Prepared for Department of Justice
Supplier: Ekos Research Associates Inc.
Contract Number: 10040-18-0071/001/CY
Contract Value: $59,955.88
Award Date: September 26, 2018
Delivery Date: March 15, 2019
Registration Number: POR 061-18
For more information on this report, please contact rds-drs@justice.gc.ca
Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français
National Justice Survey 2018
Final Report
Prepared for Justice Canada
Supplier name: Ekos Research Associates Inc.
Date: March 15, 2019
This public opinion research report presents the results of an online survey conducted by Ekos Research Associates Inc. on behalf of the Department of Justice. The research study was conducted with 2,016 Canadians 18 or older between December 3 and 16, 2018.
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Sondage national sur la justice 2018.
This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Public Services and Procurement Canada. For more information on this report, please contact Public Services and Procurement Canada at: tpsgc.questions-questions.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca or at:
Communications Branch
Public Services and Procurement Canada
Portage III Tower A
16A1-11 Laurier Street
Gatineau QC K1A 0S5
Catalogue Number:
P103-10/2017E- s
International Standard Book Number (ISBN):
978-0-660-08693-4
Related publications (registration number: POR 061-18):
Catalogue Number P103-10/2017E- (Final Report, English)
ISBN 978-0-660-08694-1
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, 2019
Ekos Research Associates
Contact: Susan Galley
Ottawa Office
359 Kent Street, Suite 300
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R6
Tel: (613) 235 7215
Fax: (613) 235 8498
E-mail: pobox@ekos.com
The Department of Justice supports the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of Canada through administering federal law, developing policies, and providing legal support to government departments and agencies. The Department has periodically commissioned the National Justice Survey, which seeks to understand Canadians' perceptions, understanding, and priorities on justice-related issues.
The 2018 National Justice Survey will be used to inform policy development, public engagement, and communications. Specifically, the study explores Canadians' views and perceptions of:
The national, online survey included 2,016 completed responses from randomly sampled Canadians from Ekos' in-house panel (Probit[1]). This sample size yields a precision of +/-2.2 per cent at a 95 per cent confidence interval for the sample overall. Results can be extrapolated to the broader population of Canadians.
Canadians show moderate awareness of the criminal justice system. Over half said they are aware of the role of police; however, perception of awareness drops when thinking about courts or corrections.
Even with self-reported moderate knowledge of the criminal justice system, Canadians appear to be apprehensive of the system, with a greater proportion who stated they are not confident the system is accessible (35 per cent, compared to 33 per cent who are confident) or fair to all people (42 per cent not confident; 27 per cent confident).
Most Canadians said they have recently heard or read about sexual harassment in the work place. Most often, they have heard about sexual harassment in the workplace through the media, while roughly half have heard through popular culture or social media. One-quarter got information through their employer or colleagues at work.
Most Canadians feel they are well informed in terms of what is considered to be sexual harassment; for those less informed, over half noted the need for information on the types of sexual harassment, and four in ten identified the need for information on what to do if sexually harassed in the workplace. If needed, two in three Canadians do not think they would experience any difficulty assessing information or advice on sexual harassment. About two in three Canadians reported that if they wanted information on sexual harassment, they would prefer to access the information online. Of those who perceived difficulties accessing information or advice, most cited that it may affect their career, they do not trust the people in charge, or general fear or embarrassment.
If sexual harassment was experienced in the workplace, nearly half of Canadians said they would complain to an agency, ombudsperson or some other office to have the complaint investigated and resolved. Other types of recourse identified were to navigate the situation on their own, or have a lawyer take the matter to court or tribunal.
One-third of Canadians perceive that the problem of sexual harassment is the same as it was ten years ago. Slightly more than one-third said that sexual harassment in the workplace is less serious, although one-quarter rated the problem as more serious today than a decade ago. Most, nearly nine in ten Canadians, consider prevention in the forms of training and education the most effective approaches to address sexual harassment.
In terms of the management of personal information by the federal government, nearly two-thirds of Canadians feel that a federal department should only collect information directly from the individual, rather than collecting it from another department.
Canadians proclaim various levels of awareness or knowledge on the rights and responsibilities under anti-discrimination laws. Four in ten said they are aware of the rights and responsibilities while over one-quarter said they lack awareness. Perceived knowledge is fairly evenly split with one-third of Canadians who rated themselves as either knowledgeable, moderately knowledgeable, or not knowledgeable.
Fewer than half of Canadians responded that if discriminated against, they would complain to an agency, ombudsperson, or some other office to have their complaint investigated and resolved on their behalf. Over one in five said they would seek to resolve the situation on their own.
Most Canadians believe that family laws should require that decisions regarding a separating or divorcing couple's child(ren) be based entirely, or almost entirely, on what is in the child(ren)'s best interests. Over one-quarter reported they have been personally involved in the family justice system as a person who experienced or is experiencing separation or divorce.
The main source of information about the family justice system, according to over one-third of Canadians, would be government websites or publications. About one-quarter said they would seek information from a legal professional.
