Opinion Research Scan E-newsletter – December 2011

Association for Canadian Studies measures Canadians’ perceptions of socio-cultural groups and intergroup relations

Background: The Association for Canadian Studies commissioned this survey to evaluate Canadians’ perceptions of different socio-cultural groups. The poll was conducted through the Leger Marketing web panel in all regions of Canada with a representative sample of 2,345 Canadians, between September 20^th and October 3^th, 2011. A probabilistic sample of 2,345 respondents would yield a margin of error of 2%, 19 times out of 20. More information on this study can be found here.

Key Findings:

• Muslims are viewed most negatively by Canadians (57% of whom hold a negative view of this group) followed by Atheists (40%) and Aboriginals (39%).
• Regarding perceptions of intergroup relations, Canadians are most likely to feel negatively about Muslim/non-Muslim relations (70% of Canadians feel negatively), upper-/lower-class relations (64%) and relations between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals (61%).
  • Canadians are more likely to feel positively about Muslim/non-Muslim relations than the United States or the UK.

Institute for Research on Public Policy releases study on Canadian support for immigration levels

Background: Jeffrey G. Reitz, Professor of Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies at the University of Toronto, analysed the results of the Environics Focus Canada survey (November 2010) and other polls to assess public attitudes surrounding immigration. The study, titled "Pro-immigration Canada: Social and Economic Roots of Popular Views", was published as part of the Diversity, Immigration and Integration research program of the Institute for Research on Public Policy. More information on the IRPP study can be found here. Please note that numbers have been rounded.

Key Findings:

• Reitz’s study notes that "Since the late 1990s, both series have shown majority support for immigration, which is remarkable, since during this period the highest immigration levels have been maintained." Although some polls show dips in support, "any recent negative trends are relatively weak and have not affected the majority support for high immigration levels" (p. 10).
• "Support for current levels of immigration in Canada is quite widely distributed across the country. There is majority support in every major region, and it is significantly higher in the Atlantic provinces (62.5 percent), Quebec (61.8 percent) and the Prairies (63 percent) than it is in Ontario (54 percent), Alberta (54 percent) and British Columbia (57 percent)" (p. 11).
  • "Ethnicity and language have only a minor, if any, correlation with support for current levels of immigration… [s]upport among francophone Canadians (64 percent) is higher than it is among Anglophone Canadians (57 percent).
  • "There is majority support for immigration both among immigrants themselves (57 percent) and among the Canadian-born (58 percent)" (p. 11).
• "Of those who completed university, 69.3 percent support current levels of immigration, compared to only 43 percent of those who have a high school education or less.
  • "Immigration is also favoured more often by men (63.3 percent) than by women (54 percent), and by younger persons rather than older ones (67 percent of those aged 18 to 29 and 63 percent of those aged 30 to 44, compared to 54 percent of those aged 45 to 59 and 56 percent of those aged 60 and older).
  • "Those who are employed full-time are much more supportive of immigration (64 percent), particularly compared to those who are unemployed (33 percent).
  • "Students and the self-employed are also more supportive of immigration (70 percent and 71 percent, respectively). The retired (53 percent) and those employed part-time (55 percent) are closer to evenly split on support for immigration" (p. 11).
• "Support for multiculturalism appears to be a strong force sustaining high levels of immigration in Canada. Fully 86 percent of Focus Canada respondents felt that multiculturalism was either very important or at least somewhat important to the national identity" (pp. 14-15).
• Nationally, an overwhelming 80 percent agreed [that ethnic groups should blend into Canadian society], and 51 percent agreed "strongly." The percentages were even higher in Quebec — 90 percent; but they were also strong in the rest of Canada — 77 percent" (p. 15).

Association for Canadian Studies study measures perceptions of ethnic diversity and integration

Background: This poll, commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies, surveyed Canadians about their perception of diversity in their communities. The poll was conducted via Leger Marketing’s web panel with a representative sample of 2,345 Canadians, between September 20^th and October 3^th, 2011. A probabilistic sample of 2,345 respondents would yield a margin of error of 2%, 19 times out of 20. More information on this study can be found here.

Key Findings:

• 61% of respondents feel that their school or workplace is ethnically diverse.
  • Those aged 18-24 were most likely to agree with the statement (74% agreement).
  • 72% of Allophones feel their school/workplace is diverse, compared to 46% of Francophones and 62% of Anglophones.
  • Respondents from Alberta and British Columbia were more likely to perceive that their environment was ethnically diverse, compared to those from Quebec (52%), Manitoba and Saskatchewan (56%), the Maritimes (57%), and Ontario (62%).
• Nearly six in ten (59%) of respondents disagreed that having many ethnic groups weakens national culture.
• 45% of respondents agreed that immigrants should "give up their customs and traditions to become more like the majority".
• Just over half of respondents (51%) feel that "the majority should try harder to accept the customs and traditions of cultural and religious groups".
  • However, only 30% agreed that "a country in which everyone speaks the same language and has similar ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs is preferable to a country in which people speak different languages and have different ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs".
  • Furthermore, 69% of respondents agreed that "society is strengthened by having many cultural and religious groups".
• Nearly half (49%) of respondents prefer living in a neighbourhood where most people share their cultural background.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation surveys Canadians and newcomers on Canadian values, immigration priorities

Background: A study commissioned by the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, conducted by Environics, surveyed Canadians and newcomers on Canadian values. The poll, conducted in collaboration with Dalhousie University, interviewed 2,000 adult Canadians between Oct. 11 and 22. Such a survey is accurate to within 2.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20.

