The `Perils' of Perceptions: Canadians May Not Know Canada As Well As they Think They Do

Toronto, ON -- In a recent survey of over 30 countries, Canadians showed a high level of disconnect between perceptions and reality when it comes to Canada and how it is made up. On most questions asked, Canadians don't appear to have a very firm understanding of the composition of their own country. In fact, Canadians demonstrated worse knowledge of Canada than Americans did of the United States.

Ipsos regularly conducts polls as part of their "Perils of Perception" survey of beliefs in 33 nations around the world. In the study for 2015, Ipsos found a significant disconnect between the perceptions of the Canadian public and the reality of the numbers on issues ranging from income inequality, immigration, religion, where Canadians live and other issues.

Key Misperceptions of the Canadian Public

• Portion of total household income held by the top 1%:
  Off by 30 points (Perception: 55%; Actual: 25%)
• Proportion of Immigrants in Canada:
  Off by 18 points (Perception: 39%; Actual: 21%)
• Proportion of atheists or those who do not associate with a religion:
  Off by 17 points (Perception: 41%; Actual: 24%)
• Percentage of people living in rural areas:
  Off by 16 points (Perception: 34%; Actual: 18%)
• Proportion of adults who are overweight or obese:
  Off by 13 points (Perception: 43%; Actual: 56%)
• Portion of people with internet access:
  Off by 12 points (Perception: 81%; Actual: 93%)
• Proportion of people in Canada aged 14 and under:
  Off by 10 points (Perception: 26%; Actual 16%)

The full Ipsos "Index of Ignorance" is given in the table below. Mexico and India receive the dubious honor of being the most inaccurate in their perceptions on these issues, while South Koreans are the most accurate. There are some regional patterns in this table -- for example Latin American countries tend to be more inaccurate, European and North Americans more accurate -- but this hides individual differences, and is not the whole story. New Zealand is the least accurate of the developed countries (in the top five most ignorant), while China is in the top 5 most accurate. Canada was less accurate than 11 other countries, including the United States.

For more information and to take the Perils of Perception Quiz please go to:
www.ipsos-mori.com/perilsofperception

Technical Note:

• These are the findings of the Ipsos Perils of Perception Survey. 25,556 interviews were conducted between October 1^st -- October 16^th 2015.
• The survey is conducted in 33 countries around the world via the Ipsos Online Panel system in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Great Britain, Turkey and the United States of America.
• Approximately 1000+ individuals were surveyed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Serbia, Spain, Great Britain Montenegro, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and the United States of America. Approximately 500+ individuals were surveyed in the remaining countries.
• Where results do not sum to 100, this may be due to computer rounding, multiple responses or the exclusion of don't knows or not stated responses.
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. The credibility interval for Canada is 177 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
• The "actual" data for each question is taken from a variety of verified sources for each question and country -- a full list of sources/links to the actual data can be found here.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Sean Simpson
Vice President
Ipsos Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos in Canada

Ipsos 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 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' 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 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 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. Ipsos ranks third in the global research industry.

With offices in 86 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 e1,669.5 ($2,218.4 million) in 2014.

Visit www.ipsos.com to learn more about Ipsos' offerings and capabilities.