In Wake Of Taser Controversy,
Country Divided On Taser-Use Moratorium

Toronto, ON - A new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global Television indicates that amidst controversy and investigations over the use of Tasers by police, Canadians are relatively split as to whether or not law-enforcement officials should `continue to use taser devices because they are effective alternatives to using a gun' and that `a thorough investigation about their safety, effectiveness and appropriateness can proceed without them being taken out of use' (52%), or whether `governments and agencies should have the police or anyone else stop using these taser devices until the public inquiry investigating the safety, effectiveness and appropriateness of tasers has been conducted' (46%).

A majority (61%) of Canadians disprove (42% strongly/19% somewhat) of the actions of the RCMP on the day when Robert Dziekanski, a Polish immigrant, died after being tasered by RCMP officers in Vancouver's airport. Conversely, when thinking about the actions leading up to Dziekanski's death, just three in ten (28%) approve (strongly 9%/somewhat 18%) of the actions of the RCMP that day.

The amateur video that recorded the tasering and the final moments of the life Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski's at Vancouver's International Airport has been widely viewed: almost two thirds (62%) of Canadians--nearly 15 million adult Canadians--indicate that they've personally seen some of the video, but in British Columbia this proportion rises to 73% . And among those who say they've seen the video, most individuals become `less supportive' (73%) of the actions of the police in this incident, while just 16% said that they are `more supportive' of the actions of the RCMP officers that day as a result of seeing the video. One in eleven (9%) Canadians indicated that they had no change in impressions after viewing the video.

Reflecting on the announcement of a public inquiry by BC's Solicitor General, eight in ten (82%) Canadians support (52% strongly/29% somewhat) the decision to hold a public inquiry for this purpose of investigating the events which lead to Dziekanski's death and the use of tasers, while just 16% oppose (strongly 7%/somewhat 8%) this decision. Likely as a result of these recent events, Canadians appear to have a slightly worse impression of the rank-and-file RCMP officers than they did in April of this year. While seven months ago eight in ten (80%) Canadians indicated that the regular RCMP officers were doing a `great' (27%) or `good job' (53%), in the aftermath of the taser incident, three quarters (75%) now believe that the regular officers of the RCMP do a `great' (24%) or `good job' (51%).

• Focusing specifically on British Columbia, in April, 2007, 83% of British Columbians indicated that the regular officers of the RCMP were doing a `great' (27%) or `good job' (56%); however, currently, only six in ten (61%) British Columbians say that the day-to-day offices of the RCMP are doing a `great' (23%) or `good' (38%) job.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global Television from Nov 20 to Nov 22, 2007. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 1000 adult Canadians was interviewed by telephone. 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 population of Canada been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.

Confidence In Upper Management Of RCMP Holds Steady...

While in April of this year 57% of Canadians believe that the senior leadership of the RCMP was doing a `great' (11%) or `good job' (46%), currently 59% of Canadians believe that they are doing a `great' (9%) or `good job' (49%). In terms of their ability to deliver ethical and effective leadership, in April, 62% of Canadians indicated that they had `a great deal' (15%) or `a moderate amount of confidence' (47%) in this regard. Currently, fully two thirds (66%) of Canadians have `a great deal' (15%) or `a moderate amount' (50%) of confidence in their ability to provide ethical and effective leadership to the force.

• In April, 59% of British Columbians said that the top brass of the RCMP was doing a `great' (13%) or `good job' (46%), but currently just four in ten (40%) believe that they are doing a `great' (6%) or `good job' (34%). Similarly, while in April of this year 59% of British Columbians has `a great deal' (17%) or `a moderate amount' (42%) of confidence in the RCMP top brass, the proportion of (57%) of British Columbians who have `a great deal' (13%) or `a moderate amount' (44%) of confidence in the leadership's ability to provide ethical and effective leadership has now decreased.

Regional Highlights...

