"Friendly Fire" In Afghanistan

Equivalent Number (85%) Say Canadian Government Should Demand U.S. Pay Compensation to Families of Soldiers Killed or Injured

Four-in-Ten (44%) Canadians Angry with U.S. Military Over Bombing

However, Only Three-in-Ten (29%) Feel Canada Should Pull Troops Out of Afghanistan

Toronto, ONTARIO - In the aftermath of the first Canadian military casualties in a combat zone in almost half a century, Canadians are clearly upset at the "friendly fire" deaths of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. A new poll conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of CTV and The Globe and Mail, released today, indicates that while just under half (46%) of Canadians believe that in war zones these sort of tragic incidences happen, and no one is really to blame, a majority (52%) disagree.

Over eight -in-ten (84%) express the view that the U.S. Air National Guard F-16 pilot responsible for the bombing should stand trial if the investigation into the incident finds him negligent or to have disobeyed orders not to drop his bombs.

An equivalent proportion (85%) say that if the U.S. Military is found to be negligent by the investigation, the Canadian government should demand that the United States pay compensation to the families of the soldiers who were killed or injured.

A full four-in-ten (44%) Canadians say they are angry with the United States Military over the "friendly fire" bombing in Afghanistan, while over half (54%) indicate they are not angry.

However, only three-in-ten (29%) are angry enough to say that Canada should immediately pull troops out of Afghanistan. Seven-in-ten (69%) Canadians do not agree that Canadian troops should be withdrawn from Afghanistan.

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/CTV/Globe and Mail poll conducted on April 19th and 20th, 2002. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 800 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.5 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.

While Half (46%) of Canadians Agree that In War, These Types of Tragic Incidents Happen, A Majority (52%) Disagree

The `friendly fire' deaths of four Canadian soldiers - the first Canadian casualties in a combat zone since the Korean War nearly fifty years ago - resulting from a bomb dropped by an American Air National Guard F-16 pilot has clearly upset Canadians.

While, just under half (46%) of Canadians express the view that these incidents happen all the time in war zones, so that while it is tragic, no one is really to blame, fifty-two percent disagree with this view.

Of those who agree with this view . . .

• Regionally, they are more likely to be in Quebec (53%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (53%) and Ontario (49%), as compared to those in Atlantic Canada (42%), or Alberta (36%). Residents of British Columbia (32%) are least likely to agree with the view that these things happen in war zones, and not one is to blame.
• Men (49%) are more likely to express this view than women (44%).
• Older (51%) Canadians are more likely than their middle aged (46%) or younger (42%) counterparts to feel this way.

Of the majority (52%) who disagree with the view . . .

• They are more likely to be residents of British Columbia (67%) or Alberta (63%), followed by those in Atlantic Canada (56%), Ontario (50%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (47%) and Quebec (56%).
• Women (55%) are more likely to disagree than men (50%).
• Younger (57%) and middle aged (52%) Canadians are more likely to disagree with this view than older (46%) Canadians.

Over Eight-in-Ten (84%) Believe U.S. Pilot Responsible for Bombing of Canadian Troops Should Stand Trial

However, over eight -in-ten (84% - 61% strongly agree) believe if the investigation into the bombing determines that the U.S. Air National Guard pilot involved was negligent or had disobeyed orders not to drop his bombs, he should stand trial. Just over one-in-ten (14%) express the opposing view.

• Nine-in-ten (89%) Canadians between 18 and 34 years of age agree with this view. This compares to 85% of those between 35 and 54 and only 76% of those 55 years of age or older.
• There are no significant differences between regions, or across age, income or gender.

Equivalent Number (85%) Say Canadian Government Should Demand U.S. Pay Compensation to Families of Soldiers Killed or Injured

An equivalent proportion (85%) say that if the United States military is found to be negligent by the investigation into the incident, the Canadian government should demand that the United States pay compensation to the families of the soldiers who were killed or injured. Two-thirds (66%) strongly agree with this view, with a further 19% who somewhat agree. One-in-six (14%) express the opposing view.

• Regionally, those in Quebec (89%), Atlantic Canada (89%) and Alberta (88%) are the most likely to support this demand for compensation for the soldiers family, while resident of Ontario (82%), British Columbia (81%), and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (76%) are less likely to agree with this view.
• Women (89%) are more likely than men (80%) to express this view.
• Younger (89%) and middle aged (85%) Canadians are more likely than older (78%) Canadians to believe this to be the case.
• Canadians with less than a university degree (87%) are more likely to agree with this view than those who have a university degree (80%).

Four-in-Ten (44%) Angry with U.S. Military Over Bombing

A full four-in-ten (44%) Canadians say they are angry with the United States military over the "friendly fire" bombing in Afghanistan, while just over half (54%) disagree with this view.

• Residents of British Columbia (54%), are more likely to say they are angry with the U.S. military since the bombing than those in other regions, followed by Quebec (46%), Alberta (45%), Atlantic Canada (45%), and Ontario (40%). Residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba (33%) are least likely to express anger against the United States military over the bombing.
• Half of women (50%) compared to only thirty-eight percent of men express this anger.
• Younger (49%) Canadians are more likely than their middle-aged (42%) and older (39%) counterparts to feel angry over this incident.
• Half (50%) of Canadians from households with incomes of less than $30,000 express anger towards the U.S. Military compared to those from households with incomes of between $30,000 and $60,000 (44%) and $60,000 or more (38%).

However, Only Three-in-Ten (29%) Feel Canada Should Pull Troops Out of Afghanistan

However, only three-in-ten (29%) are angry enough to say that Canada should immediately pull troops out of Afghanistan, while seven-in-ten (69%) disagree with this view.

• Quebecers (45%) and those in British Columbia (33%) are the most likely to express the view that Canadian troops should be immediately withdrawn from Afghanistan. This compares to 28% of Atlantic Canada residents, 23% of residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, 20% of Ontarians, and 19% of Albertans.
• Women (32%) are more likely to express this view and men (25%).
• Canadians in the lowest (45%) and middle (32%) household income groups are more likely than those in the highest (15%) household income group to believe Canadian troops should be withdrawn from the Afghanistan war zone.

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

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