Canadians have a lot to be proud of, Canada Day poll finds
Canadians are proud of a lot of aspects of our nation, Angus Reid’s annual Canada Day poll has found. Our flag received the highest honours on the pride list, with 86 per cent of the 1,009 respondents saying that they are “very proud” or “moderately proud” of it. Hockey and the Canadian Armed Forces are also sources of pride, with 71 per cent and 80 per cent respectively. The Canadian economy (62 per cent), multiculturalism (61 per cent), the state of democracy in Canada (57 per cent), bilingualism (52 per cent), Aboriginal culture (51 per cent) and our health care system (50 per cent) are also listed as things Canadians are proud of.
Meanwhile, confidence in our economy has fallen for the first time this year, an Angus Reid poll has found. Of the 1,009 Canadian adults surveyed, 51 per cent think Canada’s economic conditions are good, a decrease of seven per cent from a similar poll released in May. Additionally, the majority of respondents (51 per cent) feel the economy will remain the same in the next six months, 28 per cent feel it will improve and 13 per cent believe it will decline.
Canadians would support using alternative penalties for non-violent offenders, a recent Angus Reid poll has found. In the poll of 1,004 Canadian adults, 70 per cent say they would support the use of alternative penalties, such as fines, probation or community service. The poll also found that the majority of respondents feel that the Canadian justice system does not treat every person fairly (59 per cent), but that the courts do a good job in determining whether or not an accused person is guilty (60 per cent).
Finally, most Canadians believe that the audit into MP expenses by Auditor-General Sheila Fraser is necessary. Of the 1,031 Canadian adults surveyed in a recent Angus Reid poll, 82 per cent welcome the audit, while only six per cent think it is unnecessary. When it comes to the detail of the report, the majority of respondents (53 per cent) would like full disclosure, saying that it should include every single expense made by each MP with his or her stipend in a year.
