Since 2002, 138 Canadian soldiers have been killed serving in the Afghanistan mission.
Four Canadian civilians have also been killed, including one diplomat, one journalist and two aid workers.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Majority of Canadians Disagree with PROROGATION!!.
Page 1 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
PROROGATION
Majority of Canadians Disagree with
Prorogation of Parliament
About two-in-five respondents think the decision was taken to curtail the
inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees.
[VANCOUVER – Jan. 7, 2010] – The recent
prorogation of Parliament does not sit well with a
majority of Canadians, and supporters of
opposition parties are particularly dismayed by the
decision, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll
conducted in partnership with the Toronto Star
has found.
In the online survey of a representative national
sample of 1,019 Canadian adults, 53 per cent of
respondents disagree with the decision to
prorogue Parliament.
Conversely, only 19 per cent agree with the move.
Almost three-in-ten Canadians (28%) are
undecided.
The rejection of the decision to prorogue
Parliament is highest in Ontario (59%) and lowest
in the Prairies (50% in Alberta, 48% in Manitoba
and Saskatchewan).
Political Allegiance
A large proportion of respondents who voted for
the Liberal Party (78%), the Green Party (75%),
the New Democratic Party (NDP) (72%) and the
Bloc Québécois (65%) in the 2008 federal election disagree with the prorogation of Parliament. Almost
half of Conservative voters (46%) agree with the decision.
KEY FINDINGS
􀂾 53% disagree with the decision to
prorogue Parliament, including large
majorities of opposition party
supporters
􀂾 38% think prorogation is being invoked
to curtail an inquiry into the treatment
of Afghan detainees; 23% think it was
necessary to review the next stage of
the government’s economic plan
Full topline results are at the end of this release.
From January 5 to January 6, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion
conducted an online survey among 1,019 randomly selected
Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The
margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/-
3.1%. The results have been statistically weighted according to
the most current education, age, gender and region Census
data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult
population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are
due to rounding.
Page 2 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
Taking Sides
About two-in-five Canadians (38%) side with the view of opposition parties, and believe prorogation was
invoked in order to curtail an inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees. About one quarter of
respondents (23%) agree with the federal government's position that prorogation was necessary to
recalibrate, consult and deliver the next stage of the economic plan.
Page 3 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
Prorogation
As you may know, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has prorogued Parliament, that is, suspended all
activities and delayed the return of MPs and Senators. Have you followed this story in the media?
Region
Total BC AB MB/SK ON PQ ATL
Yes, very closely 11% 18% 15% 3% 11% 8% 16%
Yes, moderately closely 23% 22% 20% 18% 29% 16% 23%
Yes, but not too closely 31% 33% 27% 49% 35% 22% 33%
No, I have not followed this story at all 34% 26% 38% 31% 25% 53% 28%
Prorogation
As you may know, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has prorogued Parliament, that is, suspended all
activities and delayed the return of MPs and Senators. Have you followed this story in the media?
Political Allegiance
Total Con Lib NDP BQ Grn
Yes, very closely 11% 10% 22% 17% 14% 8%
Yes, moderately closely 23% 26% 30% 22% 26% 39%
Yes, but not too closely 31% 40% 27% 43% 22% 28%
No, I have not followed this story at all 34% 24% 21% 18% 39% 26%
Page 4 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
Prorogation
Do you agree or disagree with the decision to prorogue Parliament?
Region
Total BC AB MB/SK ON PQ ATL
Strongly agree 7% 13% 7% 15% 4% 9% 3%
Moderately agree 12% 10% 14% 16% 13% 9% 8%
Moderately disagree 15% 21% 24% 20% 16% 10% 7%
Strongly disagree 38% 31% 26% 28% 43% 36% 54%
Not sure 28% 24% 29% 22% 24% 36% 28%
Prorogation
Do you agree or disagree with the decision to prorogue Parliament?
Political Allegiance
Total Con Lib NDP BQ Grn
Strongly agree 7% 20% 1% 1% 4% 0%
Moderately agree 12% 26% 6% 6% 7% 5%
Moderately disagree 15% 17% 17% 15% 8% 14%
Strongly disagree 38% 18% 61% 57% 57% 61%
Not sure 28% 19% 15% 20% 23% 20%
Page 5 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
Prorogation
The Federal Government claims that prorogation was necessary to recalibrate, consult and deliver the
next stage of its economic plan. The Opposition claims that prorogation is being invoked in order to
curtail an inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees. Thinking about this, which side do you agree
with the most?
Region
Total BC AB MB/SK ON PQ ATL
The Federal Government 23% 27% 26% 39% 20% 22% 19%
The Opposition 38% 38% 29% 22% 40% 41% 49%
Neither / Not sure 39% 35% 44% 39% 41% 37% 32%
Prorogation
The Federal Government claims that prorogation was necessary to recalibrate, consult and deliver the
next stage of its economic plan. The Opposition claims that prorogation is being invoked in order to
curtail an inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees. Thinking about this, which side do you agree
with the most?
Political Allegiance
Total Con Lib NDP BQ Grn
The Federal Government 23% 54% 8% 11% 6% 7%
The Opposition 38% 12% 60% 56% 69% 67%
Neither / Not sure 39% 35% 33% 33% 25% 26%
Page 6 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
Angus Reid Public Opinion is a practice of Vision Critical—a global research and technology
company specializing in custom online panels, private communities, and innovative online methods.
Vision Critical is a leader in the use of the Internet and rich media technology to collect high-quality,
in-depth insights for a wide array of clients. Dr. Angus Reid and the Angus Reid Strategies team are
pioneers in online research methodologies, and have been conducting online surveys since 1995
Vision Critical is now one of the largest market research enterprises in the world. In addition to its five
offices in Canada—located in Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Toronto, and Montreal—the firm also has
offices in San Francisco, Chicago, New York, London, Paris and Sydney. Its team of specialists
provides solutions across every type and sector of research, and currently serves over 200
international clients.
Angus Reid Public Opinion polls are conducted using the Angus Reid Forum
(www.angusreidforum.com), Springboard America (www.springboardamerica.com) and Springboard
UK (www.springboarduk.com) online panels, which are carefully recruited to ensure representation
across all demographic and psychographic segments of these populations. Panel members pass
through rigorous screening and a double opt-in process ensuring highly motivated and responsive
members. These premier online survey platforms present respondents with highly visual, interactive,
and engaging surveys, ensuring that panel members provide thoughtful and reliable responses.
Each survey is actively sampled and weighted to model that characteristics of the universe required
and employs the latest in quality control techniques to ensure data validity.
Angus Reid, the only public opinion firm to exclusively use online methods to follow the views of the
electorate during the 2008 federal campaign, offered the most accurate prediction of the results of
Canada’s 40th election.
http://bit.ly/4zxfIS
Since 2006, Angus Reid has covered eight provincial elections in Canada—more than any other
pollster in the country—and the results have accurately predicted the outcome of each of these
democratic processes.
More information on the way Angus Reid conducts public opinion research can be found at
http://bit.ly/3z0uII
- 30 -
For more information, please contact
our spokesperson listed in the footnote.
Copies of this poll are available on our website:
http://www.visioncritical.com/category/global-opinions-and-trends
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
PROROGATION
Majority of Canadians Disagree with
Prorogation of Parliament
About two-in-five respondents think the decision was taken to curtail the
inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees.
[VANCOUVER – Jan. 7, 2010] – The recent
prorogation of Parliament does not sit well with a
majority of Canadians, and supporters of
opposition parties are particularly dismayed by the
decision, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll
conducted in partnership with the Toronto Star
has found.
In the online survey of a representative national
sample of 1,019 Canadian adults, 53 per cent of
respondents disagree with the decision to
prorogue Parliament.
Conversely, only 19 per cent agree with the move.
Almost three-in-ten Canadians (28%) are
undecided.
The rejection of the decision to prorogue
Parliament is highest in Ontario (59%) and lowest
in the Prairies (50% in Alberta, 48% in Manitoba
and Saskatchewan).
Political Allegiance
A large proportion of respondents who voted for
the Liberal Party (78%), the Green Party (75%),
the New Democratic Party (NDP) (72%) and the
Bloc Québécois (65%) in the 2008 federal election disagree with the prorogation of Parliament. Almost
half of Conservative voters (46%) agree with the decision.
KEY FINDINGS
􀂾 53% disagree with the decision to
prorogue Parliament, including large
majorities of opposition party
supporters
􀂾 38% think prorogation is being invoked
to curtail an inquiry into the treatment
of Afghan detainees; 23% think it was
necessary to review the next stage of
the government’s economic plan
Full topline results are at the end of this release.
From January 5 to January 6, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion
conducted an online survey among 1,019 randomly selected
Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The
margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/-
3.1%. The results have been statistically weighted according to
the most current education, age, gender and region Census
data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult
population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are
due to rounding.
