Two Thirds (66%) Want Canadian Flag over Parliament Building Flown at Half Staff Every Time a Canadian Soldier is Killed

Toronto, ON - In the midst of a national debate on how often and when it is appropriate to lower the flag which flies atop the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted exclusively on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global National finds that most Canadians have sided against the government's current position.

Two thirds (66%) of Canadians believe that `lowering the flag every time a Canadian is killed to honour them individually' should be done in order to recognize that soldier's personal sacrifice, as well as flying the flag at half staff `on Remembrance Day to honour all of our fallen soldiers collectively'.

However, just one third (34%) of Canadians are closer to the opinion that we should `only be lowering the flag on Remembrance Day to collectively honour all of our fallen soldiers'.

• Canadians across the country are quite uniform in their preference that the flag be lowered every time a soldier is killed in action, with Atlantic Canadians (69%), Quebecers (68%), and Ontarians (68%) being only slightly more likely than residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (64%), Alberta (62%) and British Columbia (60%) to say that this should be the case.
• Interestingly, women (72%) are significantly more likely than men (60%) to think that the flag should be lowered every time a soldier is killed. Conversely, men (40%) are much more likely than women (28%) to agree that the flag should be flown at half staff only on Remembrance Day.
• Younger Canadians (71%) are more inclined than middle-aged (69%) or older Canadians (59%) to believe that the flag should be lowered every time a soldier is killed in the line of duty.

Thinking about the advisory committee's recommendation to only lower the flag over Parliament on Remembrance Day and at the discretion of the Prime Minister, and not on other days such as Vimy Ridge Day, the Police and Peace Officers National Memorial Day, Workers Mourning Day and the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, only four in ten (40%) `support' (16% strongly/24% somewhat) these recommendations. In fact, six in ten `oppose' (34% strongly/25% somewhat) these recommendations, effectively disagreeing with the notion that lowering the flag less often adds greater significance to the times when the flag is indeed lowered.

• A majority in every province opposes the recommendations of the committee, with Ontario leading the way (64%), followed by those in British Columbia (63%), Atlantic Canada (61%), Alberta (60%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (59%) and Quebec (51%).
• Women are more likely to oppose (66%) the committee's recommendation than are men (53%).
• Middle-aged Canadians (63%) are most likely to oppose the recommendation that the flag be lowered less often, followed by younger (61%) or older (55%) Canadians.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global Television from 04/04 to 04/7, 2008. This online survey of 1,021 adult Canadians was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. An unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Dr. Darrell Bricker
President & CEO
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
416-509-8460
[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 2007, Ipsos generated global revenues of e927.2 million ($1.27 billion U.S.).

Visit www.ipsos.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