Layton Ahead of Harper in Leadership, Poll Shows

New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton waves during NDP's campaign kickoff event at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Canada, on March 26. The latest poll released Wednesday by Forum Research showed that NDP was closing in on the front running Conservatives with 31 percent support compared to 34 percent for the Tories. (Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty Images)

Canadians are increasingly looking at Jack Layton as the better leadership choice over Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a new Nanos Research poll shows.

The daily survey, conducted nationally by telephone on Wednesday night, suggests that the New Democratic Party leader is well ahead of his Conservative rival.

On a scale that measures the public’s opinions about who is the most trustworthy and most competent leader with the best vision for Canada, Layton scored 95.3 points, a 9.1 increase from the previous day, while Harper comes in second with 83.2, a 0.5 increase.

Canadians gave Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff 34.3 points, a 5.8 decrease, Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe 14.2, and Green Party leader Elizabeth May 8.6.

Since the election campaigns began in late March, Layton had never scored higher than Harper until Tuesday, April 26.

The recent rise of Layton parallels the rise of his New Democrats, who are experiencing surging support in Ontario and Quebec.