On Immigrants and Aboriginals: Majority (72%) of Canadians Disagree That Canada Should Admit More Immigrants than Current Levels, Split on Whether Immigration has Been Positive (40%) or Negative (34%)

Toronto, ON - Three-quarters (72%) of Canadians `disagree' (34% strongly/38% somewhat) that `Canada should let in more immigrants than it currently does', according to the fourth instalment in a special series on Canada conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Postmedia News and Global Television. Believing that Canada should open its doors wider, three in ten (28%) `agree' (5% strongly/23% somewhat) that Canada should take in more immigrants than its current amount.

That most Canadians do not want to increase our levels of immigration is likely a function of the fact that Canadians are pretty evenly split on whether immigration had has a positive or negative effect on Canada, with a slight edge going to more positive. Four in ten (40%) are of the opinion that immigration has had a `positive' (9% very/31% fairly) impact on Canada. Conversely, three in ten (34%) say that immigration has had a `negative' (12% strongly/23% fairly) impact on the country. Two in ten (23%) think immigration has had neither a positive nor a negative impact on Canada, while 3% say they don't know. These opinions have remained consistent with the only change being in those who saw immigration as `positive', up 1 point since last year.

Although the history between the Canadian government and Aboriginal peoples has been subject to debate and controversy, many Canadians believe that Aboriginal peoples now get a fair shake from the government. Two in three (66%) `agree' (27% strongly/39% somewhat) that `Canada's Aboriginal peoples are treated well by the Canadian government'. Just one in ten (34%) `disagree' (11% strongly/23% somewhat) that the Canadian government treats Aboriginal peoples well.

While majority believe that the Canadian government is supportive of Aboriginal peoples, a majority also believe that Aboriginal peoples receive too much support from Canadian taxpayers. Nearly two in three (64%) `agree' (27% strongly/36% somewhat) that `Canada's Aboriginal peoples receive too much support from Canadian taxpayers'. Four in ten (36%), however, `disagree' (11% strongly/26% somewhat) that Aboriginal peoples get too much for the government.

Immigration by the Demos...

The data reveal that in those provinces where immigration has played a more prominent role, Canadians are more mixed on the effects of immigration:

• British Columbians are the most split on whether immigration has had a positive or negative impact (38% positive vs. 37% negative), while opinions are also mixed in Ontario (41% positive vs. 38% negative). By comparison, in a place like Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where there is less immigration, opinions are decidedly positive (43% positive vs. 25% negative). Quebec (39% positive vs. 32% negative), Atlantic Canada (38% positive vs. 31% negative) and Alberta (43% positive vs. 33% negative) are in the middle, but leaning towards positive.
• Men (44% positive vs. 34% negative) are more likely than women (37% positive vs. 35% negative) to believe the impact of immigration on Canada has been positive.
• Those aged 18 to are more positive (46% positive vs. 24% negative) in their impressions than those aged 35 to 54 (39% positive vs. 33% negative), while those aged 55+ are decidedly negative (37% positive vs. 45% negative) in their opinions on immigration.

Some Canadians are more likely than others to want to see Canada accept more immigrants than it currently does:

• Atlantic Canadians (42%) are most inclined to agree, followed by those living in British Columbia (32%), Alberta (31%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (30%), Quebec (27%) and Ontario (23%).
• Men (31%) are more likely than women (25%) to believe that Canada should admit more immigrants than it does currently.
• Younger Canadians (38%) are considerably more likely than middle-aged (25%) or older (22%) generations to agree.

Canadians Say Aboriginals are Well Treated, Perhaps Too Well...

While most (66%) believe that Canada's aboriginal peoples are treated well, there is a great deal of variation across the country:

• Residents of Quebec (75%) and Alberta (73%) are most likely to believe this is true, followed by those living in British Columbia (69%), Atlantic Canada (65%), Ontario (60%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (54%).
• Middle-aged (72%) Canadians are most likely to believe Aboriginals are treated well, compared to fewer older (67%) or younger (57%) Canadians who believe this is the case.

A majority of Canadians from every demographic group studied believe that Canada's aboriginal peoples receive too much support from Canadian taxpayers.

• Residents of Alberta (79%), British Columbia (74%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (69%) are most inclined to think so, followed by those in the east in Quebec (66%), Atlantic Canada (59%) and Ontario (55%).
• Once again, middle-aged (67%) and older (65%) Canadians are most likely to believe that taxpayers provide too much support, while 57% of young people think so too.

These are some of the findings of two Ipsos Reid polls conducted between June 20-25, 2012, and June 11-18, 2012, on behalf of Postmedia News and Global Television. For the first survey, a sample of 1,101 Canadians from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. The second poll comprises a sample of 1,009 Canadians. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.0 percentage points and +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, respectively, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Darrell Bricker
CEO
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
416.324.2001
[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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