Canadians
split on Bill C-51
Liberal support for bill moves some votes to NDP
TORONTO June 23rd,
2015 - In a
random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 1268 Canadian
voters, almost equal proportions support (39%) and oppose (41%) Bill C-51, the
new anti-terrorism legislation. It must be noted that fully one fifth of voters
have no opinion on this hotly contested issue (20%). Support for the bill is
characteristic of the oldest (55 to 64 - 44%, 65+ - 46%), the less wealthy
($20K to $40K - 51%), in Quebec (45%) and Alberta (50%), among Conservatives
(69%) and some Liberals (43%), but not New Democrats (18%), among French
Canadians (46%) and the least educated (47%). Opposition to the bill is common
to the youngest (49%), males (44%), the wealthiest ($80K to $100K - 49%, $100K
to $250K - 47%), in BC (58%), among New Democrats (63%) and the best educated
(55%).
Vote switching favours NDP
A
total of 3-in-10 voters (30%) are either “less likely to vote Liberal” (8%) or
“more likely to vote NDP” (22%) because of the passage of Bill C-51. On the
other hand, about 2-in-10 (18%) are more likely to vote Liberal (12%) or less
likely to vote NDP (6%) for their opposition to the bill. This adds up to a 12
point advantage in vote switching behaviour for the NDP. Among current Liberal
voters, just one tenth are more likely to vote NDP because of the bill (9%),
while very few are less likely to vote Liberal (3%), for a total of about
1-in-10 (12%) switchers. Among those who voted Liberal in 2011, however, fully
one quarter are less likely to vote Liberal (24%) and about a twentieth are
more likely to vote NDP (6%), for a total of 3-in-10 past Liberal voters (30%)
who may have switched their preference. Very few Liberals or New Democrats will
vote Conservative to support Bill C-51.
"While the effect is not as
drastic as some describe, and it may not be the entire reason for the NDP’s
leadership in the polls, there is no question that Liberal support for Bill
C-51 has had some effect on their electoral support, and while it may count for
about 10 points of switching behaviour between parties, it also may contribute
about 5 points overall to the NDP vote at the election," 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.
