Canada's ruling Conservatives would gain a majority if an election is held now, as a new poll put them 19 percentage points ahead of major opposition the Liberals.
The poll, released by Ipsos Reid Company Saturday, put Stephen Harper's Conservatives at 45 per cent, compared with 26 per cent for the Liberals. The New Democrats (NDP) had the backing of 12 per cent.
Under Canada's first-past-the-post electoral system, a party needs around 40 per cent of the popular vote to gain a majority of the 308 seats in the House of Commons.
The result came after the Liberals selected its new leader Michael Ignatieff, as the party prepares for a possible showdown with the Conservatives when the budget is tabled late January.
Ignatieff has said that if the budget was not in the best of the country's interest, the Liberals would topple the government, with the support of two other oppositions.
Harper's minority government was returned to power in October 14 elections with 37.6 per cent of the vote.