Highlights by Gender

Perceptions of political leaders on ethical values differ across gender identities, though Mark Carney consistently leads in every group. Among women, Carney receives the highest POLIS score at 3.43, followed by Jagmeet Singh at 3.20, and Pierre Poilievre at 2.30. Carney is rated strongest on competence, legitimacy, and procedural fairness. Singh performs well on benevolence and fairness, while Poilievre trails significantly in every category except competence, where his score is comparatively stronger.

Among men, the order remains the same, though scores are slightly lower overall. Carney leads with a POLIS score of 3.27, Singh follows at 2.86, and Poilievre at 2.53. Singh’s rating drops more noticeably among men compared to women, indicating that his values-based appeal may resonate more with women voters. Carney’s consistent strength across values points to a perception of institutional trust and capability. Poilievre’s higher score among men reflects modest gains in perceived competence but lower scores in fairness and benevolence.

Among respondents identifying as “other” in terms of gender, Carney again scores highest at 3.48, followed closely by Singh at 3.37, while Poilievre receives his lowest rating across all groups at 1.81. This group rates both Carney and Singh extremely positively, especially on values like fairness, benevolence, and transparency. The large gap between Poilievre and the other two leaders highlights the extent to which ethical perceptions differ sharply based on gender identity, particularly among those outside the male-female binary.

Carney’s broad appeal across all gender groups reflects a stable and trusted ethical profile based on competence, legitimacy, and accountability. Singh’s strength lies in his consistently high scores on moral values, especially among women and non-binary respondents. Poilievre’s comparatively stronger showing among men does little to close the broader perception gap, particularly in values linked to fairness and transparency, where his scores remain consistently low.

Overall, gender identity meaningfully shapes perceptions of political leaders’ ethical credibility. Carney is the most favorably viewed across all groups, Singh performs especially well among women and non-binary respondents, and Poilievre consistently receives the lowest ratings, with a particularly steep drop among gender-diverse individuals. These results reinforce how values like fairness, benevolence, and competence are differently emphasized across gender lines, as captured by the POLIS Index.