Highlights for Canada

Across Canada, Canadians perceive the NDP as the most ethically credible federal party, with a POLIS score of 3.12, followed closely by the Liberal Party at 3.07. The Bloc Québécois scores 2.57, while the Conservative Party trails at 2.50. These scores reflect a clear perception that the NDP and Liberals more closely align with ethical values like fairness, accountability, and transparency. The Conservatives, by contrast, are viewed more skeptically on these dimensions, though they do outperform the Bloc in several subgroups.

When it comes to party leaders, however, the rankings shift. Mark Carney—who has not formally entered party leadership but is seen as a potential Liberal leader—receives the highest overall POLIS score at 3.36. Jagmeet Singh follows at 3.05, with Yves-François Blanchet at 2.67, and Pierre Poilievre at 2.39. Carney's strong lead suggests Canadians view him as the most ethically trustworthy leader, especially in terms of competence, legitimacy, and procedural fairness. Singh's performance mirrors his party's strong standing, while Poilievre and Blanchet lag behind their party counterparts.

One particularly notable insight is that while the NDP is the highest-rated party, Jagmeet Singh's POLIS score is actually lower than the party’s overall rating. This suggests that Canadians may view the NDP as more ethically trustworthy than its current leader. In contrast, Mark Carney outperforms the Liberal Party significantly, indicating that public trust in him personally exceeds trust in the party he is associated with. For the Conservatives, Poilievre scores slightly below the party’s already low rating, reinforcing his challenge in closing the ethical credibility gap.

Yves-François Blanchet performs better than the Bloc Québécois overall, suggesting that he may enjoy some personal credibility advantages relative to his party. However, both he and the Bloc remain in the mid-to-low range of POLIS scores nationally, indicating limited broad-based appeal outside Québec. Meanwhile, Singh’s alignment with the NDP’s ethical profile is close but not identical, pointing to a mild leader-party gap.

Taken together, these results highlight that Canadians distinguish between parties and their leaders when evaluating ethical credibility. The POLIS Index reveals that leadership matters—sometimes amplifying or diminishing a party’s moral reputation. While the NDP and Liberals are seen as the most ethically aligned parties, Carney stands out as the most trusted figure individually. These findings suggest that public trust is shaped not just by institutional values, but by how individual leaders embody—or fail to embody—those values.