A Reader's Digest Poll: Trusting In What May Happen In 2003

Toronto, ON - According to a recent Ipsos-Reid poll conducted on behalf of Reader's Digest Magazines (Canada) Ltd., three-quarters (77%) of Canadians say they "trust that 2003 will be a good year for myself and my family." An equal number (76%) trust that their family will be together for the holidays at the end of 2003, while 72% of those with children at home trust that in 2003 they will spend more time with their children as a priority.

Looking outside of their own families, a majority (53%) of Canadians say they "trust that in 2003 the economy in Canada will grow". This compares to 17% who disagree with this statement and one-quarter (26%) who remain neutral on this subject. Six in ten (59%) of working Canadians say they trust that in 2003 they will earn more at work than they did this year, while one in twenty (5%) indicate they trust they will be able to retire during 2003. On the opposite side of things, one in ten (11%) trust they will lose their job during the coming year.

Looking further outward, only one-quarter (24%) of Canadians "trust that in 2003 the world will be a safer place." The same proportion (22%) say they "trust that life on another planet will be discovered in [their] lifetime." Meanwhile, six in ten (61%) "trust that God exists", while half (51%) "trust that angels exist." And finally, half (50%) of Canadians "trust that a cure for cancer will be discovered in the next 10 years."

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted on behalf of Reader's Digest Magazine (Canada) Ltd. between September 25th and November 7th, 2002. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,007 adult Canadians who are members of the Ipsos-Reid Canadian Household Panel. The Ipsos-Reid Canadian Household Panel consists of 70,000 pre-screened households consisting of over 140,000 individuals that are a representative sample of the Canadian population. The survey was self-completed and conducted via mail. 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 2001 Census data.

Canadians Look at their Families in 2003

Three-quarters (77%) of Canadians say they "trust that 2003 will be a good year for myself and my family." In comparison, just 3% disagree with this statement, while 18% are neutral on the subject.

• Canadians in upper income households (86%) are more likely to express agreement that are those in lower income households (72%).

An equal number (76%) trust that their family will be together for the holidays at the end of 2003. One in ten (8%) say they do not agree with this sentiment, and 10% are neutral as to this happening at the end of 2003.

• Eight in ten (84%) younger Canadians agree with this idea compared to only 73% of middle aged or older Canadians.
• Residents of Ontario (74%) and Quebec (70%) are the least likely to say they trust their families will be together for the holidays at the end of 2003.
• This sentiment is more likely expressed by those in upper income households (87%) than by those in lower income households (70%).

Three-quarters (72%) of Canadians with children at home say they trust that in 2003 they will spend more time with their children as a priority. Six percent disagree with this statement while 17% are neutral.

• Among those with children at home, Atlantic Canadians (81%) remain the most likely to agree, while residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba (43%) remain the least likely.
• Younger (76%) and middle aged (72%) Canadians with children at home are more likely than their older (58%) counterparts to express agreement with this proposition.

In other findings, 7% of unmarried Canadians trust that in 2003 they will become engaged and 6% of married or common law Canadians say that they trust that in 2003 they and their partner will have a child.

• Not surprising, younger Canadians are more likely to say they trust that in 2003 they will become engaged (11% versus 7% of middle aged and 3% of older Canadians) or say they will have a child with their partner (18% versus 2% of middle aged and 1% of older Canadians).

Canadians Look at the Economy and Their Jobs in 2003

Looking outside of their own families, a majority (53%) of Canadians say they "trust that in 2003 the economy in Canada will grow". This compares to 17% who disagree with this statement and one-quarter (26%) who remain neutral regarding this topic.

• Residents of Atlantic Canada (64%) and Ontario (59%) are the most likely to say they trust the Canadian economy will grow in 2003, while residents in Quebec (44%) are the least likely.
• Optimism regarding the economy in 2003 is stronger among older (59%) Canadians than among middle aged (52%) or younger (48%) Canadians.
• Men (59%) are more positive regarding the economy than are women (48%).
• Canadians in upper income households (69%) are more positive on this than are those in middle (55%) or lower (46%) income households.

Six in ten (59%) working Canadians say they trust that in 2003 they will earn more at work than they did this year, while one-fifth (21%) disagree and 15% are neutral on the subject.

• Younger (70%) working Canadians are more likely to agree with this statement than middle aged (56%) or older (40%) working Canadians.
• More working men (62%) than women (57%) say they trust they will make more at work than they did this year.
• Working Canadians in upper income households (75%) are more likely than their counterparts in middle (55%) or lower (54%) income households to express agreement with this view.

Of working Canadians, one in twenty (5%) indicate that they trust they will be able to retire during 2003. This compares to 60% who disagree and 2% who are neutral on this topic.

• Not surprising, agreement with this statement is higher among those age 55+ (28%) compare to only 2% of those aged 18 to 54.

On the opposite side of things, one in ten (11%) employed Canadians feel they will lose their job during the coming year. A majority (75%) say they trust that they will not lose their job in 2003, while 9% are neutral on this subject.

• Trust that they will lose their job in 2003 is highest in British Columbia (17%), and Ontario (14%), followed by Alberta (9%), Atlantic Canada (6%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (4%) and Quebec (4%).
• Middle aged (13%) Canadians are more pessimistic on this front than are older (4%) Canadians.
• Women (14%) are more likely to hold this view than are men (8%).

Canadians Look at the Heavens and the Earth in 2003

Looking even further outward, only one-quarter (24%) of Canadians "trust that in 2003 the world will be a safer place." In comparison, one-third (32%) hold a neutral view on this subject, while 42% disagree with this proposition.

• Residents of Atlantic Canada (34%) and Alberta (33%) are the most likely to hold this view, while those in British Columbia (17%) are the least likely.
• Older (30%) and middle aged (24%) Canadians are more likely than younger (17%) Canadians to hold this position.

The same proportion (22%) say they "trust that life on another planet will be discovered in [their] lifetime." Over twice that proportion (51%) disagree with this view, while one-fifth (21%) of Canadians hold a neutral position.

• More men (25%) than women (20%) agree with this proposition.
• Younger (33%) Canadians are more likely to agree than are middle aged (22%) or older (13%) Canadians.

Meanwhile, six in ten (61%) say they "trust that God exists", while half (51%) "trust that angels exist." As for the existence of God, one-fifth (19%) of Canadians disagree, while one-quarter (26%) disagree as to the existence of angels. The neutral position is held by 15% regarding God and 18% regarding angels.

• Residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba are the most likely to say they trust in the existence of God (78%) and in the existence of angels (71%).
• Women are more likely than men to trust in the existence of God (66% versus 55%) and angels (60% versus 40% of men).
• More older (71%) Canadians say they trust in the existence of God than do middle aged (60%) or younger (52%) Canadians.

And finally, half (50%) of Canadians "trust that a cure for cancer will be discovered in the next 10 years." The opposing view is held by one-quarter (26%) of Canadian while slightly less (22%) remain neutral.

• Residents of Quebec (68%) are the most likely to say they trust that a cure for cancer will be discovered with in the next 10 years. This compares to the views of residents of Atlantic Canada (57%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (47%), Alberta (43%), British Columbia (41%) and Ontario (41%).
• More older (59%) Canadians agree with this proposition than do middle aged (48%) or younger (43%) Canadians.
• Women (53%) are more likely to hold this view than are men (46%).

To view the release and tables, please open the attached PDF files.

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For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900