Page 2 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
Taking Sides
About two-in-five Canadians (38%) side with the view of opposition parties, and believe prorogation was
invoked in order to curtail an inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees. About one quarter of
respondents (23%) agree with the federal government's position that prorogation was necessary to
recalibrate, consult and deliver the next stage of the economic plan.
Page 3 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
Prorogation
As you may know, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has prorogued Parliament, that is, suspended all
activities and delayed the return of MPs and Senators. Have you followed this story in the media?
Region
Total BC AB MB/SK ON PQ ATL
Yes, very closely 11% 18% 15% 3% 11% 8% 16%
Yes, moderately closely 23% 22% 20% 18% 29% 16% 23%
Yes, but not too closely 31% 33% 27% 49% 35% 22% 33%
No, I have not followed this story at all 34% 26% 38% 31% 25% 53% 28%
Prorogation
As you may know, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has prorogued Parliament, that is, suspended all
activities and delayed the return of MPs and Senators. Have you followed this story in the media?
Political Allegiance
Total Con Lib NDP BQ Grn
Yes, very closely 11% 10% 22% 17% 14% 8%
Yes, moderately closely 23% 26% 30% 22% 26% 39%
Yes, but not too closely 31% 40% 27% 43% 22% 28%
No, I have not followed this story at all 34% 24% 21% 18% 39% 26%
Page 4 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
Prorogation
Do you agree or disagree with the decision to prorogue Parliament?
Region
Total BC AB MB/SK ON PQ ATL
Strongly agree 7% 13% 7% 15% 4% 9% 3%
Moderately agree 12% 10% 14% 16% 13% 9% 8%
Moderately disagree 15% 21% 24% 20% 16% 10% 7%
Strongly disagree 38% 31% 26% 28% 43% 36% 54%
Not sure 28% 24% 29% 22% 24% 36% 28%
Prorogation
Do you agree or disagree with the decision to prorogue Parliament?
Political Allegiance
Total Con Lib NDP BQ Grn
Strongly agree 7% 20% 1% 1% 4% 0%
Moderately agree 12% 26% 6% 6% 7% 5%
Moderately disagree 15% 17% 17% 15% 8% 14%
Strongly disagree 38% 18% 61% 57% 57% 61%
Not sure 28% 19% 15% 20% 23% 20%
Page 5 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
Prorogation
The Federal Government claims that prorogation was necessary to recalibrate, consult and deliver the
next stage of its economic plan. The Opposition claims that prorogation is being invoked in order to
curtail an inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees. Thinking about this, which side do you agree
with the most?
Region
Total BC AB MB/SK ON PQ ATL
The Federal Government 23% 27% 26% 39% 20% 22% 19%
The Opposition 38% 38% 29% 22% 40% 41% 49%
Neither / Not sure 39% 35% 44% 39% 41% 37% 32%
Prorogation
The Federal Government claims that prorogation was necessary to recalibrate, consult and deliver the
next stage of its economic plan. The Opposition claims that prorogation is being invoked in order to
curtail an inquiry into the treatment of Afghan detainees. Thinking about this, which side do you agree
with the most?
Political Allegiance
Total Con Lib NDP BQ Grn
The Federal Government 23% 54% 8% 11% 6% 7%
The Opposition 38% 12% 60% 56% 69% 67%
Neither / Not sure 39% 35% 33% 33% 25% 26%
Page 6 of 6
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, 416-712-5498, jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
For Immediate Release
Canadian Public Opinion Poll
Angus Reid Public Opinion is a practice of Vision Critical—a global research and technology
company specializing in custom online panels, private communities, and innovative online methods.
Vision Critical is a leader in the use of the Internet and rich media technology to collect high-quality,
in-depth insights for a wide array of clients. Dr. Angus Reid and the Angus Reid Strategies team are
pioneers in online research methodologies, and have been conducting online surveys since 1995
Vision Critical is now one of the largest market research enterprises in the world. In addition to its five
offices in Canada—located in Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Toronto, and Montreal—the firm also has
offices in San Francisco, Chicago, New York, London, Paris and Sydney. Its team of specialists
provides solutions across every type and sector of research, and currently serves over 200
international clients.
Angus Reid Public Opinion polls are conducted using the Angus Reid Forum
(www.angusreidforum.com), Springboard America (www.springboardamerica.com) and Springboard
UK (www.springboarduk.com) online panels, which are carefully recruited to ensure representation
across all demographic and psychographic segments of these populations. Panel members pass
through rigorous screening and a double opt-in process ensuring highly motivated and responsive
members. These premier online survey platforms present respondents with highly visual, interactive,
and engaging surveys, ensuring that panel members provide thoughtful and reliable responses.
