Golden Reflections

Toronto, ONTARIO (Thursday, February 13th, 2003) - Almost half (48%) of the Canadian adult population watched at least one of the televised gold medal hockey games involving the Canadian men's and women's Olympic hockey team at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, U.S.A. After reflecting upon a number of the most popular Canadian Olympic hockey moments from these Games, the most favourite moment among viewers was when members of the arena audience sang "Oh Canada" during the last minute of the men's gold medal hockey game (26%). Three-quarters (75%) of those who watched agree that the gold medal hockey victories for both the men's and women's teams show that Canada is the best hockey playing country in the world according to a new poll released today.

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted on behalf of General Mills of Canada between December 12 and 19, 2002. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 2,003 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. A major portion of the survey focusing upon those Canadians who watched at least one gold medal Olympic hockey game has a sample of 965, with a margin of error of 177 3.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. 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.

How Many Canadians Watched the Olympics and How Many Viewed At Least One Game of the Gold Medal Hockey Competition?

On Thursday, February 21st, the Canadian Women's Olympic hockey team defeated Team U.S.A. for the gold medal. Three days later this was replicated by the men's Olympic hockey team when they also scored the gold medal by defeating Team U.S.A.

Six-in-ten Canadians (60%) indicated that they watched portions of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games on television and almost half (48%) of the adult Canadian population indicated in this survey to having tuned-in to at least one of those two games for the gold medals - with four-in-ten (37%) admitting to having watched both games.

Forty-four percent (44%) of Canadians watched the men's game compared to 41% who watched the women's game. Viewership of the men's game was highest in Manitoba/Saskatchewan (55%), followed by British Columbia (48%), Alberta (48%), Ontario (47%), Atlantic Canada (41%) and Quebec (34%). Viewership was consistent across age groups (18-34: 46%; 35-54: 45%; 55+: 42%), while men (52%) were more likely than women (37%) to have watched the game. Viewership of the women's game was highest as well in Saskatchewan/Manitoba (52%), followed by British Columbia (46%), Alberta (44%), Ontario (42%), Atlantic Canada (38%) and finally Quebec (33%). Men (46% versus 36% of women) were also more likely to have viewed the women's game, however the gender gap was smaller. Once again, viewership was consistent across age groups (18-34: 40%; 35-54: 41%; 55+: 42%).

And What Were Their Favourite Moments of the Gold Medal Games

Canadians who watched at least one of the gold medal games were asked to think of all the Canadian Olympic hockey games and specify, unprompted by the interviewer, what their specific Canadian hockey moment was for the tournament.

The favourite moments were the final men's hockey goal for the gold medal (16% -- 21% in Ontario and 24% among those aged 18 to 34); the final women's hockey goal for the gold medal (10% -- 19% in Saskatchewan/Manitoba and 14% among women); the victory/gold medal win (7%); seeing the teams celebrate after they won their final games (6%); the women's hockey Canadian gold victory (4%); the Canadian National Anthem being played at the gold medal ceremonies (3%); the loonie at Centre Ice (2%); the men's hockey Canadian gold victory (2%); and Wayne Gretzky's press conference (2%).

While the list above came spontaneously from viewers, respondents were then reminded of certain events that occurred and were asked to indicate which ones were their favourite moment. Members of the arena audience singing "O Canada" during the last minute of the men's gold medal hockey game (26%) ranked as the top choice; followed by seeing the teams celebrate after their final games (21%); the Canadian national anthem being played at the Gold Medal Ceremonies (18%); Wayne Gretzky's press conference about the media and public criticism of the men's team (16%); and the speech made by Coach Daniele Sauvageau on the ice rink to the women's team after they won the gold medal (13%).

And What Effect Did It Have?

Among those who watched at least one of the games three-quarters (75%) believe that the gold medal hockey victories showed that Canada is the best hockey-playing country in the world - with highest support coming from Atlantic Canada (84%), women (77%), and younger Canadians (80%- aged 18 to 34).

