With Spring Election Speculation Building,
Four in Ten (42%) Think Harper Government Deserves
Re-Election, Four in Ten (40%) Want an Election
Four in ten (40%) Canadians want an election, believing that `parliament and our federal political process is hopelessly deadlocked right now and that we really need an election to clear the air'. To put this number in perspective, in August of 2008 - just two months before the fall federal election - the same proportion (40%) of Canadians thought there should be an election at that time. In contrast, six in ten (60%) Canadians are closer to the opinion that `the federal political process is operating just fine at the moment and there's no need for an election', a similar proportion (56%) who believed the same in the summer of 2008.
Furthermore, Canadians are split on the effectiveness of parliament. One half (48%) `agrees' (8% strongly/40% somewhat) that `the minority government in Ottawa is working well' (up 3 points from December of 2009), while the other half (52%) of Canadians `disagree' (18% strongly/34% somewhat) that it is working well (down 3 points). Important to note is that the proportion who strongly disagrees is more than double the proportion who strongly agrees.
Ipsos Reid's year end political polling has also tracked Canadians' political mood in general, and it appears that Canadians might be getting tired with our current crop of leaders. One half (49%) of Canadians `agree' (13% strongly/36% somewhat) that `if we elect a new set of political leaders to the federal parliament things will be better', the proportion of whom has risen by 11 points since this time last year. In contrast, one half (51%) `disagrees' (17% strongly/33% somewhat) that a new set of leaders would be better, down 11 points.
Perhaps they have someone in mind to take on the challenge of public office: four in ten (44%) `agree' (10% strongly/34% somewhat) that they `would encourage any family member to run for public office because it is a noble calling', up 10 points from last year. A majority (56%), though, still `disagrees' (22% strongly/33% somewhat' with this sentiment, down 10 points.
A significant proportion of the country remains completely disinterested with politics and the political process. One in three (32%) Canadians `agree' (11% strongly/21% somewhat) that they have `tuned out any kind of political activity, including voting', unchanged from last year. Two in three (68%), on the other hand, `disagree' (42% strongly/26% somewhat) that they've tuned out anything political.
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between December 9 and 14, 2010, on behalf of Postmedia News and Global Television. For this survey, a sample of 1,044 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and 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. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. 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:
Darrell Bricker
CEO
Ipsos Public Affairs
(416) 324-2001
[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 a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.
Member companies 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. They measure public opinion around the globe. Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2009, Ipsos generated global revenues of e943.7 million ($1.33 billion U.S.). .
Visit www.ipsos-na.com to learn more about Ipsos offerings and capabilities.
Ipsos, listed on the Eurolist of Euronext - Comp B, is part of SBF 120 and the Mid-100 Index, adheres to the Next Prime segment and is eligible to the Deferred Settlement System. Isin FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP
