PCO poll may have helped Tories in byelections

Liberal and NDP MPs say the focus groups gave the Tories an advantage.

Public opinion research conducted for the Privy Council Office in April contained partisan themes and could have given the governing Conservatives ammunition for the four federal byelections last week, the opposition says.

The Ipsos Reid focus group surveys commissioned by PCO, the department that provides advice and support to the Prime Minister, explored the public's views about the state of the Canadian economy and also measured...