Nearly one in five Canadians said they have visited the Justice Canada website and two per cent have used the Justice Canada helpline to gather information or seek advice on family law. Among the twenty per cent who have used the Justice Canada website or helpline, reactions were fairly evenly split between those who felt it was difficult, easy, or neither difficult nor easy to get the needed information.
The contract value for the POR project is $59,955.88 (including HST).
Supplier Name: Ekos Research Associates
PWGSC Contract Number: 10040-18-0071/001/CY
Contract Award Date: September 26, 2018
To obtain more information on this study, please e-mail mailt:information@justice.gc.ca
This certification is to be submitted with the final report submitted to the Project Authority.
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Ekos Research Associates Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research.
Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.
Signed by: Susan Galley (Vice President)
The Department of Justice supports the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of Canada through administering federal law, developing policies, and providing legal support to government departments and agencies. The Department has periodically commissioned the National Justice Survey, which seeks to understand Canadians' perceptions, understanding, and priorities on justice-related issues.
This 2018 research will be used to inform policy development, public engagement, and communications. Specifically, the study explores Canadians' views and perceptions of:
The sample consists of 2,016 completed surveys with Canadians 18 years of age and older. The sample is based on a random selection of (Probit[2]) panel members from across the country. Appendix A presents details of the methodology used to collect the surveys, including the collection method, sample sources used, response rates and weighting procedures, as well as confidence interval and margin of error.
The following table presents a profile for the sample. This includes the unweighted distribution of demographic characteristics related to region, gender, age and level of education (used in weighting the data), and weighted distribution for whether the participants were born in Canada, annual household income, key minority groups, employment status, and type of community.
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| British Columbia and Yukon | 13% |
| Alberta and Northwest Territories | 11% |
| Saskatchewan and Manitoba | 8% |
| Ontario | 37% |
| Quebec and Nunavut | 24% |
| Atlantic | 7% |
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| Male | 48% |
| Female | 52% |
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| 18-24 | 9% |
| 35-44 | 18% |
| 45-54 | 17% |
| 55-64 | 17% |
| 65 up | 19% |
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| High school or less | 18% |
| Some post secondary | 9% |
| College, vocational or trade certificate or diploma | 24% |
| Undergraduate university degree | 33% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 15% |
| Prefer not to say | 1% |
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| Yes | 88% |
| No | 11% |
| Prefer not to say | 1% |
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| Under $20,000 | 9% |
| $20,000-$39,999 | 12% |
| $40,000-$59,999 | 14% |
| $60,000-$79,999 | 12% |
| $80,000-$99,999 | 11% |
| $100,000-$149,999 | 18% |
| $150,000 or more | 11% |
| Don't know/No response | 13% |
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| A member of a visible minority | 8% |
| An Aboriginal person | 3% |
| A person with a disability | 10% |
| None of the above | 76% |
| Prefer not to answer | 4% |
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| Working full-time, that is, 35 or more hours per week | 38% |
| Working part-time, that is, less than 35 hours per week | 8% |
| Self-employed | 9% |
| Unemployed, but looking for work | 3% |
| A student attending school full-time | 7% |
| Retired | 24% |
| Not in the workforce (disability, full-time homemaker, unemployed, not looking for work) | 9% |
| Other | 2% |
| Prefer not to answer | 1% |
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| Urban (town, city, suburb) | 76% |
| Rural (small or sparsely populated community, with fewer than 5,000 or so residents, usually with considerable open/farm land surrounding it) | 21% |
| Remote (at least 2 hours drive from an urban centre and lacks reliable transportation links) | 2% |
A comparison of the unweighted sample with 2016 Census figures from Statistics Canada suggests there are similar sources of systematic sample bias in the survey, following patterns typically found in most general public surveys. There is a more educated sample in the survey than found in the population with 48 per cent reporting university degrees in the survey compared with 25 per cent in the population. There is also an under representation of Canadians born outside of Canada in the survey (11 per cent versus 27 per cent in the population). As previously described, the sample was weighted by age, gender, and region.
Overall results are presented in text, charts, and tables. Bulleted text is used to describe specific segments of the sample if they are statistically and substantively different from the overall results for the entire sample (i.e., at least five per cent or more from the overall mean in any given subgroup). If differences are not noted in the report it can be assumed that they are either not statistically significant in their variation from the overall result or that the difference was judged to be too small to be noteworthy.
Readers should note that results for the proportion of respondents in the sample that said either “don't know" or did not provide a response may not be indicated in the graphic representation of the results. Results may also not total to 100 per cent due to rounding.
In order to better understand perceptions of the criminal justice system, it is first helpful to understand their background or level of exposure to the system. While just over half (52 per cent) in the survey reported having no previous involvement with the criminal justice system, more than four in ten (45 per cent) have had some exposure to it in one or more ways. Just under one in six has been a victim of some type of crime; of these, over half have been the victim of a non-violent crime (eight per cent overall), and just under half have been the victim/survivor of a violent crime (seven per cent overall). Seven per cent have been accused or convicted of a crime. Typical exposure to the system, however, has been as a family member of an accused or convicted person (nine per cent), or a victim (eight per cent), or otherwise knowing a victim or accused individual (16 per cent). A sizable portion of the sample has witnessed a crime (13 per cent). Much smaller proportions work (eight per cent) or volunteer (three per cent) in the criminal justice system or in a related area, or have been a member of a jury (six per cent).
