The Liberals have made gains in recent months with a new poll saying the party is now statistically tied with the NDP for second place behind the governing Conservatives.
According to a new poll from Nanos Research, conducted on behalf of CTV and The Globe and Mail, the Liberals have made gains at the expense of both the Conservatives and the NDP.
The poll shows the Conservatives leading with 35.6 per cent support, a slip of 2.1 per cent from Oct. 24.
The Liberals follow with 28.1 per cent, a gain of 4.7 per cent, and the NDP are just behind with 27.3 per cent, a drop of 2.7 per cent.
The Green Party has 3.9 per cent, putting them in a tie with the Bloc Quebecois.
The poll also looked at the popularity of each of the party leaders.
"(Prime Minister) Stephen Harper retains a clear advantage overall in the Nanos Leadership Index (102.4), while interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae is firmly in second ahead of interim NDP Leader Nycole Turmel, with respective Leadership Index scores of 43.9 and 24.9," pollster Nik Nanos said in a statement.
The results held true when those polled were asked which party leader they felt was most trustworthy.
Harper led with 32.2 per cent saying he was the most trustworthy of the leaders. Bob Rae followed with 15.1 per cent giving him the nod, and 9.1 per cent choosing Nycole Turmel. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May followed with 7 per cent choosing her as the most trustworthy leader.
When Canadians were asked which leader had the best vision for Canada's future, Harper was easily in the lead, chosen by 31.2 per cent of those surveyed.
Bob Rae was second with 13.7 per cent choosing his vision as best for Canada. Nycole Turmel was in third with 9.6 per cent and Elizabeth May was in fourth with 5.1 per cent choosing hers as the best vision for Canada's future.
The poll also found that the main issue of concern for Canadians has shifted in recent months.
In total, 29.3 per cent of those surveyed said jobs and the economy are now their primary concern, compared to 22.8 who said healthcare was the most important issue.
Healthcare was the top concern during the last round of polling, conducted on Oct. 24, followed by jobs and the economy.
The poll was conducted by telephone between November 16 and 21. In total, 1,202 people were surveyed. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
The polling was conducted one week after Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said the federal government would take longer to eliminate the deficit than originally thought.
The Conservatives had previously pledged to erase the deficit by 2014-2015.
