Canadians answer opinion poll on Quebec separatism
By ELIZABETH THOMPSON, Parliamentary Bureau
OTTAWA — A surprising 26% of Albertans and 15% of English Canadians believe Quebec would be better off if it were to separate, according to a new public opinion poll released exclusively to QMI.
However, the Leger Marketing poll conducted for the Association for Canadian Studies also found that those most likely to say Quebec should split are also the least likely to support bilingual federal government services across the country.
“The ‘allies’ of Quebec sovereignty in the rest of Canada seem less motivated by respect for Quebec’s difference than by cutting away from pan-Canadian policies that are endorsed by a vast majority of Quebecers,” said Jack Jedwab, executive director of the association.
The results of the poll, conducted in January, are being released as Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe begins a cross-country tour of Canada.
If the poll is any indication, he might get a warmer reception than expected in some regions.
While the majority of respondents in every region said Quebec should remain in Canada, there was significant support for sovereignty in some regions.
Quebecers were the most likely to agree Quebec would be better off if it were not part of Canada (39.9% versus 52.8% who disagreed).
But Albertans weren’t that far behind with 26% agreeing Quebec would be better off separate. Alberta’s 67.9% support for Quebec within Canada was the lowest level of support in English Canada.
In Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 22.3% of respondents said Quebec would be better off out of Canada compared to 73.5% who said it was better off inside Canada.
The lowest support for sovereignty was in New Brunswick at 5.3%, with 92.1% disagreeing, followed by Atlantic Canada at 8% with 83% disagreeing.
Ontario’s support for Quebec going it alone was also low at 11.1%, compared to 81.6% who felt it was better off in Canada.
In British Columbia, the support for a separate Quebec was 14.4%, well below the 71% who preferred to see Quebec in Canada.
Reached in New Brunswick, Duceppe said the results come as a surprise.
“It’s the first time I have sees that kind of question so it is the first time I have seen that kind of answer as well.”
Liberal MP Marc Garneau said the majority of Canadians want the country to remain united.
The poll of 1,500 respondents conducted by web panel in the last week of January is considered accurate to within 2.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
elizabeth.thompson@sunmedia.ca
I think mayhaps the poll should have asked would Canada be better off if Quebec separated.
