The federal New Democratic Party continues to hold the lead in public support, according to a new Forum Research poll conducted this week.

The survey found the NDP ahead with 34 per cent support, while the Liberals and Conservatives were locked in a statistical tie at 29 per cent and 28 per cent respectively.

The Bloc and Greens are far back at 5 per cent and 4 per cent respectively.

The NDP have been leading or tied for the lead in Forum’s polls for the past several weeks.

Lorne Bozinoff, president of Forum Research, said the trend shows NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair appears to be impressing Canadian voters.

“We have entered a period where the status quo is likely to remain static at least until after the summer ends. Voters have changed their minds over the summer, and now see Tom Mulcair as the anti-Harper, rather than (Liberal Leader) Justin Trudeau, who held this position most of last year,’’ Bozinoff said in a statement released with the poll results.

But Bozinoff added that Trudeau was the “flavour of the month” when he was fresh and unknown, but now he’s no longer fresh, is better known, and has lost some of his lustre.

Bozinoff added that Mulcair spent his time grinding away in the House of Commons in Ottawa, “demonstrating commitment and competence, and that has paid off, after almost three years.

“Voters now see him as the most competent leader in the country, and are willing to offer him their vote,” Bozinoff added.

The poll asked respondents to say who would make the best prime minister. Mulcair is seen as the best option with 29 per cent picking him. Fewer — 25 per cent — chose Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and 20 per cent said Trudeau.

Projected onto a 338-seat House of Commons, the poll results indicate the NDP would capture a minority government of 134 seats, the Conservatives 121 seats, and the Liberals 78. The Bloc would seat four members and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May would retain her seat, Forum said.

The Forum poll was conducted July 19 and 20. A total of 1,208 Canadian adults were questioned using a random, interactive voice response telephone survey. The results are considered accurate, plus or minus 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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Forum’s poll is weighted statistically by age, region and other variables to ensure the sample reflects the actual population according to the latest census data.

The weighting formula has been shared with the Star, and raw polling results are housed at the University of Toronto’s political science department’s data library.