British Columbia

In British Columbia, three quarters (73%) of citizens disprove of the actions of the RCMP leading up to the death of Dziekanski. An equal proportion (73%) have viewed at least a portion of the video of his tasering, and among those that have, eight in ten (80%) have had their support for the actions of the RCMP that day decline as a result. Most (85%) British Columbians support the recent initiation of a public inquiry into the matter, and a majority (51%) believe that tasers should continue to be used pending the completion of the inquiry. Six in ten (61%) still believe that the officers of the RCMP are doing a `great' (23%) or `good job' (38%), compared to the four in ten (37%) who believe that they are doing a `fair' (33%) or `terrible job' (4%).

Alberta

In Alberta, only a slight majority (53%) of citizens disprove of the actions of the RCMP leading up to the death of Dziekanski, making residents of this province the least likely to have negative views of the actions of the RCMP regarding this incident. A similar proportion (52%) have viewed at least a portion of the video of his tasering, and among those that have, six in ten (61%) have had their support for the actions of the RCMP that day decline as a result. Most (80%) British Columbians support the recent initiation of a public inquiry into the matter, and nearly two thirds (62%) believe that tasers should continue to be used pending the completion of the inquiry. Three quarters (74%) believe that the officers of the RCMP are doing a `great' (26%) or `good job' (48%), compared to the one quarter (23%) who believe that they are doing a `fair' (20%) or `terrible job' (3%).

Saskatchewan/Manitoba

In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, three quarters (73%) of citizens disprove of the actions of the RCMP leading up to the death of Dziekanski. A similar proportion (75%) have viewed at least a portion of the video of his tasering, and among those that have, nearly three quarters (72%) have had their support for the actions of the RCMP that day decline as a result. Nine in ten (88%) residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba support the recent initiation of a public inquiry into the matter, making them the most supportive Canadians across the country in this regard, and nearly two thirds (62%) believe that tasers should continue to be used pending the completion of the inquiry. Nearly eight in ten (77%) believe that the officers of the RCMP are doing a `great' (24%) or `good job' (53%), compared to the two in ten (21%) who believe that they are doing a `fair' (18%) or `terrible job' (4%).

Ontario

In Ontario, six in ten (59%) citizens disprove of the actions of the RCMP leading up to the death of Dziekanski. A similar proportion (60%) have viewed at least a portion of the video of his tasering, and among those that have, nearly three quarters (72%) have had their support for the actions of the RCMP that day decline as a result. Eighty-Five percent (85%) of residents in Ontario support the recent initiation of a public inquiry into the matter, and a slim majority (53%) believe that tasers should continue to be used pending the completion of the inquiry. Eight in ten (79%) believe that the officers of the RCMP are doing a `great' (32%) or `good job' (46%), compared to the two in ten (20%) who believe that they are doing a `fair' (16%) or `terrible job' (5%).

Quebec

In Quebec, six in ten (60%) citizens disprove of the actions of the RCMP leading up to the death of Dziekanski. A similar proportion (59%) have viewed at least a portion of the video of his tasering, and among those that have, nearly eight in ten (77%) have had their support for the actions of the RCMP that day decline as a result. Three quarters (74%) of residents in Quebec support the recent initiation of a public inquiry into the matter, and but six in ten (58%) believe that law-enforcement agencies should stop using tasers pending the completion of the inquiry, making them the only jurisdiction in Canada in where a majority feels that the use of tasers should be suspended until the investigation is complete. Three quarters (76%) believe that the officers of the RCMP are doing a `great' (13%) or `good job' (63%), compared to the nearly one quarter (22%) who believe that they are doing a `fair' (21%) or `terrible job' (1%).

Atlantic Canada

In Atlantic Canada, six in ten (56%) citizens disprove of the actions of the RCMP leading up to the death of Dziekanski. Two thirds (66%) have viewed at least a portion of the video of his tasering, and among those that have, three quarters (74%) have had their support for the actions of the RCMP that day decline as a result. Eight in ten (80%) residents in Atlantic Canada support the recent initiation of a public inquiry into the matter, and but six in ten (59%) believe that tasers should continue to be used pending the completion of the inquiry. Eight in ten (81%) believe that the officers of the RCMP are doing a `great' (22%) or `good job' (59%), compared to two in ten (17%) who believe that they are doing a `fair' (16%) or `terrible job' (2%).

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.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

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 2006, Ipsos generated global revenues of 857.1 million euros ($1.1 billion USD).

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