Canadians view own country favourably but many unsure about Canada's system of government: survey
Canadians view own country favourably but many unsure about Canada's system of government: survey
Canadian and United States flags are seen flying near Parliament Hill, March 22, 2023, in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A recent study by the Angus Reid Institute found Canadians view their country more positively than Americans do — but only a slight majority of people in Canada believe their system of government is good.
The results of the online survey, released Thursday, show 78 per cent of Canadians view their country as caring, compared to 36 per cent of Americans who said the same about the U.S.
Eighty-nine per cent of Canadians say they live in a safe country, while 43 per cent of Americans say they do.
Sixty-two per cent of Canadians also believe their country contributes positively to world affairs compared to only 39 per cent of Americans.
"Canadians' perceptions of their country have become more positive in the last 12 months," the report says.
"In January 2022, the country was dealing with the Omicron wave of COVID-19 with public health restrictions. Majorities of Canadians said on the eve of the two-year anniversary of the pandemic that COVID-19 pulled Canadians apart and brought out the worst in people. Perhaps time has healed some of those divisions."
The online survey took place between March 15 and 17 and involved "a representative randomized sample" of 1,649 Canadians, and 1,025 Americans, the institute said.
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
Although more Canadians than Americans believe their system of government is good, only a slight majority of Canadians – 51 per cent – said so compared to 34 per cent in the U.S.
The remaining respondents either said their system of government is not good or were unsure.
Positive attitudes about Canada's system of government were highest in Quebec at 57 per cent and lowest in Alberta (38 per cent) and Saskatchewan (33 per cent).
Taking a closer look at the data, men are less likely than women — 47 per cent compared to 54 per cent — to say Canada's system of government is good.
The same is true of younger Canadians who are generally less likely to say the country has a good system of government at 44 per cent of those 18-34 and 48 per cent of people 35-54, compared to 56 per cent of Canadians 55 and older.
However, some variations exist when comparing men and women of different generations and when broken down into smaller age groups.
Across household incomes, Canadians making $50,000 a year or less were the only group where fewer than 50 per cent said Canada has a good system of government.
Fewer than half of Canadians with a college or trade school education or less also viewed Canada's system of government positively.
Forty-eight and 45 per cent of Indigenous and visible minority respondents, respectively, said Canada's system of government is good, compared to 52 per cent of non-visible minority respondents.
POLITICAL AND REGIONAL DIFFERENCES
How Canadians see their country also varied depending on their political alignments, with those who voted Liberal in the 2021 federal election generally viewing Canada more positively compared to Conservative, Bloc Quebecois and NDP voters.
On the same question of whether Canada has a good system of government, Liberal voters were most likely to say it does at 77 per cent, while only 30 per cent of Conservative voters said so.
Regionally, Canadians generally agreed that Canada is a safe and caring society.
Quebec respondents were most likely to say Canada is a country they are proud to live in at 83 per cent, with respondents in Saskatchewan coming in the lowest at 60 per cent.
Those in Quebec were also more likely to say Canada is a prosperous country at 75 per cent compared to 54 per cent in Saskatchewan.
"Those in Quebec and Saskatchewan find themselves at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to assessing the country they live in," the report says. "Saskatchewan residents are typically more critical, while Quebecers offer more praise."
On racial divisions, however, Quebec respondents were the least likely to say the country is racially divided at 25 per cent. Saskatchewan was the only region where a majority of respondents — 51 per cent — believed the country is racially divided.
HOW CANADIANS AND AMERICANS SEE EACH OTHER
Canadians' views of the United States have improved in some categories compared to more than a year ago.
Forty-seven per cent of people now say the U.S. is a positive player in world affairs compared to 36 per cent in January 2022.
Slightly more people — 27 per cent — view the U.S. as a caring society, up from 24 per cent; 34 per cent say it is a safe country compared to 23 per cent more than a year ago; and 25 per cent say it has a good system of government, up from 20 per cent.
However, fewer Canadians view the U.S. as a prosperous country at 67 per cent compared to 72 per cent in January 2022.
On whether the U.S. is a racially divided country, Canadians' attitudes remained relatively unchanged at about 80 per cent who agree.
