Experiences of Official Language Minority Communities Following the 44th General Election

Final Report

Prepared for Elections Canada

Supplier name: Sage Research Corporation

Contract number: # 3000732071

Contract value: $91,939.76 including HST

Award date: August 8, 2021

Delivery date: February 2022

Registration number: N/A

For more information on this report, please contact Elections Canada at rop-por@elections.ca.

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.

Draft Report

Prepared for Elections Canada by Sage Research Corporation

February 2022

Elections Canada commissioned Sage Research Corporation to conduct qualitative public opinion research with Canadian electors following the 44th federal general election. The focus of this research was on electors who live in official language minority communities (OLMCs) and whose official language of choice is not the majority language in their province.

Forty-four individual online synchronous interviews were conducted between October 13 and November 29, 2021, with electors from across Canada. The overall objective of the research was to explore the experiences of electors in the 44th federal general election, including any difficulties or barriers electors might have faced related to being served in their official language of choice.

Permission to Reproduce

This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Elections Canada. For more information on this report, please contact Elections Canada at: rop-por@elections.ca.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Prime Minister of Canada, 2022

Catalogue Number: SE3-124/2022E-PDF

International Standard Book Number (ISBN): 978-0-660-43204-5

Related Publication

Catalogue Number: SE3-124/2022F-PDF (Final Report, French)

International Standard Book Number (ISBN): 978-0-660-43205-2

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Expérience des communautés de langue officielle en situation minoritaire lors de la 44e élection générale

Table of Contents

• Executive Summary
• Detailed Findings
  • Awareness of the Right to Vote in Preferred Official Language of Choice
  • Importance of Being Served in Preferred Official Language
  • Print Communications from Elections Canada
    • Voter Information Card
    • Guide to the Federal Election
  • Visiting a Local Elections Canada Office to Ask Questions
  • Voting in Person at an Advance Poll or at a Poll on Election Day
    • Signage Outside the Polling Place
    • Feeling Welcome at the Poll
    • Greeting at the Polling Place
    • Service in the Preferred Official Language at Reception and When Receiving a Ballot at the Voting Station
  • Reaction to Other Services Elections Canada Provides if it Is Not Possible to Have a Bilingual Person at a Polling Place
  • Perceived Ease or Difficulty for Elections Canada to Provide Service in Preferred Language in Community
  • Future Preference for Method of Voting
• Appendix A: Methodology
• Appendix B: Screener
• Appendix C: Interview Guide

• Next