Each survey is actively sampled and weighted to model that characteristics of the universe required
and employs the latest in quality control techniques to ensure data validity.
Angus Reid, the only public opinion firm to exclusively use online methods to follow the views of the
electorate during the 2008 federal campaign, offered the most accurate prediction of the results of
Canada’s 40th election.
http://bit.ly/4zxfIS
Since 2006, Angus Reid has covered eight provincial elections in Canada—more than any other
pollster in the country—and the results have accurately predicted the outcome of each of these
democratic processes.
More information on the way Angus Reid conducts public opinion research can be found at
http://bit.ly/3z0uII
- 30 -
For more information, please contact
our spokesperson listed in the footnote.
Copies of this poll are available on our website:
http://www.visioncritical.com/category/global-opinions-and-trends
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
For those fed up with Harper's undemocratic behavior, tell your MP to get back to work on January 25th
See facebook!
Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament
Organizations - Political Organizations
Description:
On December 30th, 2009, for the second time in as many years, Stephen Harper has asked the Governor General to prorogue parliament. Like last time, he will certainly get what he's asking for, forsaking his responsibility to be accountable to his employers, us Canadians citizens.What can we do? Ask your MP to attend parliament anyways. Think it can't be done? Check this out:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_ParliamentFirst, find your MP:http://canada.gc.ca/directories-repertoires/direct-eng.html#mpOur Members of Parliament are our employees, and they should show up to do what we pay them for. If you need help getting started, here's a sample letter:Dear [MPs name]:I am writing to you to ask that you ignore Stephen Harper's request to prorogue parliament and attend anyway. This is not unprecedented in a parliamentary democracy, having occurred in England in 1640. It is important to me that you attend and I look forward to hearing from you soon.Sincerely,[Your Name]Cher Député ou Ministre (nom)Je vous écrit pour vour demander d'ignorer la requête de prorogation du Premier Ministre Stephen Harper et de vous présenter à la Chambre des Communes malgré tout. Ceci n'est pas un précédent pour un gouvernement démocratique puisque cela s'est produit en 1640 en Angleterre. Il est très important pour moi (nous) que vous teniez cet engagement de vous présenter à la Chambre des Communes malgré une prorogation et j'attends avec impatience d'obtenir des nouvelles de vous. Sincèrement,(vote nom)Écrivez une lettre, un courriel ou téléphonez votre député. Faites circuler auprès de vos amis et de votre famille pour qu'ils s'impliquent. Nous devons montrer à ce gouvernement ce qu'est une VRAIE démocratie.Vous pouvez également contacter la Gourverneure Générale. Même si la décision a déjà été prise, il n'est pas trop tard pour lui faire connaître votre indignation et votre colère. Email Gouverneure Générale info@gg.caCall, email, write your MP. Tell your friends and family to get involved. We need to show the government what real democracy is about!Also, feel free to contact the Governor General. While her decision has already been made, its not too late to voice your anger:info@gg.ca (read less)
On December 30th, 2009, for the second time in as many years, Stephen Harper has asked the Governor General to prorogue parliament. Like last time, he will certainly get what he's asking for, forsaking his responsibility to be accountable to his employers, us Canadians citizens.What can we do? Ask your MP to attend parliament anyways. Think it can't be done? Check this out:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_ParliamentFirst, find your... (read more)
Privacy Type:
Open: All content is public
Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament
Organizations - Political Organizations
Description:
On December 30th, 2009, for the second time in as many years, Stephen Harper has asked the Governor General to prorogue parliament. Like last time, he will certainly get what he's asking for, forsaking his responsibility to be accountable to his employers, us Canadians citizens.What can we do? Ask your MP to attend parliament anyways. Think it can't be done? Check this out:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_ParliamentFirst, find your MP:http://canada.gc.ca/directories-repertoires/direct-eng.html#mpOur Members of Parliament are our employees, and they should show up to do what we pay them for. If you need help getting started, here's a sample letter:Dear [MPs name]:I am writing to you to ask that you ignore