As for how Americans view Canada, the United States generally views its northern neighbour more favourably than itself, with 56 per cent of Americans saying Canada is a caring country and 64 per cent saying it's safe.
METHODOLOGY
The Angus Reid Institute (ARI) conducted an online survey from March 15 to 17, 2023, among a representative randomized sample of 1,649 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
ARI conducted a second online survey from March 15 to 17, 2023, among a representative randomized sample of 1,025 American adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum USA. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The survey was self-commissioned and paid for by ARI.
Russia says it thwarted a large Ukrainian attack in the eastern province of Donetsk, though it's unclear if this was the start of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
France will be sending firefighters to aid Quebec as the province continues to battle massive forest fires, French President Emmanuel Macron announced.
Although remote work has cleared the way for workplace flexibility, allowing employees to work in various locations (and climates), a new study suggests it’s taking a serious toll on work-life balance.
The Nova Scotia government says it is investigating the theft of personal information stolen through a global privacy breach to a third-party file transfer system the province was using.
Quebec provincial police (SQ) have identified the adult victim of a fishing incident that claimed five lives over the weekend, most of them children. Keven Girard, 37, was among a group of 11 people swept up by the tide late Friday night while fishing along the shore in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a village about 550 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
A wildfire that tore through homes and businesses in the Halifax area is 100 per cent contained, but a historic fire in southwestern Nova Scotia remains out of control.
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says the federal government is not ruling out finding ways to achieve net zero sooner than the existing 2050 goal, but would not say whether there would be a definitive commitment to move up the target.
Apple appears poised to unveil a long-rumoured headset that will place its users between the virtual and real world, while also testing the technology trendsetter's ability to popularize new-fangled devices after others failed to capture the public's imagination.
Post tropical storm Fiona showed how quickly Canadians can be displaced by climate change. W5 looks into whether more people living in vulnerable areas will have to consider moving in the years to come.
Convicted murderer Daniel Jolivet, in prison for the past 30 years, has maintained his innocence since the day he was arrested. W5 reviews the evidence he painstakingly assembled while behind bars.
W5 Producer Shelley Ayres explains how she was in awe to meet what the Guinness Book of World Record's has named the World's Tallest Teenager, a 17-year-old from Quebec who plays for Team Canada.
CTV W5 investigates what authorities knew about plans to smuggle cocaine out of the Dominican Republic on a Toronto-bound Pivot Airlines flight. The airline's crew is demanding justice following their eight-month detention.
Gordie Sampson has written hit songs for some of the biggest names in country music, including Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan. CTV W5 speaks with the Grammy winner from small-town Nova Scotia about his creative process.
Two people have been rushed to a trauma centre in critical condition and a third person sustained serious injuries after a multi-vehicle collision in Caledon, paramedics confirm.
Residents of Ottawa, eastern Ontario and western Quebec helped make the 40th CHEO Telethon the biggest one yet, raising a record $12.3 million to support life-saving care and research at the children's hospital.
Wellington North Fire says around 60 firefighters from multiple stations were needed to knock down two early morning fires, which have caused estimated damages exceeding $1 million.
It was a colourful congregation inside Norwich United Church (NUC), in Norwich, Ont. during its second annual Pride service. The celebration comes six weeks after Norwich Council decided not to fly the pride flag on municipal property during the month of June.
London fire crews responded to a west London apartment building unit twice on Sunday morning for two separate incidents. But according to London Fire Department Platoon Chief Gary Mosburger, residents will have to wait in order to return to their units.
Kathleen Turner's life took a major turn when she rushed herself to the hospital after suddenly experiencing a "stabbing eye pain" on the right side of her face. After 13 hours in the emergency department, she was told it was the result of a cancerous brain tumour.
Quebec provincial police (SQ) have identified the adult victim of a fishing incident that claimed five lives over the weekend, most of them children. Keven Girard, 37, was among a group of 11 people swept up by the tide late Friday night while fishing along the shore in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a village about 550 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
Wildfires in northwestern Quebec prompted thousands to evacuate the area over the weekend, as the number of blazes pushed past 150 and firefighters and the military poured into parts of the province to fight the encroaching flames -- even as that threat eased slightly Sunday on the North Shore.
