Soon after the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops residential school site, we conducted a national survey of 3,000 Canadians with @CRRF and @AFN_Updates.
The results indicate that this event might be a tipping point.
Not only did almost all Canadians hear about it, but it had most people thinking about residential schools and how Indigenous people have been treated in Canada.
How did Canadians react to the discovery? 24% weren't surprised, but for the rest of the country, it was worse than they thought. 1 in 3 said they were "shocked" by the news.
Why shocked? Because most Canadians know little or nothing about the residential school system. Our understanding is quite limited, especially among older Canadians.
A majority of Canadians agree that the residential school policy was "genocide".
So what should we do?
We find broad and deep support for several actions the Federal government could take.
There's also broad understanding that our education systems aren't doing enough to teach students about the history of residential schools.
And that the current approach to teaching history, down plays what really happened.
As a result, 2 in 3 Canadians want their provincial government to increase the amount students learn about the history of residential schools.
Finally, for many Canadians, the discovery in Kamloops has put a focus on Indigenous issues and has changed their views. 49% say they have a new appreciation for the damage residential schools caused Indigenous people.
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NEW: What do Americans think about Canada, tariffs, and a possible trade war? Our latest @gzero / @abacusdataca poll finds surprising insights on how our neighbors view the economic relationship. 🇺🇸🇨🇦 🧵⬇️
Canada’s Reputation:
Americans have a positive view of Canada—69% favourable vs. just 8% unfavourable. But when it comes to economic issues, goodwill doesn’t always translate into policy alignment.
Trade & Tariffs:
56% of Americans believe Canada has benefited more from free trade than their country.
But only a minority think Canada is a major source of fentanyl or illegal immigrants
These perceptions are fascinating and important to consider.
🧵Why have the Conservatives gained most and the Liberals lost most among economically progressive/ culturally conservative voters according to the @abacusdataca voter segmentation?
Conservatives have gained momentum among Economic Progressives & Cultural Conservatives because these voters prioritize affordability and social stability.
They support government intervention in healthcare, education, or income support, but feel uneasy about rapid cultural shifts.
Trudeau’s Liberals, in their view, either overreached on social issues and under-delivered on tangible economic relief - it's a perfect storm caused by inflationitis.
Poilievre’s Conservatives tapped into frustrations about rising living costs, rising crime, and the impact of immigration.
By promising lower taxes, supporting traditional values, and critiquing bureaucratic “gatekeepers,” Conservatives appear more in tune with these voters’ desire for strong public programs and cautious cultural evolution, driving a shift in support.
Working on some new #cdnpoli poll analysis that I'm really excited about.
Back in April, I asked Canadians what they thought a Poilievre government would do if elected and what it should do.
I reasked the exact same questions on our most recent @abacusdataca survey...🧵
The results are fascinating.
First, perceptions about what a Poilievre government would or wouldn't do haven't changed much EXCEPT for:
Eliminating the carbon tax (+14)
Making housing more affordable (+9)
Cutting taxes (+6)
Taking climate change seriously (+5)
The fact that axing the carbon tax and housing have most so much is a testiment to the relentless discipline the Conservatives and Poilievre have displayed on those two issues.
First, some key metrics for the Liberals, the fed gov't and the PM haven't moved much from last month.
The shift is not about people warming up to the PM or Liberal gov't again.
Second, we do see an uptick in negative sentiment towards @PierrePoilievre. 3-point increase in negatives and a corresponding 3-point decline in positives.
Working through some new polling I did on immigration in Canada which I'm going to track every 6 months.
Survey was done last week with a representative sample of 1,500 Canadian adults online.
A few initial findings and thoughts:
#cdnpoli #immigration #publicopinion #canada
When told that Canada's immigration target is about 500,000, 6 in 10 feel it is too high, including 37% who say it is "way too high".
Views are pretty consistent across the country (except in BC). Age is somewhat of a factor - younger Canadians less likely to feel immigration target is too high.
Interestingly, even a majority of immigrants think the immigration target is too high.