Stephen Harper's request to prorogue parliament and attend anyway. This is not unprecedented in a parliamentary democracy, having occurred in England in 1640. It is important to me that you attend and I look forward to hearing from you soon.Sincerely,[Your Name]Cher Député ou Ministre (nom)Je vous écrit pour vour demander d'ignorer la requête de prorogation du Premier Ministre Stephen Harper et de vous présenter à la Chambre des Communes malgré tout. Ceci n'est pas un précédent pour un gouvernement démocratique puisque cela s'est produit en 1640 en Angleterre. Il est très important pour moi (nous) que vous teniez cet engagement de vous présenter à la Chambre des Communes malgré une prorogation et j'attends avec impatience d'obtenir des nouvelles de vous. Sincèrement,(vote nom)Écrivez une lettre, un courriel ou téléphonez votre député. Faites circuler auprès de vos amis et de votre famille pour qu'ils s'impliquent. Nous devons montrer à ce gouvernement ce qu'est une VRAIE démocratie.Vous pouvez également contacter la Gourverneure Générale. Même si la décision a déjà été prise, il n'est pas trop tard pour lui faire connaître votre indignation et votre colère. Email Gouverneure Générale info@gg.caCall, email, write your MP. Tell your friends and family to get involved. We need to show the government what real democracy is about!Also, feel free to contact the Governor General. While her decision has already been made, its not too late to voice your anger:info@gg.ca (read less)
On December 30th, 2009, for the second time in as many years, Stephen Harper has asked the Governor General to prorogue parliament. Like last time, he will certainly get what he's asking for, forsaking his responsibility to be accountable to his employers, us Canadians citizens.What can we do? Ask your MP to attend parliament anyways. Think it can't be done? Check this out:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_ParliamentFirst, find your... (read more)
Privacy Type:
Open: All content is public
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Liberals will be working on Jan. 25.
Liberals announced they would return to work in Ottawa on Jan. 25, despite the prorogation, to continue work on the Afghan detainee file.
Prorogue pollster & Kady O'Malley
January 4, 2010 12:01 PM By Kady O'Malley
Buried near the end of this recent Canadian Press story on the PM's decision to prorogue Parliament was this tantalizing read of the public reaction so far, courtesy of Harris Decima pollster Doug Anderson:
His feeling is echoed privately by Tory MPs, and by a poll showing that 46 per cent of Canadians just don't care whether Parliament starts sitting in January or takes a break and comes back after the Olympics in March.
"There's a high level of indifference," said pollster Doug Anderson with Harris Decima.
Predictably, your humble blogger immediately perked up. A poll? On prorogation? Ooh! More details, please! Alas, the survey in question did not appear to be posted on the Harris Decima site, but one pleading email to Anderson later, I had a copy of my very own - and the results, it turned out, were far more interesting than the offhand reference in the CP story would suggest.
The poll (pdf) itself, it's worth noting -- actually, it's worth putting in bold italics, possibly underlined, and maybe even breaking out the blink -- was taken between December 17th and 20th, well before the prime minister -- or rather, his press secretary -- confirmed that he would, indeed, be asking the governor general to prorogue parliament until March 3, which means that at the time, respondents were reacting to the theory that he might do so, rather than the fact that he had. Would the numbers be any different now that the deed is done? I guess we'll have to wait for the next batch of polls to find out.
In the meantime, here are a few interesting tidbits from the hypothetical questioning, which comes with a margin of error of 3.1 percent:
Amongst the 49 percent of respondents who held an opinion other than "meh" on the prospect of prorogation, the percentage of those who told the pollster that they would be "unhappy" is more than twice that who said they would be "happy" to see the backs of parliamentarians until after the Olympics: 34 percent to 15 percent.
Not surprisingly, opposition party supporters were more likely to say they would be unhappy, but their lack of enthusiasm was shared by 25 percent of Conservative supporters, which is three points higher than the percentage who gave the idea a putative thumbs up, and just two points lower than the number of Bloc Quebecois supporters who were against it. (Which makes sense, really, since Bloc Quebecois voters are unlikely to hold particularly warm and fuzzy feelings towards anything connected to the federal government.)