Key Findings:

• When asked how they feel immigrants to Canada are fitting in, a small majority of respondents feel that immigrants are doing well in terms of finding jobs and gainful employment (59% feel that immigrants are doing well), participating in civic institutions like voting and volunteering (57%), and adopting Canadian values and ways of living (55%).
• "A majority of Canadians believe that immigrants coming to this country aspire to maintain at least some of their values and cultural practices, and in doing so make their new country a bit more like home. More than half strongly agree (14%) or agree (43%) with this viewpoint, compared with four in ten who disagree (32%) or strongly disagree (7%)", according to the Trudeau Foundation’s backgrounder.
• Nearly half (47%) of respondents feel that immigration is making Canada a better place, compared to only 16% who feel it makes Canada a worse place. Nearly one in three (29%) feel that immigration is not making a difference.
  • Those from Toronto and Vancouver, those with higher levels of education, allophones, and immigrants are most likely to have a positive view of immigration’s impact on the country.
• When asked which conditions should be in place for accepting an immigrant into Canada, popular answers include: adopting Canadian values of tolerance of others and gender equity (97%); accepting the preeminence of Canadian law over any religious laws (89%); and becoming familiar with Canadian history and culture (88%).
  • Other popular conditions include having immigrants raise their children as Canadians (79%); being fully fluent in either English or French (78%); and making an effort to create ties with non-immigrants outside their own ethnic group (77%). 59% of respondents believe immigrants should be required to become economically self-sufficient within their first year.
• When asked what values would be most important for an immigrant to adopt, popular responses included:
  • Respect for Canadian history and culture (28%);
  • Fluency in one of the country’s two official languages (26%);
  • Tolerance for others (19%);
  • Respect for the law (17%);
  • Respect for religion (9%);
  • The importance of assimilation (9%);
  • Gender equality (7%);
  • A healthy work ethic (5%); and
  • Democracy/freedom /peace (5%).
• Nearly three quarters (74%) of respondents feel it would be better for immigrants to be more evenly distributed across the nation, as opposed to settling in larger cities (Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver).
• Respondents are most likely to feel that economic class immigrants should be made a higher priority (51%), as opposed to family class (35%) or refugee class (30%) immigrants (see chart below).
  
  Text version: What priority should be placed on accepting new immigrants from specific categories?
• Nearly half (48%) of respondents feel that refugees who want to stay in Canada should be entitled to legal aid services to help them pay for their claims. 44% disagree with this statement, and 3% feel it depends on circumstances.
• Over one third (35%) of respondents disagree with increasing the number of temporary workers to fill job vacancies, compared to one third (33%) who agree with the policy.

Less than half of Canadians "strongly agree" that they know all the words to the national anthem: Association for Canadian Studies

Background: This poll on Canadians’ knowledge of O Canada was conducted online by Leger Marketing for the Association for Canadian Studies with a representative sample of 2,345 Canadians, between September 20^th and October 3^th, 2011. A probabilistic sample of 2,345 respondents would yield a margin of error of 2%, 19 times out of 20. More information on this study can be found here.

Key Findings:

• When asked if they knew all of the words of the Canadian national anthem by heart, 47% of Canadians responded that they did "strongly", compared to 28% who did "somewhat", and 22% who did not.
  • Respondents from Quebec were least likely to know all the words (61% strongly or somewhat agreed that they did), followed by those from British Columbia (75%), the Maritimes (77%), Ontario (78%), and the Prairies (Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan all with 83%).
  • Those with a university education were most likely to strongly or somewhat agree that they knew all the words (81%), compared to 73% of college graduates and 68% of those who completed elementary or high school.
  • Among respondents aged 18-24, 71% of Anglophones agreed that they knew all the words, compared to 40% of Francophones.

In the news:

• Wall Street Journal: November 2, 2011 – A study released in April by China Merchants Bank and Bain & Co. revealed that 46% of individuals in China with high net worth are considering emigration, and 14% had already begun arrangements for it.
  • Of those respondents with assets of $100 million or more, 55% are considering emigration, and an additional 21% are already living abroad or have filed applications for immigration.
  • Among those with an interest in emigrating, the top destination countries were the United States (40%), Canada (37%), and Singapore (14%).