Growing support for political correctness in Canada, poll finds

A new poll finds the idea of being politically correct is gaining steam on both sides of the border.

Support for political correctness is growing on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, according to a new survey.

Vancouver-based Research Co. surveyed 1,001 Canadians and 1,001 Americans and found a majority favour political correctness, when defined as language and behaviour that seeks to avoid offending various groups.

According to the results, 59 per cent of Canadians and 53 per cent of Americans support political correctness in their countries.

“The trendline for political correctness is clear in Canada, jumping from 50 per cent in 2020, to 55 per cent in 2022, and to 59 per cent in 2025,” said Mario Canseco, president of Research Co.

“In the United States, we are back at the proportion first observed in 2020 (53 per cent), after a severe decline in 2022 (45 per cent).”

There’s more hostility toward political correctness in older Americans, according to the findings, with 48 per cent of those 55 and older rejecting the concept. Only 30 per cent of their Canadian counterparts felt the same.

The poll was also broken down by political affiliations and voting habits.

Research Co. said 45 per cent of Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party in the 2025 federal election reject political correctness, along with 44 per cent of Independents and 43 per cent of Republicans in the U.S.

More than half of Canadians and Americans believe, according to the poll, that printing new books that remove words deemed offensive or re-dubbing movies is wrong.

The data also revealed that three-in-five residents in each of the two countries believe teachers, politicians and journalists should act in a politically correct manner, either “always” or “most of the time.”

Political correctness and comedy

Research Co. said about one-third of Americans and Canadians also think comedians should “always” or “most of the time” behave in a politically correct way.

Suzy Rawesome owns and operates Comedy After Dark on Pender Street in downtown Vancouver, and has witnessed stand-up comedy’s growth in popularity in recent years. She said over the last decade, comedians have faced fears of being “cancelled” for making what some may call politically incorrect jokes, but recently there has been a noticeable shift.

“The pendulum, it swings one way and then it swings back the other way,” said Rawesome. “It felt like it really went one way for a while, and it was very politically correct.”

Comedians now are taking far bigger risks on stage, she added, and there is a sense of freedom. She explained that the audience is also more educated on nuance and sarcasm.

CTV News spoke to Rawsome as she was setting up for a night of comedy, where about a dozen comedians were scheduled to perform later that evening. When asked about whether comedians can cross the line with their material, she said there is no room for hate at her club, but pushing boundaries is encouraged.

“It can’t be hateful,” said Rawesome.

“I think that bringing up things that are like a common thread amongst Vancouverites or wherever, it brings us together rather than separates us because it’s a lot of the times people say things that only other people think and wouldn’t dare to say out loud.”

The Research Co. survey was conducted online from June 30 to July 2 among Canadian and U.S. adults, with the data statistically weighed according to census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, the company said.