Finally, when cross-checked against responses on the decision to prorogue Parliament in 2008, only half of those who agreed that he made the right call last time around said they would be happy if he did so again, with 25 percent predicting that they would be unhappy -- coincidentally, the same percentage of Conservative supporters who feel the same way. The upshot? Although a plurality of respondents greeted the possibility with indifference, those who did not were more likely to be disgruntled than delighted by the move, which was, I should point out again, at that point purely speculative. You have to wonder whether this isn't a potentially dangerous metric for the prime minister, at least in the short term, since it seems reasonable to assume that those who hold strong views -- or any view at all beyond benign apathy -- over whether the House should or shouldn't take a two month break are more likely to take their opinions to the ballot box. After all, it suggests at least a modest degree of engagement with the political process, which would seem to make one more likely to vote. It will also be fascinating to see whether the anti-prorogation agitation currently underway -- most of which, at the moment, appears to be virtual, and of the Facebook group/e-petition variety -- does manage to turns into real world protests, complete with rallies and even the possibility of a gathering of the "parliament of the willing," as NDP MP Bruce Hyer described it to the Globe and Mail's Gloria Galloway. (Cue the explosion of comments about the lurking menace of Coalition v1.5 under the leadership of Ignatieff-usurper Bob Rae. Just a note, y'all: they wouldn't actually be able to do anything other than pose for the cameras and ask pointed questions in the direction of Langevin Block, so no need to stock up on canned goods just yet.)
So, can anyone else extract more enlightenment from the Harris Decima-provided entrails? Share and enjoy!
Buried near the end of this recent Canadian Press story on the PM's decision to prorogue Parliament was this tantalizing read of the public reaction so far, courtesy of Harris Decima pollster Doug Anderson:
His feeling is echoed privately by Tory MPs, and by a poll showing that 46 per cent of Canadians just don't care whether Parliament starts sitting in January or takes a break and comes back after the Olympics in March.
"There's a high level of indifference," said pollster Doug Anderson with Harris Decima.
Predictably, your humble blogger immediately perked up. A poll? On prorogation? Ooh! More details, please! Alas, the survey in question did not appear to be posted on the Harris Decima site, but one pleading email to Anderson later, I had a copy of my very own - and the results, it turned out, were far more interesting than the offhand reference in the CP story would suggest.
The poll (pdf) itself, it's worth noting -- actually, it's worth putting in bold italics, possibly underlined, and maybe even breaking out the blink -- was taken between December 17th and 20th, well before the prime minister -- or rather, his press secretary -- confirmed that he would, indeed, be asking the governor general to prorogue parliament until March 3, which means that at the time, respondents were reacting to the theory that he might do so, rather than the fact that he had. Would the numbers be any different now that the deed is done? I guess we'll have to wait for the next batch of polls to find out.
In the meantime, here are a few interesting tidbits from the hypothetical questioning, which comes with a margin of error of 3.1 percent:
Amongst the 49 percent of respondents who held an opinion other than "meh" on the prospect of prorogation, the percentage of those who told the pollster that they would be "unhappy" is more than twice that who said they would be "happy" to see the backs of parliamentarians until after the Olympics: 34 percent to 15 percent.
Not surprisingly, opposition party supporters were more likely to say they would be unhappy, but their lack of enthusiasm was shared by 25 percent of Conservative supporters, which is three points higher than the percentage who gave the idea a putative thumbs up, and just two points lower than the number of Bloc Quebecois supporters who were against it. (Which makes sense, really, since Bloc Quebecois voters are unlikely to hold particularly warm and fuzzy feelings towards anything connected to the federal government.)
Finally, when cross-checked against responses on the decision to prorogue Parliament in 2008, only half of those who agreed that he made the right call last time around said they would be happy if he did so again, with 25 percent predicting that they would be unhappy -- coincidentally, the same percentage of Conservative supporters who feel the same way. The upshot? Although a plurality of respondents greeted the possibility with indifference, those who did not were more likely to be disgruntled than delighted by the move, which was, I should point out again, at that point purely speculative. You have to wonder whether this isn't a potentially dangerous metric for the prime minister, at least in the short term, since it seems reasonable to assume that those who hold strong views -- or any view at all beyond benign apathy -- over whether the House should or shouldn't take a two month break are more likely to take their opinions to the ballot box. After all, it suggests at least a modest degree of engagement with the political process, which would seem to make one more likely to vote. It will also be fascinating to see whether the anti-prorogation agitation currently underway -- most of which, at the moment, appears to be virtual, and of the Facebook group/e-petition variety -- does manage to turns into real world protests, complete with rallies and even the possibility of a gathering of the "parliament of the willing," as NDP MP Bruce Hyer described it to the Globe and Mail's Gloria Galloway. (Cue the explosion of comments about the lurking menace of Coalition v1.5 under the leadership of Ignatieff-usurper Bob Rae. Just a note, y'all: they wouldn't actually be able to do anything other than pose for the cameras and ask pointed questions in the direction of Langevin Block, so no need to stock up on canned goods just yet.)
So, can anyone else extract more enlightenment from the Harris Decima-provided entrails? Share and enjoy!
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