Amid the ongoing diplomatic row with India over the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a new opinion poll has got more worrying news for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.According to a new Ipsos poll conducted for the Canada-based news platform Global News, Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the opposition Conservative Party, has emerged as the preferred choice for Prime Minister among 40 percent of Canadian citizens.

In contrast, PM Justin Trudeau lags behind with only 31 percent support.According to a Global News report, Ipsos CEO Darrell Bricker noted that the gap between Poilievre and Trudeau in leadership preferences indicates that the Conservatives could secure a majority government if an election were held today.

Dissatisfaction with the country's direction, particularly concerning economic concerns, such as the cost of living, access to housing, and inflation, has contributed to this sentiment.Pierre Poilievre's popularity as the Conservative Leader has been steadily increasing, with 40 percent of Canadians now considering him the best choice for Prime Minister.

This represents a five-point increase in his favorability ratings compared to the previous year.

In contrast, Justin Trudeau's support as the preferred Prime Minister has remained static at 31 percent.Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the NDP (New Democratic Party), who is known for his sympathies towards Khalistan and his coalition partnership with Prime Minister Trudeau, has experienced a four-point decline since September 2022.

Currently, only 22 percent of respondents view him as the best choice to lead the government.The poll also delved into core issues affecting Canada, including the economy, healthcare, and housing.

It revealed that a plurality of Canadians believe that Pierre Poilievre has the most compelling plans in all three of these areas.Time for Trudeau to step aside?While Justin Trudeau has reiterated his intention to lead the Liberal Party into the upcoming election, a majority of respondents do not view this as a favorable course of action.The Ipsos survey findings indicate that 60 percent of Canadians believe it's time for Trudeau to step down as the leader, allowing someone else to take the reins of the Liberals in the forthcoming election.

This marks an increase from the 54 percent recorded in a December 2022 poll.Poilievre demands more proof on Canada allegationsTensions flared between India and Canada early this week following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's explosive allegations of the "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on his country's soil on June 18 in British Columbia.

India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.India angrily rejected the allegations as "absurd" and "motivated" and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa's expulsion of an Indian official over the case.Notably, Pierre Poilievre emphasized that the Canadian Prime Minister should provide all the relevant facts to the public, rather than just a statement, to allow Canadians to make informed judgments.(With inputs from agencies)