Canadians Outline Top Priorities for Canada's Leaders
Heading into 2011

Toronto, ON - Heading into 2011, a year which could see a federal election, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted exclusively on behalf of Postmedia News and Global Television has uncovered the issues that Canadians believe should receive the greatest attention from Canada's leaders.

Not surprisingly, the economy continues to be the number-one issue for Canadians, with 29% naming this issue, unaided and unprompted, as one of the top-three policy areas they'd like to see Canada's leaders focused on. The economy has been on top of Ipsos Reid's Issue Watch since April of 2008. However, currently at 29%, it is well down from its recent high of 63% in March of 2009.

In times of economic prosperity and no national crisis, healthcare tends to be on top of the Issue Watch charts. As the country slowly creeps out of recession and the economic engine begins to chug along, healthcare is once again edging closer to the top spot. In a close second place, one quarter (26%) of Canadians indicate that this is the issue they want to see Canada's leaders focus on. During the recession, mentions of healthcare slipped to 18% -- the lowest it had been since July of 1997. It has been as high as 62% in July of 2004.

In third position is the environment, with mentions from 19% of Canadians, well off its high 27% witnessed in October of 2007. The recession appeared to steer Canadians away from an interest in this policy issue, and their focus on the environment hasn't yet rebounded from the recession.

In fourth place, 12% of Canadians believe that education and schools should be the focus of Canada's leaders. This issue is steadily trumpeted by one in ten Canadians, but as high as 19% in July of 2004.

Related to the economy, and rounding out the top five issues, 9% of Canadians specifically mention jobs and unemployment, placing it in fifth place, overall. Specific mentions of jobs and unemployment are well off the all-time high of 49% in July of 1997, and its recent high of 16% in March of 2009.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between December 9 and 14, 2010, on behalf of Postmedia News and Global Television. For this survey, a sample of 1,044 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

The following graph reveals the top ten issues in Canada, and how they rank in the various regions of the country:

(Click to enlarge image)

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Darrell Bricker
CEO
Ipsos Public Affairs
(416) 324-2001
[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.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.

Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe. Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2009, Ipsos generated global revenues of e943.7 million ($1.33 billion U.S.). .

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