Investigation into APEC is considered important

This Angus Reid Group/CTV/Globe and Mail poll was conducted by telephone between October 13th and 18th, 1998 among a representative cross-section of 1500 Canadians.

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. With a sample of 1500, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the overall results are within +2.5 percentage points 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.

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Three in five (60%) consider treatment of students and possible involvement of Prime Minister's Office at APEC an important matter to investigate

Half (47%) believe RCMP used an unreasonable amount of force (compared to 38% who indicate reasonable)

Investigation into APEC is considered important

Respondents were told that an official investigation into how student protesters were treated by the RCMP during last fall's APEC Conference, and the potential involvement by the Prime Minister's Office in the incident is underway. They were then asked to choose between two competing views on the investigation. Three in five (60%) believe that it is an important matter to investigate because it deals with issues of fundamental human rights and a potential cover-up by the Prime Minister's Office. An additional third (33%) indicate that it is simply a side issue involving a few disgruntled students and does not deserve an investigation.

While the view that this is an important investigation holds true across all age groups, younger Canadians are more likely to view the investigation as an important one (64% among those 18-34) than older Canadians (57% among those over 55).

Half (47%) believe RCMP used an unreasonable level of force during APEC

Respondents were told that there is currently some controversy about last year's APEC Conference in Vancouver, which was a meeting of leaders from several Pacific Rim countries. Specifically, they were told that the RCMP has been accused of using too much force to disperse student protesters on the University of British Columbia campus. Based on what they have seen, read or heard, respondents were asked if they think the RCMP used a reasonable or unreasonable amount of force to disperse student protesters at the APEC conference.

Half (47%) indicate that the RCMP used an unreasonable amount of force to disperse student protesters while two in five (38%) indicate that the RCMP used a reasonable amount of force.

Once again, there are interesting differences across generation-lines. Younger Canadians (54% among those between 18 and 34) are more likely to indicate that the RCMP used an unreasonable amount of force than older Canadians (44% among those over 55 years).

For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Angus Reid Group
(416) 324-2900

Bob Richardson
Senior Vice-President
Angus Reid Group
(416) 324-2900