POR 291-07
June 2008
Prepared for:
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Communication Bureau
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa (Ontario) K1A 0G2
613 944-0697
By
Kevin Chappell, Manager
Public Opinion Research
Kevin.Chappell@internationa.gc.ca
por-rop@international.gc.ca
Contract number 08170-070461/001/CY
Contract Date: 4 December 2007
The annual Corporate Communications Survey explores public awareness of international issues, regions and countries that are important to Canada, as well as awareness of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT), departmental performance, the Canada-United States relationship, the United Nations, foreign policy priorities, Canada's stature on the world stage, and drivers that influence Canada's foreign policy.
When asked about international issues, Canadians cite the environment as a major concern, according war a distant second place. Other concerns, such as terrorism, poverty, Afghanistan and the economy are much less significant on the public radar.
The Americas continue to be the most important region for Canadians, but Asia is catching up and is now in second place. Africa, which had been almost as important as the Americas for three years, became significantly less important in 2007. Asia is very important to British Columbians but much less so to other Canadians. Europe, considered important mainly among residents of Quebec and Ontario, has lost the importance it once had.
Although Asia as a region is far less important in the public eye than the Americas, China ranks as the second most important country to Canada and is almost as important as the United States. Compared with Canadians living east of the Ontario-Quebec border, those living west of the border are more than twice as likely to say China is important to Canada. Afghanistan emerged as an important foreign policy priority for Canadians in 2006, but dropped slightly in the rankings in 2007.
Public knowledge of DFAIT remains low. Most Canadians surveyed say they are unfamiliar with the department's activities, and a strong majority cannot recall the department's name.
Canadians who were familiar with the department were asked a battery of questions about departmental performance on several key indicators. The results reveal that the department is heading in the right direction, with Canadians giving it high marks for representing Canada's interests abroad, promoting world peace and security, helping Canadian travellers overseas and promoting human rights internationally. The department gets a significantly lower mark for addressing global hunger and Third World poverty.
Public satisfaction with the Canada-U.S. relationship has improved modestly since 2006. Residents of Quebec and British Columbia are somewhat less likely than other Canadians to say that the Canada-U.S. relationship is good.
Public opinion is nearly split on the performance of the United Nations. There has been a marginally significant increase in the percentage of Canadians who say that the organization is effective since this question was last asked in 2006.
The most prominent foreign policy concern is asserting Canadian sovereignty over the Arctic, followed by reconstruction in war-torn areas after fighting has ceased and engaging in the war on terrorism. Reform of the UN is also cited as a priority, as is improving relations with the United States and preparing for a flu pandemic. Although the environment remains the top concern among Canadians at an instinctive level (i.e., when they are asked to suggest a concern rather than pick one from a prepared list), it is barely on the public radar when mentioned in conjunction with other foreign policy priorities.
Canadians believe that Canada's international stature has been good over the past year. The percentage of respondents who take this view has remained the same for the last three years. Moreover, belief that Canada's international importance will improve over the next decade has increased.
The Canada-U.S. relationship emerges as the most influential driver behind Canadian foreign policy. As well, fair-sized minorities believe that foreign policy is driven by economic considerations, Canadian values, world events and security interests.