How united are we?
When it comes to issues of democracy, Indigenous relations, climate change, and justice, do Canadians stand together?
In May 2022, the Provocation Ideas Festival commissioned Innovative Research Group to conduct an online survey to identify Canadians' opinions and attitudes towards a variety of provocative and important issues.
1,391 people from across Canada shared their ideas. Results were weighted by age, gender, and region to ensure the overall sample’s composition reflected that of the actual population according to Census data.
Four provocative topics:
Democracy
I don’t think that governments in Canada consider my views.
Indigenous Relations
Indigenous people
deserve the rights
and status they need
to protect their culture and heritage.
Environment
Developed countries like Canada need to make bigger sacrifices to stop climate change!
Justice
Police in Canada
treat people differently based on skin colour.
The State of Democracy
Respondents are overwhelmingly satisfied with how democracy works and support political compromise to come to decisions.
Yet, the majority of respondents feel that governments don't listen to them, believe that governments lie to them more often than tell them the truth, and that political compromise as practiced has led to bad decisions.
Political dissatisfaction and feeling of not being heard exist across all ages, incomes, regions, ethnicities, and across the political spectrum.
68%
Of respondents report being satisfied with the way democracy works in Canada.
57%
Don’t think government listens to people like them.
59%
Agree that compromise is necessary to make democracy work.
51%
Think that compromise results in bad things for the Canadian public.
41%
Say that discourse in Canada has become less fact-based.
46%
Say that the discourse in Canada has become less respectful.
42%
Think that social media is bad for civil discourse in Canada.
70%
Think that disinformation on social media is a big problem.
Indigenous and Canadian Relations
Most agree that genocide was committed on Indigenous peoples during Canada's formation, and feel that government efforts have failed Indigenous Canadians badly.
Half agree that Indigenous peoples should have the final say on projects that run through traditional Nations territories.
Most respondents don’t think government considers their views on Indigenous issues.
66%
Agree that genocide was committed during the formation of Canada, only 7% disagree.
61%
Agree that government efforts on behalf of Indigenous Canadians have failed badly, only 11% disagree.
60%
Don’t think government considers their views on Indigenous issues.
Highest among respondents 55+ (71%), and notably, relatively low among Indigenous respondents (47%).
52%
Agree that Indigenous peoples should have the final say on projects that run through traditional Nations territories. 20% disagree.
Our Changing Climate
Almost half of respondents are “very” concerned about climate change, and most think that they have experienced unusual weather as a result of it.
Just over half agree that Canada needs to make bigger sacrifices to stop climate change since developed countries have
done the most harm.
When it comes to information on climate change, respondents want to hear from researchers first.
46%
Report feeling “extremely/very” concerned about climate change. 23% are “somewhat concerned,” and 30% are “a little concerned or not concerned at all.”
63%
Report that they’ve experienced unusual weather that they think is the result of climate change. In British Columbia, it’s 71%.
52%
Agree that Canada needs to make bigger sacrifices than countries that are still trying to catch up to our level of economic prosperity.
37%
Chose climate researchers as their first choice for information on the environment, while 62% included researchers in their top three choices.
Is Justice Being Served in Canada?
Only a third of respondents feel like they would receive justice in Canada.
A slim majority don’t feel like the government listens to them on issues of justice.
For information on justice and equality, most want to hear from ordinary people who’ve experienced justice issues.
53%
Feel like governments don’t listen to them on justice issues – highest in the Prairies (61%) and among the precariously housed (62%).
34%
Only a third of Canadians believe they'd receive justice if they experienced a justice issue outlined in the survey.
56%
Agreed that police in Canada treat people with different skin colours differently. Only 17% disagreed.
32%
Would like to see police funding shifted to social services, while 38% disagreed.
As a nation, we face a critical choice.
We can continue to retreat into our silos and accept democratic decline, or we can find new ways for people to engage with one another and share perspectives in the spirit of compromise and positive change.
This is reason Provocation Ideas Festival was started: we are facing many challenging issues as a country, and we need all voices participating in new, dynamic ways.
Join the Conversation.
The Provocation Festival aspires to create a new public square of spirited discussion that is rooted in local communities but informed globally, for which an informed and engaged public is critical.
