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The daily Steve and Bob show in Nova Scotia has attracted quite a following. Thousands tune in to their 3 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. briefings on all manner of media to find out the latest info on the province’s COVID-19 situation and bask in their admonition.

Premier Stephen McNeil’s “stay the blazes home” comment became an Internet meme. People are leaving flowers and cards of thanks at Dr. Robert Strang’s home. There’s a witty Twitter feed dedicated to Strang’s neckties, of all things.

There’s a comfort factor at work there, as people who are being asked to make extraordinary sacrifices look to their leaders for regular reassurance that it’s worthwhile. That’s what they get from McNeil and Strang as the two reinforce the by-now-familiar refrains: Stay home, wash your hands, keep your distance.

Federal officials leave similar impressions. Early in the crisis, Justin Trudeau emerged every day from his home to update Canadians on his government’s response to the crisis. Everyone watching knew that his wife was fighting the illness, that he was taking care of three small children while carrying out his duties from home.

An Angus Reid poll released this week noted Trudeau’s approval rating with Canadians spiked from 33 per cent to 54 per cent.

Ottawa's top medical officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, sparked an internet meme of her own when she spoke of ''planking the curve." T-shirts printed with her image along with the images of three provincial health officials, sold out quickly.

Trudeau and Tam's confident handling of the crisis has put Canadians' minds at ease when they needed it most.

The same is true of Strang, McNeil and all the premiers and medical officers of health in the country.

Their ratings are even higher. Another pollster, Leger, found Canadians overwhelmingly approve of their political leadership’s handling of the crisis.

Quebec’s Francois Legault, who has dealt with the worst outbreak in the country, got the thumbs-up from an astounding 95 per cent of Quebecers. Atlantic premiers were next, at a collective 85 per cent. The worst? Alberta’s Jason Kenney with 65 per cent, which most politicians would be ecstatic about.

The popularity of Atlantic leaders was backed by a regional survey firm Narrative Research, which found approval ratings for premiers of from 84-90 per cent among the four provinces. Medical officers of health garner even higher ratings, from 87-95 per cent.

Any politician will tell you that can’t possibly last. As the crisis passes, those ratings will fade back to normal levels.

But it is a sign of the times. It appears that, for once, there is widespread consensus that what we’re doing in Canada is the right thing.