MAJORITY (58%) SAY TERRORISM THREATS OUTWEIGH PROTECTION OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, FREEDOM, AND DUE PROCESS OF LAW: POLICE, INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS SHOULD GET TOOLS THEY NEED TO PROTECT COLLECTIVE SAFETY OF CANADIANS AGAINST TERRORISM

Toronto, ONTARIO - A majority of Canadians (58%) believe terrorism threats to individual Canadians currently outweigh the protection their individual rights and freedom and due process of law -- and that everything should be done to provide police and intelligence officials with the tools they say they need to protect the collective safety of Canadians against terrorism.

Alternately, 38% of Canadians believe that even with the threat of terrorism in this country, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and due process of law which currently protects their individual freedom and privacy should be respected and enforced -- even if it means not giving police and intelligence officials what they want to protect the collective security of Canadians.

Further, just over half (52%) of Canadians believe that in order to curb terrorism in this country, it will be necessary for them to give up some of their civil liberties, currently protected in law, with 46 percent who do not believe that this will be necessary.

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/Globe and Mail/CTV poll conducted between October 2nd and October 4th 2001. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,000 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, 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. 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.

Those most likely to believe that the terrorism threats outweigh protection of individual rights and due process of law, and that police and security should be given the tools they need to protect the collective safety of Canadians against terrorism (58%) are most likely to hail from British Columbia (63%), Alberta (60%), Ontario (59%), followed by Atlantic Canada (58%) and Quebec (57%). Older residents, 55+ (65%) and women (64%) are more likely to share this view.

In the alternate, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are the only provinces that tilt towards the view that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and due process of law should be respected and enforced even if it means not giving police and intelligence officials what the want in order to protect the collective security of Canadians (48% versus 44%) which compares with 38% of the national population who share this view. Of those most likely to support the Charter are younger (18-34 - but split 45% to 54%) and men (split 45% to 52%).

Those individuals who are most likely to believe that in order to curb terrorism in this country it will be necessary for them to give up some of their civil liberties that are currently protected in law (52%) are lead by those from Alberta (62%), Atlantic Canada (60%), British Columbia (58%) and Ontario (56%). Saskatchewan and Manitoba split their population (49% necessary / 48% not necessary) while Quebec appears firmly in the "not necessary" camp with two-thirds (62%) believing this to be the case versus 36 percent who think otherwise.

Canadians where then asked if they "supported" or "opposed" various initiatives that could be applied to all Canadians - not just newly arrived immigrants or those awaiting citizenship. The findings, are as follows, in ranked order of support:

"That you would submit yourself to providing fingerprints for a national identity card that would be carried on your person at all times to show to police or security officials on request": 80% support versus 19% oppose;

"Suspend current provisions that police must have a reasonable suspicion that you may have committed an offence so that they can randomly stop and search either you or your vehicle": 59% support versus 40% oppose;

"Giving the government and law enforcement officials new power to detain individuals, including yourself, who may be suspected, rightly or wrongly, of being involved in terrorist activities or suspicious circumstances, and detain you indefinitely": 53% support versus 46% oppose;

"Allowing officials to monitor your personal credit card purchases and other financial transactions without you being told": 39% support versus 61% oppose;

"Allowing intelligence and law enforcement agents to monitor your personal private telephone conversations and email without your knowledge": 29% support versus 71% oppose;

"Allowing police and intelligence officials to intercept your mail and to read it without first gaining your permission": 26% support versus 74% oppose.

Generally, those from Alberta followed by Ontario are most likely to support the provisions whereas those from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and British Columbia are less likely to support the initiatives. Middle aged and older individuals are also more likely to support the initiatives rather than younger people.

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For more information on this news release, please contact:
John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Public Affairs
Ipsos-Reid
(416) 324-2900