Fewer Than One Fifth
Own Guns
Just one tenth own a handgun
In a random sampling
of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 1429 Canadian voters, fewer
than one fifth claim to own firearms (17%), and this is comprised of those who
own just a long gun (9%), just a handgun (4%) or both (4%). In total, gun
ownership is especially common among the youngest (19%), males (23%), the very
wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 23%), in the prairies (27%) and in Alberta (23%),
among Conservatives (28%), the least educated (21%) and among those who would abolish
the monarchy (20%).
Ownership of
handguns (heavily restricted in Canada) is common to the least wealthy (10%),
males (11%), the youngest (10%), in Quebec, where a surprising tenth own a
handgun only (13%) and total handgun ownership is characteristic of more than a
tenth (14%), among New Democrats, where almost twice as many as the general
population own a handgun only (7%), among Francophones (15% in total) and those
in favour of abolishing the monarchy (16%).
“We are a far cry
from the US, where there are as many guns as people. In our country, gun
ownership seems localized where it makes the most sense, in primarily rural
regions and in the west where there are varmints to kill. It is surprising,
however, to see the statistically significant spike in handgun ownership among
Francophones and Quebecois" 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.
