One half approve of Mideast mission reset

| Filed under: National, Social Issues

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.