Country Split on Whether Harper Right Not to Answer Questions about Sacked Minister's `Private' Ex-Relationship (51%) or Treat as Legitimate Questions on National Security Risk (44%)

Ottawa, ON - In a week that saw the swift resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier as a result of leaving classified cabinet documents at his ex-girlfriend's apartment, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global Television finds that the country is split on whether Prime Minister Harper was right not to answer questions during Question Period and media scrums about Mr. Bernier's and Ms. Couillard's relationship.

While one half (51%) of Canadians say `the Prime Minister was right not to answer questions regarding the private relationship of one of his ministers and girlfriend, and that the details of who his ministers are dating are nobody's business', nearly one half (44%) would adopt the opposite stance saying that `since Couillard had ties to a biker gang, national security was at risk and therefore questions about their relationship were legitimate'. Five percent (5%) of Canadians do not know which statement more closely reflects their point of view.

A clear majority (55%) of Canadians, however, think `there should be an RCMP investigation into the security breach and the details of Mr. Bernier and Ms. Couillard's relationship'. On the other hand, four in ten (39%) Canadians are of the opinion that Mr. Bernier simply made `an honest mistake by leaving the files behind and no investigation is necessary'. Five percent (5%) of Canadians do not know with which statement they more closely identify.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global Television from May 27 to May 29, 2008. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 1001 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.

Country Split on Whether Prime Minister Right to Refuse to Answer Questions on `Private' Relationship...

One half (51%) of Canadians say `the Prime Minister was right not to answer questions regarding the private relationship of one of his ministers and girlfriend, and that the details of who his ministers are dating are nobody's business'.

• Residents of Alberta (60%) are most likely to agree that the Prime Minister was right not to answer questions about their private relationship, followed by Quebecers (55%), Atlantic Canadians (54%), Ontarians (49%), British Columbians (41%) and residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (40%).
• Younger Canadians (54%) are more likely than middle-aged (51%) or older Canadians (47%) to agree with the Prime Minister's stance.

Nearly one half (44%) of Canadians believe that `since Couillard had ties to a biker gang, national security was at risk and therefore questions about their relationship were legitimate'.

• Residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (57%) were most likely to agree that questions about their relationship were legitimate, followed by British Columbians (52%), Ontarians (45%), Atlantic Canadians (42%), Quebecers (40%) and Albertans (31%).
• Older Canadians (49%) were more likely to agree that questions about Bernier and Couillard's relationship were legitimate, while middle-aged (44%) and younger Canadians (39%) were less likely to think so.

Majority (55%) Wants RCMP Investigation...

A majority (55%) of Canadians believe there should be an RCMP investigation into the security breach committed by former Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier, and the details of his relationship with Julie Couillard. However, support for an investigation varies across the country:

• Residents of Alberta (64%) are most likely to want to see an RCMP investigation into this matter, followed by those living in British Columbia (62%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (59%), Ontario (54%), Quebec (53%) and Atlantic Canada (44%).
• Younger Canadians (59%), aged 18 to 34, are more likely than those aged 35+ (54%) to want an RCMP investigation.

On the other hand, four in ten (39%) believe that no investigation is necessary:

• Residents of Atlantic Canada (52%) are the most likely to say that no investigation is necessary, followed by those living in Quebec (43%), Ontario (38%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (37%), British Columbia (33%) and Alberta (30%).
• Older Canadians (42%), aged 55 and older, are more likely than middle-aged (40%), aged 35 to 54, and younger Canadians (35%), aged 18 to 34, to think that no investigation is necessary.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Dr. Darrell Bricker
President & CEO
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
416-509-8460
[email protected]

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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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