The Liberal government is running into stiff opposition to its plan to sell NB Power, according to a new Leger Marketing poll.

The first public opinion poll on the deal was released on Monday and showed the deal is seen unfavourably by 60 per cent of New Brunswick residents, while only 22 per cent of respondents like the agreement.

Christian Bourque, vice-president of research at Leger Marketing, said the government is running into difficulty pitching the proposal to people.

"It's only one in five New Brunswickers that are actually supporting the deal with Hydro-Québec," Bourque said.

"And of those remaining 18 per cent who have not made up their mind yet, they'll tend to sway with the majority, and that majority right now is saying no."

The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The poll was conducted Nov. 19-21 and included phone and internet surveys.

The Liberals held out the NB Power deal as the centrepiece in its throne speech on Nov. 17.

The proposed deal would sell the majority of NB Power's assets to Hydro-Québec for $4.8 billion and then freeze residential rates for five yeas and cut electricity prices for large industrial customers to the levels enjoyed in Quebec.

There was a large rally of people opposed to the deal on the legislature's lawn on Nov. 17 before the throne speech and a group of approximately 50 people protested outside of the constituency office of Natural Resources Minister Wally Stiles in Petitcodiac on Monday.

More anglophones opposed

While opposition to the proposed power pact is higher among anglophones, a large majority of francophones are against the deal, too.

Bourque said the data suggest each group has its own reasons.

"Anglophones seem to be much more opposed based on economic and strategic reasons, whereas francophones tend to be much more attached to the symbol," Bourque said.

"Close to a third of francophone say, basically, we're giving away part of our identity. So reasons are slightly different for being opposed to the project, but bottom line is, both are against."

The poll also suggested that the opposition Progressive Conservatives are ahead of the governing Liberals by a margin of 45 per cent to 33 per cent of decided voters.

The NDP is at 19 per cent, while the Green Party is at four per cent.