More Canadians This Year (30%) Than in 2010 (22%) Intend to Attend an Official Remembrance Day Service on November 11th
Eight in ten (80%) Canadians say they will observe two minutes of silence at 11 o'clock on November 11th this year, up 5 points from two years ago. It's likely that Remembrance Day being on a Sunday this year, compared to on a Thursday in 2010, is allowing more Canadians to take time to attend a ceremony and commemorate the event. It is also plausible that with Canadians having been involved in Afghanistan for nearly a decade, there is an increased sense of the importance of honouring our veterans. In fact, three in ten (27%) Canadians say they personally know someone who served in Afghanistan.
Most (85%) Canadians `agree' (57% strongly/27% somewhat) that `Remembrance Day should be a statutory holiday across Canada', while just 15% `disagree' (4% strongly/12% somewhat). Thinking about the impact that this would have, six in ten (58%) Canadians believe that `it would give the day an added significance because Canadians would have more time to go to a ceremony and to reflect'. While three in ten (26%) say `it wouldn't really change the significance of Remembrance Day either way', two in ten (16%) think `it would make the day less significant because people would just take the extra time to shop, socialize, run errands, or take vacation'.
Six in ten (63%) Canadians `agree' (24% strongly/39% somewhat) that `Canada does not do enough to honour its veterans', while four in ten (37%) `disagree' (7% strongly/30% somewhat) that it doesn't do enough. Moreover, a majority (55%) `agrees' (18% strongly/37% somewhat) that `other countries do more to honour their veterans than Canada does', while a minority (45%) `disagrees' (6% strongly/39% somewhat) with this claim.
Remembrance Day has typically honoured the sacrifices of Canadian men and women who have served in World War I, World War II, Korea, and, now, Afghanistan, but Canadians believe it shouldn't stop there. Three quarters (72%) `agree' (22% strongly/49% somewhat) that `the War of 1812 should be commemorated on Remembrance Day', while just three in ten (28%) `disagree' (8% strongly/20% somewhat) that it should be. Canadians also believe that commemoration needn't be limited to Remembrance Day. A Seven in ten (72%) Canadians `agree' (21% strongly/50% somewhat) that `the Government of Canada should plan 60th anniversary commemorative activities to honour the Korean War', while three in ten (28%) `disagree' (6% strongly/22% somewhat).
Further, three quarters (76%) `agree' (32% strongly/44% somewhat) that `Canada should build a memorial like the Vietnam Wall in Washington that lists the names of all military personnel who have died in combat in modern times (conflicts post-Korean War including Afghanistan). Just one quarter (24%) of Canadians `disagrees' (5% strongly/19% somewhat) with this idea.
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between October 30th to November 2nd, 2012, on behalf of the Historica Dominion Institute. For this survey, a sample of 1,039 Canadians from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. 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. The precision of Ipsos online polls is determined by using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within +/- 3.5 percentage points of the Canadian population. 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]
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.
To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.
About Ipsos
Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. In October 2011 Ipsos completed the acquisition of Synovate. The combination forms the world's third largest market research company.
With offices in 84 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across six research specializations: advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, public affairs research, and survey management.
Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.
Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of e1,363 billion (1.897 billion USD) in 2011.
Visit www.ipsos-na.com to learn more about Ipsos' offerings and capabilities.
