CRIC SURVEY
Portraits of Canada 2005
October 2005
Canadians' Attitudes to Civil Liberties and Security, Minority Government Revealed in Major Poll
Are Canadians prepared to make trade-offs on civil liberties to ensure their security? Do they consider a balanced budget as all that important? How do they rate their leaders? How does the country feel about minority government? The answers to these and other questions are revealed in the results of the 2005 edition of its annual tracking poll Portraits of Canada .
The survey is based on a national sampling of 3,201 Canadians, North and South of the 60th parallel. Portraits has tracked public opinion for eight years, contributing to a growing baseline of information on how Canadians' attitudes are evolving.
CRIC SURVEY
Regional
and multicultural diversity in Canada
October 2005
Multiculturalism has a moderating
effect on extremist influences in the view of 68%
of Canadians. However, 58% expressed concern that
the loyalty of immigrants may suffer if they maintain
too strong an attachment to their countries of origin
while becoming Canadian.
Convincing majorities of Canadians
link social advantages to immigration: 65% think
that there are strong to moderate benefits in terms
of health care and public pensions; 79% see a strong
to moderate benefit in terms of know-how and culture;
and 73% feel that immigration contributes to Canada's
competitiveness.
These are some central
findings from a new survey released by the Centre
for Research and Information on Canada (CRIC) and
conducted by Decima Research. The poll was conducted
to help inform discussion at The 2005 Canada Conference,
Leaders of Today Engaging Leaders of Tomorrow. The
conference, which marks the centennial of Alberta
and Saskatchewan's entry into Confederation, will
be held October 16-19 in Edmonton.
CRIC SURVEY
The
Civic Interest and Engagement of Canadians
August 2005
Most
Canadians believe that civic involvement is more
a matter of choice than a responsibility of citizenship,
and 59% of Canadians say they feel the need to make
a difference in the world around them. In fact,
61% believe that when people act together, they
can change things for the better. And almost three
of every four Canadians agree that by acting together,
they can have at least some impact in making their
community a better place to live.
Another key finding shows that cynicism about politics
is not as high as public discourse about the subject
suggests. A majority (54%) feels that joining a
political party is a way to make a constructive
contribution, compared to 40% who see it as a waste
of time and energy. The results also clearly point
to education as being central to civic involvement.
These are significant findings from a new study
on attitudes to civic engagement among Canadians
conducted by Decima Research, the Centre for Research
and Information on Canada, and Canada25.
CRIC REPORT
Women,
Public Service and Politics
July 2005
Women make
up more than half of Canada's population.Yet, in
the last federal election, they accounted for little
more than two of every 10 candidates.Why have women
not made more progress in holding elected office
in the past few decades?
CRIC revisited
the issue of women's representation in public service
and politics by organizing a national roundtable
series.
CRIC PAPERS
Finding
Their Voice: Civic Engagement
Among Aboriginal and New Canadians
The
CRIC Papers
(#17), July 2005
Why is it important
to have a greater understanding of how Aboriginal
Canadians and New Canadians engage in civic life
and what their values are? Given current demographic
trends, these groups are and will continue to be
increasingly important players in the way Canada
is growing and changing.
Encouraging the
next generation of Canadians to take on leadership
roles in this country is a challenge for decision-makers
who eventually must “pass the torch”.
However, the special experiences and values of Aboriginal
and new Canadians mean that different methods of
engagement must be found.
Canada’s ability to encourage Canadians of
increasingly varied backgrounds to take an active
role in shaping civil society will be a determining
factor in the country’s future success.
CRIC PAPERS
Portraits
of Canada
The CRIC Papers
(#16), January 2005
This CRIC Paper offers in-depth analysis of the
major findings identified by Portraits of Canada
2004.
CRIC PAPERS
Canadian
Democracy: Bringing Youth Back Into the Political
Process
The CRIC Papers
(#15), December 2004
In the last few years, much attention has been paid
to declining voter participation in Canadian elections.
Much of this decline can be attributed to younger
voters.
Given new research, growing interest in democratic
reform, and the experience of the 2004 federal election,
the time was right to gather the country's leading
experts in this area. On October 1, 2004, CRIC organized
a Research Seminar on the Political Engagement of
Canadian Youth in Ottawa. Presentations were made
by experts engaged in the latest research on political
engagement of Canadian youth.
The articles published in CRIC Paper #15
are based on presentations made at the research
seminar.
CRIC (12.10.04)
CRIC POLLS
Portraits
of Canada 2004
Portraits of Canada is an annual
survey of public opinion in Canada conducted by
the Centre for Research and Information on Canada
(CRIC). It tracks how the attitudes of Canadians
have evolved on a range of issues relating to the
nature and well-being of the country and its citizens.
