On 100th Anniversary of the Armistice, Remembrance Day Attendance Set to Soar (39%, +10 Points)
Toronto, Ontario, November 8, 2018 — Four in ten Canadians (39%) say they will be heading to a Remembrance Day ceremony this year, as the world marks the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War. A new poll conducted by Ipsos for Historica Canada finds that intent to attend a Remembrance Day service this year is up 10 points from 29% a year ago. It’s likely the anniversary plays a role – more than half of Canadians (52%) could correctly identify 1918 as the year that brought an end to the First World War. Last year, when Canadians were asked about their intention to attend services marking the armistice centennial in 2018, just over a third said they would (35%).
As we mark a century since the guns fell silent across Europe, six in ten (57%) Canadians feel that the impact of the First World War is still felt, despite the fact there are no more veterans alive. Two thirds of Canadians (66%) believe that fewer people will attend Remembrance Day ceremonies when veterans of the Second World War are no longer present – Baby Boomers are more likely to feel this way (69%) than Millennials or Gen Xers (both 63%). Eight in ten Canadians (85%) however feel that Remembrance Day is as relevant today as when it first began shortly after the First World War ended.
Personal connections
That may be because Remembrance Day isn’t just about battles fought centuries ago. For many, it is a time reflect on the sacrifices made by Canadians in recent missions abroad. Over a third of Canadians (35%) personally know someone who has served in an overseas mission, such as Afghanistan or a peacekeeping operation in the last 20 years. When asked if Remembrance Day should honour veterans of recent conflicts, an overwhelming majority agree (95%).
Attending an official ceremony is not the only way in which Canadians mark how they remember and learn about conflict. Nine in ten Canadians (93%) agree that hearing veterans speak about their experiences is the best way for youth to understand conflict, up 4 points from 2016.
How we remember
Overall, Canadians are engaged in actions to mark remembrance, but are key demographic differences. Millennials (18-34 year olds) are most likely to say they’ll attend a ceremony at 41%, edging out baby boomers (55+) at 40% and Gen Xers (35-54 year olds) at 38%. However Millennials (80%) and Gen Xers (80%) are less likely to wear a poppy in the lead up to Remembrance Day compared to Baby Boomers (87%). Overall 83% of Canadians plan to wear a poppy, with women (87%) more likely than men (78%). Nine in ten (88%) of Canadians agree Remembrance Day should be made a national statutory holiday, with Baby Boomers (91%) more likely to say yes compared to Millennials (84%).
Canadians were also asked if they have visited the cenotaph or war memorial in their community or elsewhere, and nearly half (46%) Canadians say they have with baby boomers leading the pack (55%) compared to Gen Xers (43%) and Millennials (38%). Geographically those in B.C. (64%) were most likely to have paid a visit.
Millennials themselves feel that they understand the sacrifices of those who fought and died in war and conflict. While four in ten Canadians (43%) agree that youth under 30 understand the sacrifices made by those who fought and died, agreement is much higher among millennials themselves (60%). Regionally, this sentiment is felt most strongly in Atlantic Canada where more than half (56%) of people agree. That could be because Atlantic Canadians are more likely to know someone who has served in an overseas mission in the last 20 years (48%).
Canadian engagement in remembrance extends beyond Remembrance Day as well. Three in ten (28%) say they will attend a commemoration for the 75th anniversary of D-Day next June.
About the Study
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between October 25 and October 29, 2018, on behalf of Historica Canada. For this survey, a sample of 1,002 Canadians aged 18+ was interviewed. 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 measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within ±3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadian adults been polled. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the 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:
Anthony Wilson-Smith
President and CEO
Historica Canada
+1 416 506 1867
Sean Simpson
Vice President, Canada
Ipsos Public Affairs
+1 416 324-2002
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. Ipsos ranks fourth in the global research industry. With offices in 89 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media; customer loyalty; marketing; 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 €1,780.5 million in 2017.
