's election but the Environics survey suggests they are actually in danger of relinquishing first place. In the Danforth by-election, Conservative support tumbled 9% to just 5%.

These are worrying numbers for the Harper government. Some of the slide can be blamed on the robocall saga and fears about the upcoming budget. But there is a deeper malaise. Too many middle-class Canadians, particularly in Eastern Canada, feel they are under siege.

A [external] new study released by the Vanier Institute for the Family Thursday will make grim reading for the Tories. Income security remains "an elusive dream" for many, the authors concluded – and the situation is getting worse. Debt loads remain high – averaging $103,000 per family. There are 1.7 million families with a debt servicing ratio of 40% or more, making them vulnerable to rising interest rates. At the same time, family saving rates are dwindling – down to 4% of disposable income from 13% in 1990."