And perhaps on a more profound level, 70 percent of those who watched at least one game agreed that after the gold medal hockey victories they felt "a greater sense of unity with my fellow Canadians than I did before" - highest in Atlantic Canada (80%), among women (72%), and in a virtual tie between younger (73%) and older (72%) Canadians.

The following are directional regional findings. What this means is that the margin of error in the various regions is such that while the numbers point directionally to the findings, they may be higher or lower when measured against a statistical verification. As such, every time these numbers are used they should be looked at from a directional perspective.

British Columbia

• Seventy-nine percent of B.C. respondents indicate that "the gold medal hockey victories showed that Canada is the best hockey playing country in the world".
• When choosing from a list of moments from the game, B.C. respondents chose members of the arena audience singing O Canada during the last minute of the men's gold medal hockey game (29%) as their favourite moment.

Alberta

• Seventy-two percent of Albertans agreed that after the gold medal hockey victories they felt a greater sense of unity with their fellow Canadians than they did before.
• Eighty percent of Albertans indicated that the gold medal hockey victories showed that Canada is the best hockey playing country in the world.
• Reflecting on a series of moments from the gold medal games, 35 percent of Albertans chose members of the arena audience singing O Canada during the last minute of the men's gold medal hockey game - the highest recorded in the country.

Saskatchewan/Manitoba

• When asked to choose their most favourite moments from the game, 26 percent chose members of the arena audience singing O Canada between the last minute of the men's gold medal hockey game with 22 percent (the most in the country) choosing the Canadian national anthem being playing at the gold medal ceremonies.
• Respondents from Saskatchewan/Manitoba were second most likely in the country (75%) to indicate that after the gold medal hockey victories they felt a greater sense of unity with their fellow Canadians than they did before and were also the second most likely (82%) to agree with the gold medal hockey victories showed that Canada is the best hockey playing country in the world.

Ontario

• When asked to choose what their favourite moment of the Canadian Olympic hockey series was, Ontarians who watched the games chose members of the arena audience singing O Canada during the last minute of the men's gold medal hockey game (26%), followed by the Canadian National Anthem being played at the Gold Medal Ceremonies (21%)
• Seventy percent of those who watched at least one of the gold medal games in Ontario indicated that after the victories they felt a greater sense of unity with their fellow Canadians than they did before.
• Of those who watched, 74 percent of Ontarians indicated that the gold medal hockey victories showed that Canada is the best hockey-playing country in the world.

Quebec

• When asked to choose their favourite moment from the gold medal games, Quebecers who had watched were most likely in the country to indicate seeing the teams' celebrate after they won their final games (29%) and were also most likely to indicate the speech made by Coach Daniele Sauvageau on the ice rink to the women's team after they won the gold medal (27%).
• Sixty-one percent of Quebecers who watched at least one gold medal game say that they felt a greater sense of unity with their fellow Canadians afterwards.
• Sixty-seven percent of Quebecers who watched at least one gold medal game agree that these hockey victories show that Canada is the best hockey-playing country in the world.

Atlantic Canada

• When asked to choose among their most favourite Canadian Olympic hockey moments, Atlantic Canadians watched indicated that members of the arena audience singing O Canada during the last minute of the men's gold medal hockey game ranked foremost (27%).
• Atlantic Canadian viewers were also most likely in the country to indicate that Wayne Gretzky's press conference about the media and public criticism of the men's team were a key moment (24%).
• Atlantic Canadian viewers were the most likely to indicate that after the gold medal hockey victories they felt a greater sense of unity with their fellow Canadians (80%) than they did before the games in comparison to other provinces.
• Atlantic Canadian viewers were also the most likely to agree that the gold medal hockey victories showed that Canada is the best hockey-playing country in the world.

To view the factum and detailed tables, please open the attached PDF files.

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For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900