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2015 Manning Barometer


Na2onal Public Opinion Survey

Manning Centre for Building Democracy

Objec2ve and Methodology


Track changes in Canadians views on key issues,
political leaders and political leanings over time.
1201 online interviews were conducted with
Canadians (Jan. 20-23, 2015). The margin of error
for a sample this size is +/- 2.8%, 19 times out of
20.(+/- 4.0% for subsets)

Which issues are of greatest


concern to Canadians?

Whats the Most Important Issue in Canada?


19%

Economy

12%

Employment

12%

Health care
Taxes

5%

Environment

5%
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How Important is it for Canada to Move


Forward on Key Issues?
Overall Rating
8.76

Timely access to quality health care

8.67

Make politicians and public officials more accountable

8.45

Create high quality jobs with good wages

Reduce the gap between the rich and the poor

8.19

Improve the ethical behaviour of our politicians

8.18
8.14

Protect the standard of living of the middle-class

8.05

Protect the environment

7.99

Invest in education to meet demands of global economy

Strengthen security at home and abroad

[=>8.00]

8.37

Protect the interests of vulnerable people

Invest in innovation and R&D to drive economic growth

High
Importance

7.73
7.65
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Of Par2cular Signicance:
Approx. 50% of respondents mentioned economic
related issues (jobs, taxes, deficits, poverty, etc.)
as the most important.
Two issues which ranked much higher in this
years survey than in previous years:
Improving the ethical behavior of politicians
Security at home and abroad

Who is on the Right Track?


Total Right Direction

Municipal

11%

Canada

9%

Province

6%

49%

42%

38%

Strongly right direction


Somewhat wrong track

24%

31%

31%

8%

60%

12%

51%

19%

Somewhat right direction


Strongly wrong track

44%
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Strengths and Weaknesses: Federal Government?


Strengths

Weaknesses

Issue/Policy Area

Score (P, I)

Issue/Policy Area

Score (P, I)

Strengthen security at home and abroad

(6.17, 7.65)

Reducing gap between rich & poor

(4.07, 8.19)

Expand trade with other countries

(6.12, 7.19)

Improving ethical behaviour of poli2cians

(4.31, 8.18)

Inves2ng in innova2on and R&D for future


growth

(5.76, 7.73)

Making poli2cians more accountable

(4.69, 8.67)

Inves2ng in educa2ng ci2zens for global


economy

(5.64, 7.99)

Crea2ng high quality jobs with good wages

(4.91, 8.45)

Protec2ng living standards of middle-class

(5.21, 8.76)

Ensuring 2mely access to high quality health care

(5.23, 8.14)

Protec2ng interests of vulnerable popula2ons

(5.32, 8.37)

Protec2ng the environment

(5.36, 8.05)

*Performance (P) and Importance (I) Ratings are out of 10. Areas of strength and weakness are ranked in order of greatest to least according to performance
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rating; where performance ratings are equal, areas are ranked according to importance rating.

Looking for Leadership

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Importance of Key AHributes in Canadian PoliKcians?


Overall Rating

8.78

Strong and ethical character (i.e. honesty and integrity)

8.63

Strong knowledge of issues & challenges


Professional skills (eg. comm. & decision-making)

8.47

Understands domestic and int'l economic issues

8.45

Transparency & accountability

8.38

Protective of Canada's environment and nat'l resources

8.32

Sensitive to issues of equity and social justice

8.31
8.12

Strong leader on the international stage


Supportive of energy sector dev. (i.e. oil and gas)

6.85

High
Importance
[=>8.00]

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Of Par2cular Signicance:
Respondents said that strong and ethical
character was the most important attribute a
politician should have.
This was considered even more important than
possessing:
o Strong knowledge of the issues
o Strong professional skills

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The Ethics of PoliKcal Leadership:


50% of Canadians do not trust politicians
Canadians believe that politics is corrupting,
rather than believing that only unethical people go
into politics. They also believe politics could be
less corrupt by electing better people.

*Source: Pattison, J. (2014). www.GandalfGroup.ca

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Percent who believe poliKcians frequently


engage in the following:
Break elec2on promises
Act in the interest of industry/interest groups
Spend tax dollars to buy votes
Make policy decisions that benet friends
Misuse government powers to silence cri2cs
Lie to Parliament, the media or public
Limit the medias access to elected ocials
File false expense claims

74%
56%
52%
51%
48%
47%
45%
43%

*Source: Pattison, J. (2014). www.GandalfGroup.ca

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Challenge to all Par2es:


What can be done to strengthen the
ethics and character aeributes of
those who seek poli2cal oce?

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Addi2onal Insights

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Which leader is best equipped to deal with


dangerous characters on the world stage?
Harper
Trudeau
Mulcair
None
Dont Know

29%
12%
9%
23%
21%
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What should be the federal governments priority in


light of projected surpluses?
Tax Relief
More Government Spending
Dont Know

72%
12%
14%

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What is your main source of poliKcal informaKon on


issues and personaliKes?
Television

43%

Websites

19%

Newspapers & magazines

13%

Social media

8%

Radio

6%

Friends & family

5%
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Discussion:

1) Why are provincial governments


generally seen to be on the wrong track
and municipali2es on the right track?


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Discussion:

2) What are the implica2ons for the


federal elec2on if is fought on economic
and security grounds?
3) What are the implica2ons if it is fought
on other grounds such as?

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Discussion:

4) What can be done to strengthen the


ethics and character aeributes of
those who seek poli2cal oce?

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Discussion:

5) What are the implica2ons of the increasing


reliance of voters on social media for poli2cal
informa2on?

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