One year after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals pulled off a dramatic electoral comeback to form a minority government, Canadians remain divided on whether the administration is delivering on its promises — with affordability continuing to overshadow foreign policy gains.A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute finds Canadians are more likely to say the country is headed in the wrong direction (42%) than the right one (34%), underscoring persistent unease about the state of the economy and daily living costs.The poll suggests the government has had mixed results across its key priorities. A majority of respondents say the Carney government has met or exceeded expectations in areas such as improving Canada’s international reputation (64%), diversifying trade partnerships (57%) and managing relations with the United States (56%).However, performance on domestic affordability issues is viewed far less favourably. Two-thirds of Canadians (67%) say the government has fallen short on housing affordability, while 70% say it has failed to adequately address the rising cost of living.The overall assessment is split, with 41% saying the government has met expectations on its core promises, and an identical share saying it has not..The divide extends sharply along partisan lines. Three-quarters of past Conservative voters believe Canada is on the wrong track, while nearly two-thirds of Liberal voters say the opposite.Despite disagreements over domestic policy, Canadians are relatively more positive about the government’s handling of foreign affairs, particularly its relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. A majority (56%) say Ottawa has met expectations in managing that relationship, compared to 37% who disagree.Looking ahead, affordability remains the dominant concern. Just over half of Canadians (52%) say reducing the cost of living will be the biggest challenge facing the federal government in the year ahead, while 31% point to managing relations with the United States.The findings suggest that while the Carney government has found some footing on the global stage, domestic economic pressures continue to define public opinion as it enters its second year in office.