This is the eighth Portraits survey in seven years.
Again this year, Portraits includes
Canada’s Northern Territories. The overall
sample size of 3,202 is large enough to ensure that
opinions in all regions of the country are accurately
reflected.
As in past years, two separate
surveys were conducted, one in Quebec and one in
the rest of Canada. Environics Research Group surveyed
2,202 Canadians in the nine provinces and three
territories outside of Quebec between September
15 and October 4, 2004. CROP surveyed 1,000 persons
in Quebec between September 16 and October 3, 2004.
The full poll, including graphics,
methodology and additional breakdowns, is available
on the CRIC
website.
CRIC POLLS
Most
Canadians prefer a federal system.
Three out of four Canadians,
including a significant majority of Quebecers, prefer
a federal system to any other kind.
But Canadians are lukewarm when
it comes to the amount of trust and confidence they
have in their federal and provincial governments
to do a good job in carrying out their respective
responsibilities. And while trust in the federal
and some provincial governments is falling, trust
in local governments is on the rise.
These are some central
findings from an annual survey on attitudes toward
federalism in Canada, the United States and Mexico
- all of which are federations. It was commissioned
by The Centre for Research and Information on Canada
(CRIC), the School of Urban and Public Affairs,
University of Texas at Arlington, and by Publius:
The Journal of Federalism.
CRIC (10.14.04)
CRIC POLLS
Decline
in Number Of Canadians Who Believe Religious Practice
Is Important.
A poll by the Centre for
Research and Information on Canada shows that 61%
of Canadians believe that religious practice is
an important factor in the moral and ethical lives
of Canadians while 36% say it is not an important
factor.
CRIC, Press Release (09.09.04)
Imminent
Terrorist Attack Not A Fear For Most Canadians.
Three years after the terrorist attacks
on the World Trade towers in New York, most Canadians
(56%) think possible terrorist attacks on Canada
in the next two years are unlikely, but a sizable
minority (42%) thinks the country could be the target
of a major terrorist attack within that period.
CRIC, Press Release (09.09.04)
CRIC PAPERS
Facing
the Future: Relations Between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal
Canadians
The CRIC Papers
(#14), June
2004
This paper highlights the concerns
of a number of Aboriginal Canadians, and other observers,
about attitudes among Canadians toward issues of
importance to Aboriginal peoples. The contributors
are all troubled by a major CRIC poll that identified
low public support for treaty and land rights.
The findings of the 2003 edition
of Portraits of Canada on relations between
Aboriginal and non-
Aboriginal Canadians were released separately at
the end of November. They generated significant
media interest, raising red flags about public views
on matters central to the aspirations of Canada’s
Aboriginal peoples. CRIC decided this called for
further exploration. CRIC invited Aboriginal community
and political leaders, as well as young Aboriginal
leaders and experts, to discuss the findings through
commentaries, interviews, and roundtable discussions.
Portraits measured public
attitudes. Now, CRIC Paper #14 offers another
perspective–the viewpoint of Aboriginal individuals
and experts. The goal is to encourage greater dialogue
and understanding among Canadians about the situation
of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, and relations between
the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities.
CRIC PAPERS
Bilingualism:
Part of Our Past or Part of Our Future?
The CRIC Papers (#13),
March 2004
Language is a defining feature
of Canada’s social and political reality. Over
many years, Canada’s linguistic duality has
underpinned both political conflict and the search
for political accommodations. By the 1960s, the
injustices suffered by linguistic minorities had
fuelled both modern Quebec nationalism and a push
for reform by the federal government, which, in
1963, established the Royal Commission on Bilingualism
and Biculturalism. The Commission was a driving
force behind the adoption of official bilingualism,
a pan-Canadian social reform whose impacts continue
to be felt. Today, the country still struggles to
strike the right balance in ensuring the equality
of its two official languages, and the rights of
those who speak them. This challenge must now be
met in the context of Canada’s deepening multiculturalism.
(Acrobat)
CRIC POLLS
Bilingualism
Retains Strong Appeal Among Canadians - French Remains
Second Language of Choice for Most Anglophones
Bilingualism’s
appeal remains high among Canadians. It has special
meaning for new Canadians, and is popular among
younger Canadians. In the context of the country’s
deepening multiculturalism and its position in the
global economy, Canadians are convinced of the importance
of speaking more than one language. A large majority
thinks that learning a second language is important
and agrees that those who speak more than one language
will be more successful. And French is the first
choice of most Anglophones when considering which
second language their children should learn.
CRIC (02.26.04)
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