Support (74%) Remains High for Kyoto Protocol . . .
While total support (74%) is high for the accord, it is not overly strong. Only 39% express strong support, with a further 35% who somewhat support the accord. In comparison 12% strongly oppose and 8% somewhat oppose the accord. In total, four in ten (43% - 35% somewhat support and 8% who somewhat oppose) Canadians are not strongly committed to their position.
Canadians, however, given the choice, appear to lean toward a made in Canada plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (49%) than to ratified and implement the Kyoto Protocol (43%). The choice of a made in Canada plan is up 4 points, while ratifying and implementing the Kyoto Protocol is down 1 point since polling conducted for the Government of Alberta by Ipsos-Reid between October 29th and 31st and released on November 1st when the made in Canada option was chosen by 45% and 44% said Canada should ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
As further evidence of Canadian's divided views on Kyoto, while three quarters (75%) believe that it is possible for Canada to develop an alternative to the Kyoto Protocol that is just as effective but would cost the Canada economy a lot less, almost as many (71%) say that even if there are some problems with the Kyoto Protocol, it should be implemented because it is a good first step.
However, half (51%, down from 57% in early October) indicate that the Government of Canada should ratify the Kyoto Protocol and implement it, even if it means significantly costs to the economy and changes to the lifestyles of Canadians.
Canadians remain concerned regarding what the costs and impact of the Protocol will be on the country. Eight in ten (79%, an increase of 1 point from early October) indicate that the Government of Canada needs to spend more time investigating the costs and impact of the Kyoto Protocol before implementing it. One-fifth (19%) disagree with this view.
And finally, two-thirds (63%) of Canadians agree that they don't think they have enough information about the Kyoto Protocol to say whether they support or oppose it. One-third (36%) disagree. In early October, 59% agreed they did not have enough information, while 40% disagreed.
These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/CTV/Globe and Mail poll conducted between November 5th and November 7th, 2002. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,002 adult Canadians. 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.
Support (74%) remains strong for the Kyoto Protocol, while one-fifth (19%) of Canadians remain opposed to implementing the Protocol. Seven percent say they `don't know'.
- Support is highest among resident of Quebec (89% - 54% strongly), while it is lowest in Alberta (40% - 21% strongly).
- Canadians in middle income households (77% - 44% strongly) are more likely to express support than are those in upper income households (71% - 38% strongly).
- Canadians with a university degree (79% - 46% strongly), those without a high school diploma (79% - 35% strongly) and those with some university or other post-secondary education (74% - 36% strongly) are more likely than those with only a high school diploma (65% - 38% strongly) to express support for implementing the Kyoto Protocol.
While support overall remains high, Canadians, however, given the choice appear to lean toward a made in Canada plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (49%) than to ratified and implement the Kyoto Protocol (43%).
- Support for withdrawing from the accord and developing a made in Canada plan is strongest in Alberta (74%), followed by Saskatchewan/Manitoba (53%), Atlantic Canada (52%), British Columbia (51%), while it is lowest in Ontario (44%) and Quebec (43%).
- Canadians with university degrees (57%) are more likely than their counterparts without a high school diploma (43%), some university or other post-secondary education (41%) or only a high school diploma (32%) to say that Canada should ratify and implement the Kyoto Protocol.
- Canadians with household incomes of $60,000 or more (49%) are more likely to believe the country should ratify the accord than are those from households with incomes of less than $30,000 (40%).
- A higher proportion of men (47%) than women (40%) say that Canada should ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
Three quarters (75%) believe that it is possible for Canada to develop an alternative to the Kyoto Protocol that is just as effective but would cost the Canada economy a lot less. One-fifth (20%) disagree that this can be done.
- Agreement with this view is strongest in Alberta (87%) and Atlantic Canada (84%), followed by Quebec (78%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (74%), Ontario (70%) and British Columbia (70%).
- This view is also higher among Canadians in lower (80%) and middle (78%) income households than upper income households (70%).
- Canadians without a high school diploma (85%), with a high school diploma (81%) and some university or other post-secondary education (78%) are more likely than those with a university degree (64%) to express agreement with this proposition.
- There is no statistical difference between age or gender groups on this subject.
Almost as many (71%) say that even if there are some problems with the Kyoto Protocol, it should be implemented because it is a good first step.
- Quebecers (89%) and those in Atlantic Canada (82%) are the most likely to agree compared to the views of those in Ontario (68%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (65%) and British Columbia (62%), while Albertans (45%) are the least likely to agree with this view.
- Canadians in lower (78%) and middle (74%) income households are more likely to agree with this position than are those in upper income households (65%).
- Women (74%) are more likely to hold this view than are men (68%).
- There is no statistical difference between age groups regarding this position.
However, half (51%, down from 57% in early October) indicate that the Government of Canada should ratify the Kyoto Protocol and implement it, even if it means significantly costs to the economy and changes to the lifestyles of Canadians. Forty-six percent disagree with this position.
- Regionally, agreement is highest in Quebec (68%), and lowest in Alberta (34%).
- There is no statistical difference between age, gender or household income groups on this proposition.
Canadians remain concerned regarding what the costs and impact of the Protocol will be on the country. Eight in ten (79%, an increase of 1 point from early October) indicate that the Government of Canada needs to spend more time investigating the costs and impact of the Kyoto Protocol before implementing it. One-fifth (19%) disagree with this view.
- Agreement is highest in Alberta (89%) and Manitoba/Saskatchewan (87%) and lowest among residents of British Columbia (71%).
- Women (81%) are more likely to express this view than are men (76%).
- Canadians in middle income households (82%) are more likely than those in upper income households (75%) to agree with this view.
- There is no statistical difference between age groups.
And finally, two-thirds (63%, up 4 points since early October) of Canadians agree that they don't think they have enough information about the Kyoto Protocol to say whether they support or oppose it. One-third (36%) disagree.
- Regionally, agreement with this view is highest in Atlantic Canada (73%), Quebec (70%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (68%) and Ontario (64%) followed by British Columbia (55%). It is lowest amongst Albertans (43%).
- Younger (68%) and middle aged (68%) Canadians are more likely to feel this way than are their older (58%) counterparts.
- Women (67%) are more likely to agree with this view than are men (59%).
- Canadians in lower income households (75%) are more likely to feel this way than are those in middle (67%) or upper (51%) income households.
- This is also true of Canadians without a high school diploma (79%), those who only have a high school diploma (74%), and those with some university or other post secondary education (65%) while those Canadians with a university degree (46%) are least likely to feel this is the case.
To view the release and tables, please open the attached PDF files.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Darrell Bricker
President and COO
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900
