Canada PM Trudeau's popularity soars

[OTTAWA] Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's popularity has reached a new high, even after his arguably worst day in office that saw him recently jostle fellow lawmakers, a poll found Tuesday.

"Trudeau has now hit a new personal best," polling firm Nanos said in a statement.

Its random telephone interviews with 1,000 Canadians over four weeks ending May 20 found that 54 per cent of respondents prefer the Liberal leader as prime minister.

Opposition heads, meanwhile, scored 16 and nine per cent, respectively. Seventeen per cent were unsure.

The survey is considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points.

Both the Conservatives and New Democratic Party (NDP), however, have been effectively rudderless after former Tory prime minister Stephen Harper resigned in the wake of electoral defeat last October and NDP leader Thomas Mulcair lost a confidence vote in April.

The Tories and the NDP are scheduled to hold leadership conventions next year.

Mr Trudeau was forced to publicly apologise last week for seemingly losing his temper, elbowing an opposition MP and manhandling another.

He had crossed the floor of the House on Wednesday, pushed through a crowd of Conservative and NDP lawmakers and grabbed the opposition Tory whip by the arm, dragging him toward his seat.

As Mr Trudeau reached for the whip, parliamentary video showed he elbowed a female NDP lawmaker in the chest.

Tensions had been rising in parliament over a deadline to pass legislation on assisted dying after the Supreme Court struck down the original measure.

AFP