If They Had the Chance to Carry the Olympic Torch, Nearly One Half (44%) Would Choose
to Pass the Torch to Terry Fox,
Topping the List of Iconic Canadians

Toronto, ON - If they had a chance to be an Olympic Torchbearer and could choose any Canadian (living or deceased) to pass the torch to, nearly one half (44%) of Canadians would choose to relay the torch to Terry Fox, the heroic Canadian who was unable to complete his cross-Canada Marathon of Hope in 1980. Terry Fox topped the list across the country, among all age categories, and for both men and women. Receiving the next-most votes is hockey-legend Wayne Gretzky (14%), followed by former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (12%), pop-star Celine Dion (7%), hockey-legend Gordie Howe (5%), and jazz-pianist Oscar Peterson (3%).

Rounding out the top-ten are Nancy Greene (3%), Tommy Douglas (3%), Emily Carr (3%) and a three-way tie among Margaret Atwood (2%), Hayley Wickenheiser (2%), and Maurice Richard (2%).

These are the findings of a poll conducted on behalf of RBC from February 12 to 16, 2009. This online survey of 1,030 Canadian adults was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results of these polls are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online polls, however, an unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had the entire adult population of Canada been polled.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
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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