POR 083-10
Date of Contract: December 1, 2010
Submitted to: Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Lester B. Pearson Building
125 Sussex Drive, 2nd floor
Ottawa (Ontario)
K1A 0G2
kevin.chappell@international.gc.ca
Prepared by: Ipsos Reid Corporation
Ipsos Reid Public Affairs
One Nicholas Street, Suite 1400
Ottawa ON K1N 7B7
Tel: 613.241.5802
Fax: 613.241.5460
www.ipsos.com
DSS File # 08227-100402/001/CY
“Ce rapport est également disponible en français, sur demande”.
Canada’s reengagement in the Americas, as announced by the Prime Minister in July 2007 and reiterated in the 2008 Speech from the Throne, advanced three key and interlinked objectives: increasing economic prosperity; enhancing security and health; and advancing our fundamental values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the lead in developing a whole-of-government approach for Canada’s reengagement with the Americas. In light of its priority to Canada’s foreign policy, it is appropriate to determine whether an increased level of activity and federal government focus in the region resonates among the general population.
Given the need to understand the public environment, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada commissioned a baseline survey in 2008 to take a sounding of Canadian views on the government’s strategy. This research represents the first wave, tracking the 2008 results, and has been designed to provide departmental communicators with data on the perceptions of the Canadian public with respect to the government’s strategy and policy initiatives on engagement with the Americas. Specifically, this research was designed to:
In addition to the questions asked in the 2008 survey, Haiti was added as an area of interest in the 2011 survey in the light of the devastating 2010 earthquake and Canada’s continued involvement in the recovery efforts in that country.
The Americas Survey will be used to inform policy planners and key decision makers on the direction of Canada's engagement with the Americas. It will also provide information on the public environment, in which DFAIT communicators operate. The total contract amount is $32,368.85 including HST.
Ipsos Reid conducted a custom telephone survey on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. The fieldwork was conducted January 11-31, 2011. A representative sample of 1,000 Canadian adults was interviewed. The table below outlines the regional distribution of the sample.
| Sample Size | Margin of Error | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 1000 | ± 3.1 |
| British Columbia | 133 | ± 8.5 |
| Alberta | 102 | ± 9.7 |
| Sask./Man. | 65 | ± 12.2 |
| ON | 383 | ± 5.0 |
| QC | 243 | ± 6.3 |
| Atlantic Canada | 74 | ± 11.4 |
The sample is stratified by census division and households are selected from a central telephone sampling program using modified random-digit dialing. The survey data is weighted to ensure the sample’s age and gender composition reflects that of the actual adult Canadian population according the Statistics Canada census data.
The following response rate calculation has been conducted using the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association’s empirical method of response rate calculation.
| Total Numbers Attempted | 15297 |
|---|---|
| Invalid (NIS, fax/modem, business/non-res.) | 6981 |
| Unresolved (U) (Busy, no answer, answering machine) | 2842 |
| In-scope - non-responding (IS) | 4438 |
| Language problem | 139 |
| Illness, incapable, deaf | 45 |
| Household refusal | 3443 |
| Respondent refusal | 295 |
| Qualified respondent break-off | 516 |
| In-scope - Responding units (R) | 1036 |
| No one 18+ | 8 |
| Other disqualify | 28 |
| Completed interviews | 1000 |
| Response Rate = R/(U+IS+R) | 12% |
When respondents are asked what the term ‘The Americas’ means to them, North America (47%) and South America (45%) are most commonly mentioned. Others mention the United States (25%), Central America (17%), or Canada (16%). Fewer than one in ten mentions the entire continent (9%), Mexico (7%), or simply ‘America’ (7%).
These results are largely consistent with the 2008 findings. However, we find substantially greater proportions mentioning the United States in association with the Americas in 2011 (25% vs. 16% in 2008), while at the same time the proportion who say they don’t know has declined (16% vs. 24% in 2008).
Majorities say Canada’s interests are either very or somewhat linked to what happens in the United States, Mexico, South America, Central America and the Caribbean. In particular, most respondents believe that Canada’s interests are very or somewhat linked to what happens in the United States (96%). Three in four (77%) believe that Canada’s interests are linked to Mexico, while nearly two thirds say that Canada’s interests are linked to South America (64%) and Central America (64%).
Canadians are least apt to view Canada’s interests as very or somewhat linked to the Caribbean (53%). However, seven in ten respondents believe that Canada’s interests are linked to Haiti (71%), a new region added to this year’s research in the light of the devastating 2010 earthquake and Canada’s continued involvement in the recovery efforts in that country.
