One half approve of Mideast mission reset
One half prefer a non-combat role
TORONTO
February 18th, 2016 - In a random sampling of public opinion taken
by the Forum Poll™ among 1406 Canadian voters, one half approve of the change
in Canada’s mission in the Mideast from bombing to arming and training foreign
fighters (48%), while just more than a third disapprove (36%). About one sixth
don’t have an opinion (16%). Disapproval of the new mission profile is
characteristic of mid age groups (45 to 54 - 43%), males (40%), mid income
groups ($60K to $80K - 40%), in Alberta (55%), among Conservative voters (70%)
and among the least educated (40%).
Non-combat role preferred by one half
One
half of voters think the best way Canada can contribute to the coalition
against ISIS is in a non-combat role (51%), either training and arming foreign
fighters (27%) or providing humanitarian aid only (24%). Just more than a
quarter believe we should continue aerial bombing (28%). One seventh think we
should do something else (14%) and about one tenth don’t have an opinion (8%).
The
humanitarian aid option is selected especially by the youngest (33%), females
(27%), in Quebec (32%) and BC (27%) and among New Democrats (36%). The
arming/training option is common to mid age groups (55 to 64 - 33%), males
(29%) rather than females (24%), in the Atlantic provinces (40%) and among
Liberals (34%). The bombing option is characteristic of the oldest (34%), males
(31%), in Alberta (41%) and among Conservatives (59%).
“The country sorts itself very neatly into
regions, age groups and political preferences when asked what we should be
doing in the Mideast. The more Conservative, the more bellicose the answer, the
more progressive, the further from combat our role is seen to be,” 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.
