We report, you decide

Overall the state of political journalism in Canada is dismal. Because so many polls are proprietorial - paid for by newspapers that then trumpet them, we never get the full picture. For example, to follow up on yesterday's post on the state of public opinion in Quebec:

Pollster SurveyDates Sample Error Cons. Liberal NDP Bloc
Strategic Sept. 3-6 244 ± 6.3 16 23 6 49
Leger Aug. 31-Se. 2 1005 ± 3.1 16 30 16 35
CROP Aug. 14-23 1003 ± 3.1 17 30 18 30

Compare especially, Leger and Strategic as they polled at about the same time, although as not much has happened, one might as well look at CROP too. The two large sample polls by Quebec pollsters, who we know for sure have telephone interviewers speaking the same language with the same accent as their respondents, have the Bloc at 30 & 35% but Strategic thinks they are at 49%, a spectacular improvement on the 38.1% they obtained last October 14. Now which polls do you believe?

I have long had doubts about the Globe Strategic Counsel polls. This only reinforces them.