Canada polls show Trudeau rival gaining weeks ahead of vote

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party appears to be ceding popularity to its Conservative rivals, according to polls published Saturday, with early elections only weeks away.

The Conservatives of Erin O'Toole, the main opposition party, took a slim lead as support for the Liberals has eroded in recent days, according to a tracking survey by Nanos Research conducted for the CTV network and the daily Globe and Mail.

The poll shows Conservatives favored by 33.3 percent of eligible voters, to 30.8 percent for Trudeau's Liberals, a difference just within the poll's margin of error but reflecting a steady swing away from the Liberals in recent days.

In mid-August, when Trudeau announced plans to hold an early election on September 20 -- less than two years after the last federal ballot -- his Liberals held a small lead.

But Trudeau's hopes of regaining a majority in the House of Commons appear a bit more tenuous today, Nik Nanos, founder of the eponymous polling firm, told CTV.

"It looks like the Conservatives are now gaining the upper hand and there is definitely negative pressure on the Liberals," he said.