Three
quarters approve of Supreme Court ruling on assisted death
6-in-10 would consider assisted death for themselves
TORONTO February
11th, 2015 - In
a random sampling of public opinion taken by The Forum Poll™ among 1018 Canadian
voters, three days after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in favour of
legalizing physician assisted dying, more than three quarters approve of the
ruling (78%) and as many as 6-in-10 approve “strongly” (60%). About one eight
disapprove (16%), one tenth strongly (9%), and very few have no opinion (7%).
Strong approval of the SCC ruling is especially characteristic of younger
voters (35 to 44 - 67%), mid ($60K to $80K - 71%) and higher income brackets
($100K to $250K - 70%), in Quebec (71%), among New Democrats (67%) and Green
partisans (82%), but not so much among Conservatives (50%), among Francophones
(73%) and among those with no religion (78%).
Support for assisted dying has been increasing since 2011
Forum has polled approval of legalizing assisted dying
(formerly described as assisted suicide) since 2011, when support stood at two
thirds (67%) until the summer of 2014, when support had increased to three
quarters (74%).
6-in-10 will consider assisted dying
More than six tenths of voters would consider assisted dying
for themselves if they had a grievous condition or were in intolerable pain
(among the conditions mentioned by the SCC - 61%). One fifth would not consider
this (21%) and a similar proportion do not know if they would (18%). Among
those especially likely to say they will not consider assisted dying are the
oldest (29%), mid income earners ($40K to $60K - 28%), in Atlantic Canada (25%)
and the prairies (26%), among Conservatives (27%), and Evangelical Christians
(53% - caution: small base size).
"Canadians have been clear
about their support for assistance in ending their lives since we began
tracking it 4 years ago. The public was clear, but elected officials were loath
to act. As in many cases of Canadian social advances, it required the Supreme
Court to get the ball rolling," said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne
Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum
Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416)
960-9603.
