Description

Outline
 Explaining Value Statements:
Level of Agreement

  “Using a scale of 1 to 7 where 1 is ‘totally

disagree’ and 7 is ‘totally agree,’ tell me how you
feel about each of the following statements…”

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Value Statements:
Value Statement % Strongly Agree

Nothing is more important than family 89

Marriage, by definition, is between a man and a woman 67

Abortion is morally wrong 60

Learn from what worked in the past to solve problems 54

Better to implement small changes than all at once 54

People holding different values/beliefs make society richer 47

Patriotism, strong military necessary to advance nat’l interests 44

We have a responsibility to look after those less fortunate 43

There is a right and wrong, not all about individual perception 42

Private sector before government to solve economic problems 36

Government action is best way to solve economic problems 31

Individual freedom is more important than social security 31

Private enterprise is best way to solve economic problems 26

 Value Statements:

Value Statement % Strongly Agree

The good of the community takes priority over individual rights 25

Society is on a path of inevitable progress 17

I believe in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth 8

People who are poor have no one to blame but themselves 8

 Turn to for Help?:
Large majority of Canadians turn to family first

  Eight in ten respondents turn first to family when they need help. One in
ten respondents say they rely only on themselves in a time of need.
 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “Nothing is more important than family.”

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Federal Government Policies:
  Only one in three Canadians believe that the policies of the federal
government have a “big impact” on their lives.
 Government’s Role:
  A large majority of respondents believe that government
should play a major role in protecting the property rights of
Canadians.
 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “Society is on a path of inevitable progress, where

over time, everything will be better in the future
than it was in the past.”

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “When trying to find solutions to problems, it is a

good idea to learn from what has worked in the
past.”

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “It is better to implement small changes than to

try to change everything at once.”

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “When trying to find solutions to economic

problems, the private sector should be given a
chance first before government intervenes.”

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Government’s Role:

  More than half of Canadians believe that government should

play a major role in encouraging individual initiative.
 Corporate Taxation

  Six in ten Canadians support reducing taxes on corporations

as a measure to stimulate economic growth.
 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “There is a right and wrong and it is not all about

individual perception.”

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “Individual freedom is more important than social

security.”

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “Abortion is morally wrong.”

•  Key socio-demographic breakdowns:
•  Individuals aged 18-30 were more likely to “totally disagree” with
this statement (24%, compared to 9% of individuals aged 65 and
older).

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “Marriage, by definition, can only take place

between a man and a woman.”
•  Key socio-demographic breakdown:
•  A greater proportion of individuals aged 65 and older indicated “total
agreement” with this statement (61%, compared to 43% of those aged
18-30).

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Dealing with Moral Issues

•  Just 31% feel

•  75% feel that government should
abortion is morally play a major role
wrong. regulating individual
D behaviour and
I
S morality.
•  80% support the S
O
traditional definition N •  Split (46%:50%) on
of marriage. A the role of
N
C government in
E preserving the moral
fabric of society.
 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “Often people who are poor have no one to blame

but themselves.”

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “We all have a responsibility to look after those

less fortunate than ourselves.”

totally totally
disagree agree

More conservative Less conservative

 Government’s Role:
  More than four in ten Canadians believe that government
should play only a minor role in reducing differences in
income levels between those with high and low earnings.
 Responsibility to Democracy:
Majority feel “personal responsibility” to improve democracy
 Government’s Role:

  Over half of Canadians believe that government should play

a major role in advancing freedom and democracy
internationally.
 Value Statement:
Level of Agreement

  “Patriotism and a strong military are necessary to

advance Canada’s national interests.”

totally totally
disagree agree

Less conservative More conservative

 Government’s Role:

  More than eight in ten respondents believe that government

should have a major role in managing the economy.
 Revealing Story 2

•  Only 34% feel

government policies
have a big impact on
our daily lives.
•  84% feel that
government should D •  Only 39% think
I
have an important S government can be
role in managing the S very helpful.
O
economy. N
A •  Most do not want
N
C government to do more
E to reduce income
inequality, stimulate
economic growth or
deal with economic
recession.
 Deficit Spending

  Seven in ten Canadians support the federal Conservative

government’s spending practices despite forecasts of a $56-
billion deficit this year.
 Long Gun Registry