Very little has shifted since 2008 in perceptions of the extent to which Canada’s interests are linked with the tested countries and regions.
Most respondents believe that what happens in Central America, South America and the Caribbean is important to Canada (84%), including one in three who say very important (30%). Again, little has shifted in this regard since 2008.
Over half of respondents who say that what happens in Central America, South America and the Caribbean is important to Canada cite the impact on economic activity (52%) as the reason for its importance, while one third say it is because what happens in the other regions will affect Canada (30%). Two in five respondents believe that these regions are important because of humanitarian reasons (18%), while more than ten percent feel they are important due to political/diplomatic, tourism, or immigration issues (13%, 13%, and 11%, respectively).
Between 2008 and 2011, we find a greater proportion saying that what happens in Central America, South America and the Caribbean is important because of the impact on economic activity (52% vs. 44% in 2008). We also find greater proportions saying what happens in these regions is important because of a sense of interconnectedness (30% vs. 19% in 2008) and for humanitarian reasons (18% vs. 9% in 2008), as well as for more pragmatic purposes, including political or diplomatic reasons (13% vs. 5% in 2008) and because of Canadian tourism in the region (13% vs. 8% in 2008).
Among those who do not think that what happens in Central America, South America and the Caribbean is important to Canada, one in five (19%) believe it is because there is little economic activity, while 13% say we should take care of Canada first. Others say it is not important because these locations are far away or that they are unfamiliar with them (both 12%). Despite considering the region not very or not at all important, some respondents concede that what happens there will affect the economy (9%) and that humanitarianism is a consideration (9%).
Four in five Canadians support stronger ties between Canada and Central America (82%), South America (81%), and the Caribbean (79%). Roughly one in four are strongly supportive of increased ties in each region.
Most Canadians agree that each of several objectives is important to Canada’s foreign policy in Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Specifically, eight in ten believe that helping control crime, such as drug trafficking (80%) is very or somewhat important, with almost half saying very important (48%). About three quarters believe that increasing exports and trading opportunities (76%), as well as improving security for citizens and travelers (75%) are important.
About two thirds believe that promoting values (69%), stability and democracy (67%) and investment by Canadian companies (60%) is important. All of these objectives received similar responses to those of respondents in 2008, while the support of two other objectives declined: assisting the development of countries through Canada’s aid program (down slightly from 65% in 2008 to 59% in 2011) and attracting skilled immigrants (down from 56% in 2008 to 47% in 2011).
Four in five Canadians believe that Canada should continue to provide support to Haiti over the next five to ten years (80%), including one in three who strongly agree (31%). Just under one in five (18%) do not agree that Canada should continue to provide support to Haiti over the next five to ten years.
Nearly two in ten Canadians frequently travel to Central America, South America and the Caribbean (18%), while 16% have family or close friends who live in the region. Very few (6%) have business interests in these regions. More respondents have identified as frequently traveling in the region as compared to 2008 (18% vs. 12%).
As in 2008, the majority of Canadians say that what happens in Central America, South America and the Caribbean is important to Canada. However they continue to see Canada’s interests as more strongly linked with the United States and Mexico than with these regions.
Economic activity remains the top reason Canadians believe that what happens in Central America, South America and the Caribbean is important to Canada. While concerns with drug trafficking and the security of Canadians do not emerge as reasons to care about Central America, South America and the Caribbean on an unprompted basis, these concerns do emerge among the three most important objectives in the region, alongside increasing Canadian exports, when prompted with a list of objectives.
Of particular interest in this year’s research is Haiti. The results find that nearly as many Canadians view Canada’s interests to be linked with Haiti as view Canada’s interests to be linked with Mexico, a much larger country and economy. In addition, four in five Canadians believe that Canada should continue to provide support to Haiti over the next five to ten years. On an unprompted basis, we find that more respondents this year than in 2008 mention a sense of interconnectedness and humanitarianism as compelling reasons to think what happens in Central America, South America and the Caribbean is important to Canada, which may have something to do with concern and awareness of the situation in Haiti. Yet, on a prompted basis, we find little change since 2008 in the proportion that considers the development of countries in the Americas through Canada’s aid program to be an important objective.
Taken together, the findings suggest that, as in 2008, the public are not actively engaged or concerned with Central America, South America or the Caribbean, but, they tend to agree that the objectives of Canada’s foreign policy in Central America, South America and the Caribbean are important. With respect to Haiti, we find that while specific events may prompt a high degree of support for aid efforts, these efforts do not tend to supplant what Canadians identify as the highest priorities in the region – namely, economic and security concerns.