Two in Three (67%) Canadians Believe in Angels
Most (59%) Believers Think Angels are Humans Living Among Us
Toronto, ON - According to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Canwest News Service and Global National, a majority (67%) of Canadians believe in angels. More specifically, four in ten (37%) say they `certainly' believe in angels, while three in ten (30%) `somewhat' believe in them. Two in ten (21%) `don't entirely' believe in them, and just 12% don't believe in them `at all'.
Thinking about where they live and what they look like, among those who at least partially believe in their existence, just 16% believe they're `a paranormal creature who lives in heaven, and who resembles a human being but has wings as well as arms'.
But most believers think that angels are a little closer to home: three in ten (30%) think they are `a fellow human who enters your life because God wants them to perform a certain task for you', and a similar proportion (29%) thinks they are simply a `particularly good-hearted, charitable, or loving person'. One quarter (25%) believes that there is some other characterization that best resembles that of an angel.
- Women (80%) are much more likely than men (53%) to believe in angels.
- Residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (77%) are most likely to believe in the existence of angels, followed by those living in Alberta (76%), Atlantic Canada (76%), Ontario (66%), Quebec (63%) and British Columbia (61%).
- Canadians with children (76%) are significantly more likely than those without kids (65%) to believe in angels.
These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Canwest News Service and Global National from July 17 to July 21, 2008. This online survey of 1022 Canadians was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results of this poll 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. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online polls, however, 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, had the entire adult population of Canada been polled.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
John Wright
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 324-2002
[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.
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