  Six in ten Canadians support the abolition of the long gun

registry.
Government Action on Climate Change

  Half of Canadians believe that the federal Conservative

government is doing “just enough” to deal with climate
change.
 Afghanistan

  Eight in ten Canadians think that our military should leave

Afghanistan as planned in 2011.
 Economic Recession

  A majority of Canadians believe that the federal

Conservative government is doing “just enough” to deal
with the economic recession.
 Political Ideology Scale

  The majority of Canadians identify most with the

“centre” position on the political ideology scale.

extreme extreme
centre
left right

Less conservative More conservative

 Commonalities (1)
Centrists Values/Policies Conservatives
84% Rely on family first 64%
5.23 When trying to find solutions to 5.97
problems, it is a good idea to
learn from what has worked in
the past
4.87 Government action is the best 4.73
way to solve Canada’s economic
problems
5.59 Marriage, by definition, can only 6.05
take place between a man and a
woman
5.40 Abortion is morally wrong 5.86
5.13 Patriotism and a strong military 5.23
are necessary to advance
Canada’s national interests
5.01 Tolerance and moderation are 5.22
what its all about to be Canadian
 Commonalities (2)

Centrists Values/Policies Conservatives

74% Government should have a major 69%
role when it comes to protecting
property rights
51% Government should have a major 58%
role in promoting/preserving
Canada’s official languages
54% Government should have a major 58%
role in advancing freedom and
democracy internationally
58% Government is doing just 51%
enough to deal with climate
change
84% Canada’s health care system 63%
should NOT include private
hospitals
 Commonalities (3)

Centrists Values/Policies Conservatives

81% Canadian armed forces should 86%
leave Afghanistan as planned in
2011
80% Government should do more to 72%
support embryonic stem cell
research
65% Government is doing just 58%
enough to deal with the
economic recession
 Priorities

CENTRISTS CONSERVATIVES

Fighting inflation
Maintaining law & order

Protecting the
environment Creating jobs
Value Segmentation of Canadian Voters
Canadian Values
Voters
Group 1 People holding different values and beliefs enrich society
(39%) Responsibility to look after the less fortunate
There is a right and a wrong
We should learn from the past
Small changes are preferable
Private enterprise is best to solve Canada’s economic
problems
Group 2 Abortion is morally wrong
(21%) Traditional definition of marriage
Patriotism and a strong military are essential
We should learn from the past
Group 3 Tolerance and moderation are what Canada is about
(18%) Individual freedom is more important that social security
Government action is best to solve economic problems
Group 4 Private sector should be given a chance before government
(14%) Private enterprise is best to solve economic problems
We should learn from the past
Group 5 An eye for an eye
(8%) Progress is inevitable
Poor have themselves to blame
 External Fault Lines

Centrists Values/Policies Conservatives

Government should play a major
42% role in preserving the moral 53%
fabric of Canadian society
Government should play a major
21% role in regulating individual 54%
behaviour and morality
The policies implemented by
29% government have a big impact 51%
on my day-to-day life
Internal Fault Lines: Different Shades of Blue
(values)

34%
37% of
Conservatives GROUP 1 GROUP 2
•  there is a right and wrong •  better to implement small changes
•  private sector for economic problems •  private enterprise best for economy
•  learn from past to solve problems
•  govt action best for economy
•  family most important •  good of community takes priority
•  marriage = man & woman
•  abortion is morally wrong

•  society richer from different values •  responsibility to those less fortunate

•  patriotism/strong military key •  tolerance & moderation are Canadian

•  individual freedom priority over social security

•  poor people can blame themselves

•  An eye for an eye

  Agree
  Disagree
GROUP 3
29%
Internal Fault Lines: Different Shades of Blue
(policies)

36% of 33%
Conservatives GROUP 1 GROUP 2

•  govt major role in preserving moral •  govt minor role in managing the
fabric of society economy

•  govt major role in regulating individual •  govt minor role in promoting

behaviour and morality multiculturalism

•  govt minor role in advancing

freedom and democracy
internationally

•  govt minor role in reducing

differences in income levels
•  govt major role in protecting
property rights
•  govt major role in encouraging
individual initiative

  minor role of government

GROUP 3
  major role of government
31%
 Strategic Importance

  47% of Centrists voted

Conservative in 2008
 This compares to 41% who
voted Liberal in 1997