Majority (56%) of Canadians Support Changing Maternal-Health Initiative to Fund Abortions in Developing Nations

Toronto, ON - As many of the world's most powerful leaders gather in Muskoka to discuss issues of international importance, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Canada.com has revealed that Canada's current position on not funding abortions as part of the maternal-health initiative is only supported by a minority of Canadians.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has made child and maternal health in developing nations a focus of the G8 meeting taking place in Huntsville later this week. Canada's official global maternal-health plan includes funding for family planning such as contraceptive methods, but does not include funding for abortion in developing nations.

According to the poll, a majority (56%) of Canadians do not agree with the Prime Minister's position and would `support' (28% very much/27% somewhat) `Canada changing its position to fund abortions in developing nations as part of its global maternal-health plan'. Conversely, a minority (44%) of Canadians `support' (26% strongly/18% somewhat) `Canada's current position of not funding abortions in developing nations'.

The issue appears to be divisive among many Canadians, particularly along regional lines:

• A majority (60%) of those living in Saskatchewan and Manitoba as well as those in Alberta (54%) support the current position of not funding abortions, while significantly fewer Canadians living in Ontario (46%), Quebec (40%), British Columbia (37%) and Atlantic Canada (33%) support the government's current position.
• Adopting the opposite stance, most (67%) Atlantic Canadians would support Canada changing its position to fund abortions in developing nations as part of its plan, followed by a majority of British Columbians (63%), Quebecers (60%) and Ontarians (54%). Only a minority of those living in Alberta (46%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (40%) would support changing the plan from its current form.

The data also reveal varying levels of support for the current initiative among the demographics studied:

• Men (49%) are more likely than women (40%) to support the current plan of the government; women (60%) are more likely than men (51%) to support a change in the government's position.
• Those aged 35 to 54 are most likely (48%) to support the government's current position, while younger (45%) and older (40%) adults are less likely. However, a majority of those aged 55+ (60%), 18 to 34 (55%) and 35 to 54 (52%) would support a change in the government's position.
• While a majority (54%) of those without a high school diploma support the government's plan in its current form, a minority (49%) of those with a high school diploma, some post-secondary education (42%) or a university degree (34%) support the government's current position. On the other hand, two in three (66%) Canadians with a university degree support a change in Canada's position, while 58% of those with some post-secondary education or 51% of those with only a high school diploma support a change in the plan. Just 46% of those without a high school diploma support changing the government's plan.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between June 17 and 21, 2010, on behalf of Canada.com. For this survey, a sample of 1,023 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and 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 +/-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, 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:
John Wright
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2002
[email protected]

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