A wildfire that tore through homes and businesses in the Halifax area is 100 per cent contained, but a historic fire in southwestern Nova Scotia remains out of control.
The Nova Scotia government says it is investigating the theft of personal information stolen through a global privacy breach to a third-party file transfer system the province was using.
A public meeting will give Calgarians an inside look into the exact details of an agreement in principle that could land the city a new event centre, but critics are already skeptical of the cost breakdown.
The internet memes starting meme-ing within days of Monday's Alberta provincial election and the comments reflect concerns that the province is becoming increasingly polarized.
It's been three months since the Edmonton Chinatown and Area Business Improvement Association started its long-term "Chinatown Solution" project, and the organization said things are going well.
People who use drugs and advocates are vocalizing their support of a downtown overdose prevention site in response to some residents — and a prominent developer — who no longer want it in their backyard.
Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says the federal government is not ruling out finding ways to achieve net zero sooner than the existing 2050 goal, but would not say whether there would be a definitive commitment to move up the target.
Jenny Kwan has been outspoken against human-rights violations by the Chinese Communist Party and often advocates for the country's Uyghur Muslim minority. The Hong Kong-born member of Parliament said in an interview with The Canadian Press that that's what made her an 'evergreen' target of the Chinese government.
New study finds increase in antipsychotic drugs use in long-term care homes across Canada, despite no significant increase in behavioural symptoms – something that may expose a potential area of concern for quality of care, researchers say.
The number of people in Canada with inflammatory bowel disease is increasing rapidly and is expected to grow to 470,000 by 2035, according to a new report from Crohn's and Colitis Canada.
Racial bias built into a common medical test for lung function is likely leading to fewer Black patients getting care for breathing problems, a study published Thursday suggests.
Apple appears poised to unveil a long-rumoured headset that will place its users between the virtual and real world, while also testing the technology trendsetter's ability to popularize new-fangled devices after others failed to capture the public's imagination.
The Nova Scotia government says it is investigating the theft of personal information stolen through a global privacy breach to a third-party file transfer system the province was using.
Constructed by a team at London, Ont.’s Western University, a tiny satellite — roughly the size of a Rubik’s cube — will ride aboard a SpaceX mission bound for the International Space Station.
'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' opened in U.S. and Canadian theatres with a massive US$120.5 million, more than tripling the debut of the 2018 animated original and showing the kind of movie-to-movie box-office growth that would be the envy of even the mightiest of Hollywood franchises.
Apple appears poised to unveil a long-rumoured headset that will place its users between the virtual and real world, while also testing the technology trendsetter's ability to popularize new-fangled devices after others failed to capture the public's imagination.
Saudi Arabia will reduce how much oil it sends to the global economy, taking a unilateral step to prop up the sagging price of crude after two previous cuts to supply by major producing countries in the OPEC+ alliance failed to push oil higher.
A tanker transporting crude oil broke down in a single-lane part of Egypt's Suez Canal on Sunday, briefly disrupting traffic in the global waterway, Egyptian authorities said.
Jessica Tuomela is a swimmer and triathlete, and has been on the podium at the Paralympics, but says the feeling returning a missing person home safely is no comparison.
Constructed by a team at London, Ont.’s Western University, a tiny satellite — roughly the size of a Rubik’s cube — will ride aboard a SpaceX mission bound for the International Space Station.
Gabe Vincent scored 23 points, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo each had 21 and the Miami Heat evened up the NBA Finals by overcoming a monster effort from Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets 111-108 in Game 2 on Sunday night.
The joy Paul Maurice felt on the morning of the start of the Stanley Cup Final was also tinged with sadness. The veteran coach knew there were only at most seven more games left to play.
Karim Benzema converted his penalty kick and received a standing ovation from fans before being substituted at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, bringing an end to his memorable career with Real Madrid on Sunday.
America apparently needs more car seats. So, when Volkswagen unveiled the ID. Buzz, a retro-styled electric van, last year, it noted that the version for the North American market would be longer and would have three rows of seats.
Max Verstappen had warned that his Red Bull team was good enough to win every single race of the Formula One season. On Sunday he took one more step toward that ambitious sweep by easing to victory at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Canadian and United States flags are seen flying near Parliament Hill, March 22, 2023, in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
