As Canadian Olympic Committee Sets Goal To Be Atop Medal Standings in Vancouver 2010 Games, Just 9% Say Expectations are `Unrealistic and Overly Ambitious'

Toronto, ON -- With the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver just one year away, the Canadian Olympic Committee has set a goal of winning the most medals at the 2010 games. Despite finishing third in the medal count at the last Winter Olympic Games in 2006 - five medals behind first-place Germany - a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted exclusively for Canwest News Service and Global Television has revealed that few (9%) believe the expectations set for the Canadian athletes competing in the 2010 games are `unrealistic and overly ambitious'.

In fact, 42% believe that these expectations are `realistic' and another 8% say `we should be able to do it with ease'. Four in ten (37%) suggest the goal set by the Canadian Olympic Committee is `attainable, but a stretch'. Three percent (3%) are unsure.

Despite the optimism that Canadians have for our Olympians, a majority (51%) `disagrees' (27% strongly/25% somewhat) that `our athletes have the financial resources to succeed'. Only four in ten (41%) `agree' (12% strongly/29% somewhat) with this sentiment. In light of this finding, it's not surprising that only one in three (34%) `agrees' (12% strongly/22% somewhat) that they will be `disappointed if Canada does not win the most medals out of all of the countries participating'. Most (65%) `disagree' (31% strongly/34% somewhat) that they would feel this way if the athletes didn't meet the goal that the Canadian Olympic Committee has set out.

Thinking about going to the games yourself? You're not alone. Roughly one in ten (13%) `agree' (6% strongly/7% somewhat) that they `plan to personally attend the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and Whistler in 2010'. Most (85%) say they will not be able to attend personally, but two in three (67%) `agree' (33% strongly/34% somewhat) that `they plan to watch the Olympics extensively on the television'. One in three (33%) `disagrees' (15% strongly/18% somewhat) that they'll watch the games extensively on the television.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted February 3 to 5, 2009 for Canwest News Service and Global Television. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 1,000 adult Canadians was interviewed by telephone. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 1773.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population of Canada been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Kyle Braid
Vice President
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(778) 373-5130
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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