PRESS RELEASE
| August
9 , 2003 Four Western Provinces re Social Survey
ROBBINS-SCE
Research For immediate Release: This is a survey of 3,200 respondents throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. All respondents were pre-qualified in that they voted in the last federal general election in 2000. Percentages were nominally reconciled with respondent allocation to match ‘ballots cast’ in each province during the federal general election in 2000. The survey was conducted July 17 to July 27, 2003.This survey was again partly sponsored by Reform BC. British Columbia 1,400
respondents Question #1 Stephen Harper and Canadian
Alliance - 42% Question #2 Yes - 83% Question #3 a) 54% b) 12% c) 33% Question #4 Agree - 76% Question #5 Agree - 63% Question #6 Disagree - 71% Question #7 NO - 76% Commentary
Justice Minister Cauchon has indicated that the issue of legalizing same-sex marriages will define the next federal election in Canada. A recent poll done by the French firm Ipsos suggests support for legalizing same-sex marriage across Canada at 55%. Our survey shows overwhelming support of Western Canadians to retain the traditional definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. Stephen Harper and the Alliance Party is on the record as unequivocally supporting the traditional definition of marriage. Our third question reveals that only 12% support legalizing same-sex marriages and that it is not a priority to Western Canadians. 76% of Western Canadians have a very practical view of life, death, responsibility, and accountability. They believe without reservation, that killers, particularly those who kill for pleasure, those who kill women, children and police officers don’t respect our way of life, so why should we respect their right to live. To be blunt, western Canadians of both sexes want very badly to see ‘real bad people’ put to death. There is support for euthanasia, but 63% of respondents see this as a direct link to a family member, than with the death penalty, where there may be no personal tie, or to a women’s right to demand an abortion. 71% of Western Canadians do not want to hear about a woman’s right to an abortion anymore. They agree with a women’s right to choose to have an abortion, but they also expect a woman to protect herself from becoming pregnant. With health care costs an omnipresent issue, respondents are not sympathetic to special interest groups who continue to make socio-economic alibis, when basic personal responsibility is the critical issue here. Respondents do not want to see politicians debating the issue from religious grounds. The public currently does not see the church as the medium for discussions around morality. They do not believe the church has sufficient credibility to comment now that BC Attorney General Geoff Plant supports the legalization of same-sex marriages, the churches are pretty quiet on the matter. In addition to questions asked in the four western provinces, BC respondents were asked the following questions Question #1 a) 86% Question #2 No - 72% Question #3 No - 64% Question #4 No - 56% Question #5 No - 82% Question #6 No - 77% Commentary The responses in the BC Survey signify a number of interesting considerations. First of all, The Canadian Alliance Party must reconsider its political affiliations in the province of BC. In order to ‘shore up’ its position in the Western Provinces, Alliance MP’s are compelled to ‘purify’ their most western flank in BC, and wherever possible rid itself of BC Liberal partisans. Our internal research indicates that The Canadian Alliance Party will not find success in Ontario, and have not yet satisfied their ambitions in Manitoba. The Alliance Party cannot lose it’s western flank in British Columbia, which will pinch Alberta and Saskatchewan between Manitoba-Ontario and BC, thus neutralizing an essential component of the identity of the party consistent with it’s reformation “roots”. There are many Alliance supporters who still long for the heady days of Reform. 86% of Alliance supporters agree that the Reform Party is the natural counterpart to the Alliance Party. It is a heritage that should be embraced; to abandon it. Will expose the Alliance Party as new, and allow the Progressive Conservative Party to speak to it’s much longer history, not simply a Mulroney past. The Reform name is a reminder to Alliance Members why a new type of conservatism was necessary in the first place. Isolated, without a proper sense of its history, the Alliance exists in the abstract, without a sense of historical significance. Questions 2 through 6 signify that British Columbians do not trust professionals to investigate complaints against their own. Respondents were often quick to answer “No” to this question. The public lacks confidence in the established bodies that regulate their respective professions. The Church also has a real credibility problem according to respondents in this survey. British Columbians do not have confidence in established religious institutions. In a exclusive interview with CNN and the Reverend Gene Robinson priest of the diocese of New Hampshire on his nomination for the title of Bishop, the following question was asked. “What would you say to people who never the less feel uncomfortable with the notion of an openly gay priest becoming a Bishop?” Mr. Robinson’s response was “several things, one is I’m not the first gay Bishop. Their have always been gay Bishops throughout the church and in every denomination…" While the BC Liberals continue to assume that they hold public trust polls clearly show otherwise. This survey also reveals a rapidly decreasing public confidence in all sectors of public service including current government. Polls indicate a loss of public confidence in Premier Campbell’s ability to represent public opinion Sincerely, -30-
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