Eight in Ten (82%) Canadians Approve Romanow Recommendation of $15 Billion Infusion into Healthcare Over Three Years Even If It Takes All Projected Budget Surplus
However, of the 82% of Canadians who express approval for following this recommendation, one-third (36%) say they would change their mind and disapprove if told that means that very little of the federal surplus would be available for improving other important areas like post-secondary education, the military or paying down the debt. Under these conditions, only 52% would support dedicating the federal surplus to healthcare.
Half (50%) of Canadians say that they are familiar with the Romanow Commission Report on the future of healthcare in Canada, while the other half (50%) say they are not very (27%) or not at all (23%) familiar with the report. However, only 6% of Canadians say they are very familiar with the Report indicating they have name recognition only. Of Canadians who are familiar with the Romanow Report, a majority (58%) report having a positive impression. Fifteen percent say they have a negative impression, while 20% have neither a positive nor a negative impression.
Organizations representing nurses (88%) and doctors (86%) are seen as the most believable spokespersons when discussing issues related to Canada's healthcare system. A representative of the Romanow Commission is seen as being believable on this topic by three-quarters (77%) of Canadians. Provincial premiers (64%) are seen as slightly more believable than the Prime Minister (57%) on this subject, while labour leaders are viewed as believable when discussing the healthcare system by 55% and the head of a major business organization is seen by 51% as being believable when discussing Canada's healthcare system.
These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/CTV/Globe and Mail poll conducted between December 3rd and December 5th, 2002. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,000 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 2001 Census data.
Eight in ten (82%) Canadians approve of the recommendation of the Romanow Report that the federal government spend an additional $15 billion on healthcare over the next three years. Respondents were told that if the federal government follows this recommendation, it means that the projected federal budget surplus for this period would be sent almost exclusively on improving healthcare services in Canada. Seventeen percent say they disapprove of the federal government following this recommendation.
- In general, those in Eastern Canada (Quebec 87%, Ontario 84%, Atlantic Canada 84%) are more likely than those in the west (Alberta 78%, Saskatchewan/Manitoba 74%, British Columbia 74%) to say they approve of the federal government following this recommendation.
- More woman (86%) than men (78%) approve of the federal government following this recommendation of the Romanow Commission.
- This can also be said of Canadians in lower (85%) and middle (84%) income households compared to those in upper income households (77%).
- Approval is highest among decided NDP (90%) and Liberal (85%) voters, while approval is slightly lower among supporters of the Conservatives (77%) and the Canadian Alliance (75%).
However, of the 82% of Canadians who express approval for following this recommendation, one-third (36%) say they would change their mind and disapprove if told that means that very little of the federal surplus would be available for improving other important areas like post-secondary education, the military or paying down the debt. Under these conditions, only 52% would support dedicating the federal surplus to healthcare.
- Regionally, of those that initially express approval, close to half (47%) of Albertans in this group say they would change their minds and disapprove of the federal government following this Romanow recommendation if it meant that there was little of the federal surplus available to improve other areas. This compares to the views of others who initially approved in Ontario (40%), British Columbia (35%), Quebec (31%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (30%) and Atlantic Canada (30%).
Half (50%) of Canadians say that they are familiar with the Romanow Commission Report on the future of healthcare in Canada, while the other half (50%) say they are not very (27%) or not at all (23%) familiar with the report. However, only 6% of Canadians say they are very familiar with the Report indicating they have name recognition only.
- Canadians in Alberta (62%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (61%) and Atlantic Canada (59%) are the most likely to be familiar with the Romanow Report. This compares to 54% in British Columbia, 51% in Ontario and 33% in Quebec.
- Older (64%) Canadians are more likely to say they are familiar with the report than are middle aged (52%) or younger (33%) Canadians.
- More men (55%) say they are familiar with the report than do women (44%).
- Canadians in upper income households (61%) are more likely than are those in middle (45%) or lower (41%) income households to indicate they are familiar with the report.
Of Canadians who are familiar with the Romanow Report, a majority (58%) report having a positive impression. Fifteen percent say they have a negative impression, while 20% have neither a positive nor a negative impression.
- Regionally, of those who say they are familiar with the Romanow Report, residents of Atlantic Canada (76%) are the most likely to say they have a positive impression, while residents of Alberta (53%) and Quebec (49%) who say they are familiar with the report are the least likely to say they have a positive impression of the report.
- Among this sub group of those familiar with the report, decided NDP voters (70%) lead the list of those with a positive impression, followed by decided Liberals (63%), Tories (57%) and Alliance (52%) voters.
Organizations representing nurses (88%) and doctors (86%) are seen as the most believable spokespersons when discussing issues related to Canada's healthcare system. A representative of the Romanow Commission is seen as being believable on this topic by three-quarters (77%) of Canadians. Provincial premiers (64%) are seen as slightly more believable than the Prime Minister (57%) on this subject, while labour leaders are viewed as believable when discussing the healthcare system by 55% and the head of a major business organization is seen by 51% as being believable when discussing Canada's healthcare system.
To view the release and tables, please open the attached PDF files.
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For more information on this news release, please contact:
Darrell Bricker
President and COO
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900
