EIGHT-IN-TEN (78%) CANADIANS WOULD FEEL SAFER WITH AN AIR MARSHAL ON FLIGHTS

Toronto, ONTARIO- As Air Canada begins flights to Washington D.C.'s Reagan National Airport with an armed security officer known as an Air Marshal on board, an Ipsos-Reid/Globe and Mail/CTV poll released today indicates that most Canadians support the idea of Air Marshals on Canada's airlines. Eight-in-ten (78%) Canadians say that they would feel safer flying if they knew that there were an Air Marshal on board. In fact, a majority (52%) strongly agrees with this view. The cost of providing this security aboard flights should be covered by the Federal Government according to seven-in-ten (72%) Canadians.

Two-thirds (67%) indicate that they would be more likely to fly if they knew that an Air Marshal was with them aboard the flight.

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/Globe and Mail/CTV poll conducted between November 6th and 8th . The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,001 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 1996 Census data.

On November 12th Air Canada begins flights to Washington D.C.'s Reagan National Airport with an armed security officer known as an Air Marshal on board. Eight-in-ten (78%) Canadians say that they would feel safer flying if they knew that there were an Air Marshal on board. In fact, a majority (52%) agrees with this view.

• Those in Atlantic Canada (87%) are most likely to agree that they would feel safer if they knew an Air Marshal was on board their plane. This compares to those in British Columbia (78%), Alberta (78%), Ontario (78%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (77%), and Quebec (77%).
• Canadians with a high school (82%) or less than a high school (86%) education are more likely than those with a post-secondary (76%) or a university degree (72%) to say they would feel safer if an Air Marshal was aboard their flight.
• Those from the lowest (84%) and middle (79%) household income bracket are more likely than their counterparts in the upper (70%) income brackets to say that they would feel safer.
• Older (81%) and middle aged (80%) Canadians are more likely than younger (74%) Canadians to say they would feel safer on a flight that had an Air Marshal.
• Women (81% versus 75% of men) are more likely to agree that they would feel safer on a flight with an Air Marshal.

According to seven-in-ten (72%) Canadians the cost of providing this security aboard flights should be covered by the Federal Government. In fact, four-in-ten (41%) strongly agree with this view.

• Atlantic Canadians (80%) are more likely than those in other regions to express the view that the cost for Air Marshals should fall to the federal government. This compares to Ontario (73%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (71%), Quebec (70%), British Columbia (69%), and Alberta (68%).
• Women (76% versus 67% of men) are more likely to agree that the federal government should cover the cost of providing Air Marshals.

Two-thirds (67%) indicate that they would be more likely to fly if they knew that an Air Marshal was with them aboard a flight. Four-in-ten (41%) strongly agree with this view.

• Those in Atlantic Canada (80%) are the most likely to say that they would be more likely to fly if they knew an Air Marshal was on the flight. This compares to those in Alberta (71%), Quebec (69%), British Columbia (66%), Ontario (64%). While those in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (59%) are less likely to feel this way.
• Those in the lowest household income bracket (76%) are more likely than those in the middle income bracket (68%) or highest income bracket (57%) to say that they would be more likely to fly if an Air Marshal was aboard.
• Those with less than high school education (84%) are more likely to believe this, as compared to those with a high school diploma (75%), or a post-secondary education below a university degree (66%). Those with a university degree (55%) are less likely to say they would be more likely to fly.
• Canadians 55 years of age or older (76%) are more likely than those aged 35 to 54 (68%) or 18 to 34 years of age (58%) to express the view an Air Marshal on board a flight would make them more likely to fly.
• This view is more likely to be expressed by women (71%) than by men (63%).

To view the complete media release and tables, please download the PDF file.

-30-
For more information on this news release, please contact:
John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Public Affairs
Ipsos-Reid
(416) 324-2900

John Wright