VIOLENCE IN HOCKEY

Toronto, Ontario -- The results of an Angus Reid/CTV poll reveal that the Vancouver Police's controversial decision to charge Marty McSorley of the Boston Bruins with assault for his February 21st, 2000 high sticking of the Vancouver Canucks' Donald Brashear has the support of seven in ten (68%) Canadians. Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority (71%) of Canadians feel that hockey is too violent and that the rules should be changed to limit its presence in the game. Most (75%) feel that the level of unnecessary violence in hockey has increased over the past few years.

These are the findings of an Angus Reid/CTV poll conducted between March 27 and April 2, 2000. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,409 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size the results are considered accurate to within 177 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire 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 1996 Census data.

Seven In Ten (68%) Canadians Say That The Vancouver Police Were Right To Charge Marty McSorley With Assault After High Sticking Donald Brashear

After the February 21st, 2000 high sticking incident involving Marty McSorley of the Boston Bruins and Donald Brashear of the Vancouver Canucks, the Vancouver Police charged Marty McSorley with assault as a result of his actions on the ice. Seven in ten (68%) Canadians say that the Vancouver Police were right to charge him with assault for this incident. In contrast, one in three (29%) Canadians say that the police were not right in charging him and 3 percent say they "don't know".

• Quebec residents (85%) are more likely than residents of any other province to say that the police were right to charge him.
• Support for charging McSorley increases with age. Sixty-two percent of 18 to 34 year olds say the police were right to charge him versus 69 percent of those aged 35 to 54 and 74 percent of those aged 55 and older.
• Women (72%) are more likely than men (64%) to say the police were right to charge McSorley.
• Canadians earning less than $60,000 per year (71%) are more likely to say the police were right than those who make $60,000 or more per year (61%).

Seventy-One Percent Of Canadians Say That Hockey Is Too Violent And That The Rules Should Be Changed To Limit Its Presence In The Game

A large number (71%) of Canadians agree with the opinion that "hockey is too violent and that the rules should be changed to limit its presence in the game". In contrast, slightly more than one-quarter (27%) agree with the opinion that "violence is an acceptable part of hockey and that there is no need to change the rules to limit it". Meanwhile, 2 percent say they "don't know". These results represent a slight increase from an Angus Reid poll conducted in April 1986 which showed that 67 percent felt hockey is too violent, compared with 28 percent who said it was just part of the game.

• Albertans (57%) are least likely while Quebecers are most likely to feel that hockey is too violent (82%).
• Older Canadians (84%) are much more likely than middle aged (76%) and younger (56%) Canadians to feel that hockey is too violent.
• Men (61%) are much less likely than women (81%) to feel the game is too violent.

Three-Quarters Say That The Level Of Unnecessary Violence In Hockey Has Increased Compared To A Few Years Ago

Three-quarters of Canadians say that compared to a few years ago, the level of unnecessary violence in hockey has "increased". Fourteen percent say that the level of violence has "stayed the same" and only 6 percent say that it has "decreased".

• Canadians under the age of 55 (72%) are less likely than those aged 55 and over (84%) to feel that violence has increased.
• Men (67%) are less likely than women (83%) to say that violence in hockey has increased.

John Wright
Senior Vice President
Angus Reid Group
(416) 324-2900