A Public Opinion Survey Of Canadians And Americans

There are clear signs of friendship between Canada and The United States, on both sides of the border. Each country considers the other to be a friend and ally, and both rank fighting global terrorism as the number one priority for our governments to be addressing at this time. Canada's contributions in this important area are being recognized, and there is, in many respects, mutual support for co-operation between the two governments.

When asked who they consider to be Canada's closest friend and ally, 58% of Canadians, unaided, point south to the United States. American eyes view Canada as their second best friend, with the top spot reserved for The United Kingdom. 17% of Americans identify Canada as their country's closest friend and ally, while 63% point to The United Kingdom. That said, when prompted, a full nine-in-ten Americans (90%, up 8 points from 2005) say that they view Canada more as a friend and ally of the United States and its policies than as a foe; 85% of Canadians share this view (up 12 points from 2005).

Reinforcing this positive trend is the fact that, when thinking over the last number of months, three-quarters of Americans (77%) and two-thirds of Canadians (65%) think that the relationship between Canada and The United States is either improving or staying the same. Majorities in both The United States and Canada (91% and 78%, respectively) agree that, "while we may disagree on some issues, Canadians and Americans will always find common ground to work together". The sentiment on both sides of the border that, "There is a reservoir of goodwill between The United States and Canada that can overcome whatever difficulties we face" is similarly strong, with 85% of Americans and 67% of Canadians agreeing with this statement.

This friendship is based, at least in part, on the alignment between what is seen as the top priority issue for the governments of Canada and the United States to be addressing at this time - fighting global terrorism. Three-in-ten (28%) Americans and two-in-ten Canadians (19%) rank this issue as priority number one (out of eleven possible issues). Towards this goal, there is increasing agreement that, "The Canadian Government has done enough to secure the border between our two countries to protect against terrorist attacks." Today, six-in-ten (59%) Canadians and 55% of Americans agree with this statement - up 10 points in Canada, and 8 points in the United States vs. last year. There is also clear support for Canada's role in Afghanistan, especially in The United States, with two-thirds of Americans (65%) agreeing that, "Canada's role in Afghanistan is vital to the future of the region, and they should stay there until they get the job done." Half of Canadians (48%) are also in agreement with this proposition.

Looking to what the two countries can do together at this time, there is strong support among both Canadians and Americans for the respective governments' co-operating on a number of actions. Over nine-in-ten in each country (92% in Canada and 95% in The United States) support decreasing our reliance on the Middle East for energy by further supporting North American alternative energy companies. Almost as many (84% in Canada and 90% in The United States) support decreasing this reliance on that region by further supporting North American oil companies. Further, the majority of Canadians and Americans (80% and 92%, respectively) would support the creation of a common set of immigration policies and visa standards that would apply equally to both countries, for foreigners wishing to enter North America.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid Poll conducted for the Canada Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and The Canada Institute on North American Issues conducted from September 21 to September 26, 2006. The survey was conducted online among a representative, randomly selected sample of 1,173 adult Canadians and 1,038 adult Americans. With samples of these sizes, the results for Canada are considered accurate to within +/- 2.9 percentage points, and those for The United States within +/- 3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire populations of both countries been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian and American population.

The Canada Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

The Woodrow Wilson Center established the Canada Institute to explore one of America's most important bilateral relationships. The aim of the Canada Institute is to increase knowledge about Canada in Washington, to focus on current U.S.-Canada issues and common challenges, and to keep an eye on the future, looking ahead to long-term policy issues facing the two countries in a variety of areas.

The Canada Institute brings together top academics, government officials, and corporate leaders to explore key policy issues. The Institute has formed a partnership with the Toronto-based Canada Institute on North American Issues, to, among other things, help disseminate its programming and research findings. The Institute sponsors seminars, conferences, and research projects and works regularly with Canadian universities and research institutions. The Institute has set up an annual Fulbright Chair for a distinguished Canadian scholar-in-residence at the Wilson Center.

The Canada Institute on North American Issues (CINAI)

CINAI was established to address critical public policy issues within the North American context. Through a series of lectures, seminars and other dialogue opportunities, CINAI programs highlight current and emerging issues with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico relationship.

Please open attached pdf for full report and tabular results

For more information or to schedule a media interview, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid Publc Affairs
(416) 324-2900
[email protected]