Nova Scotia Buzz
The Freedom Convoy has caught the attention of millions of Canadians. Two thirds of Canadians say they are following it in the news. According to The Angus Reid Institute, if protesters goals were to build support for their demands to end the pandemic-related restrictions, it has utterly backfired.
New public opinion data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute shows after more than two weeks of unrest, Canadians are more likely to oppose measures sought by the protesters.
Two-in-five Canadians say the protests have made them more inclined to support ongoing restrictions.
According to the latest polling, almost three quarters of Canadians, 72%, say the time has come for the protesters to “go home, they have made their point.”
You can see division from Conservatives when looking at the responses from those who voted Conservative in the last general election. Although a slim majority still want protesters to leave Ottawa, there is a clearer almost unanimous view from the other parties.
To resolve the situation, nearly 70% of people think local police need to step in (45%) or the military be summoned (23%). A bit more than one quarter say it’s up to politicians to negotiate a resolution (26%).
Canadian politicians in both the government and the official opposition are criticized for harming, not helping events. Two thirds (65%) say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments and actions have worsened the situation. Two-in-five (42%) say this of Candace Bergen, leader of the official opposition.
Survey Methodology:
The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from Feb. 11-13, 2022 among a representative randomized sample of 1,622 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The survey was self-commissioned and paid for by ARI.