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| Know someone as victim/accused | 16% |
| Testifying as a witness in criminal court | 13% |
| As a family member of an accused/convicted person | 9% |
| By working in the criminal justice system/Working in a related field | 8% |
| As the victim/survivor of a non-violent crime | 8% |
| As a family member of a victim/survivor | 8% |
| As the victim/survivor of a violent crime | 7% |
| After being charged/convicted of a crime | 7% |
| Jury member chosen to participate in a criminal trial | 6% |
| Volunteering in the criminal justice or related area | 3% |
| Other | 2% |
| I have not been involved in the CJS before | 52% |
| Prefer not to answer | 3% |
When thinking about roles in the criminal justice system, over half of Canadians (55 per cent) said they are aware of the role of the police, while nearly another one-third (31 per cent) rated themselves in the middle between aware and unaware, and 13 per cent said they were unaware. Just under half (45 per cent) said they are aware of the role of the courts, with an additional 32 per cent rating themselves in the middle between aware and unaware, and 21 per cent saying they were unaware. Fewer (32 per cent) indicated awareness of the role of corrections in the criminal justice system. About one-third said they are unaware (32 per cent) and a third (34 per cent) rated themselves in the middle regarding the role of corrections.
One-third (33 per cent) of Canadians said they are confident that the Canadian criminal justice system is accessible to all people. Over one-third (35 per cent) said they are not confident and about three in ten (29 per cent) rated themselves in the middle between confident and unconfident that the criminal justice system is accessible to all people. Fewer, 27 per cent, are confident that the criminal justice system is fair to all people, with over two in five (42 per cent) indicating they are not confident the system is fair to all people.
As described to survey respondents, workplace sexual harassment refers to unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature – such as comments, gestures or advances – that negatively affects the work environment or leads to negative consequences for the victims of the harassment. Most Canadians have heard or read about sexual harassment in the workplace, with over four in five (84 per cent) saying they have read or heard about sexual harassment in the last 12 months. Over one in ten (13 per cent) do not recall reading or hearing anything recently, and three per cent do not know or have a response.
Three in four Canadians (77 per cent)[3] have recently heard about sexual harassment in the workplace through the media (newspapers, both online and in print). Over half (55 per cent) said they have heard about sexual harassment incidents generally through popular culture. Nearly half (45 per cent) indicated they have received this information through social media. One-quarter of those who have heard about sexual harassment in the workplace reported learning of this through their employer or colleagues at work. Roughly one in five said they learned through friends and family (21 per cent) or the government (18 per cent). About one in ten noted their information source as a poster or pamphlet (11 per cent) or a community organization (eight per cent).
Most people feel they are well informed in terms of what is considered to be sexual harassment. Nearly one-third (31 per cent) said they are very knowledgeable while about two in five (39 per cent) are knowledgeable. Almost another one-quarter (23 per cent) said they are moderately knowledgeable. Only six per cent said they are slightly knowledgeable and one per cent not at all knowledgeable.
For those who felt they are less knowledgeable of what is considered to be sexual harassment, there are various types of information that are needed to be better informed. Nearly three in five (58 per cent) believe they need information on the types of sexual harassment. Over two in five (42 per cent) feel they need information about what to do if they have been sexually harassed in the workplace. Slightly fewer said they need information about resources in the community (39 per cent) or material related to the justice system when it comes to sexual harassment (37 per cent). Three in ten (30 per cent) believe they need facts about the frequency of sexual harassment, while two in ten (20 per cent) would like information on talking to young people about sexual harassment).
When asked about sources they would turn to for information if experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, six in ten said they would rely on human resources within their workplace. Just under half (46 per cent) said they would go to a manager. About a third would go to a friend or family member (36 per cent), a lawyer (35 per cent) or their union (32 per cent). A colleague would also be a source for one in four as would a general online search (23 per cent). About one in six said they would go to a doctor or other health care professional (16 per cent), a community services agency or human rights tribunal (14 per cent each). Few (four per cent) said they would go to a faith-based leader.
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| Human resources | 60% |
| A manager | 46% |
| A friend or family member | 36% |
| A lawyer or legal clinic | 35% |
| My union | 32% |
| A colleague | 25% |
| Online search | 23% |
| A doctor or other health care provider (e.g. nurse, naturopath) | 16% |
| A women's (or men's) organization | 16% |
| A community services agency | 14% |
| A human rights tribunal | 14% |
| A faith-based leader | 4% |
| Other | 5% |
| Don't know/No response | 5% |
Most (68 per cent) feel they would not experience any difficulty in accessing information or advice on sexual harassment in the workplace if needed; however, almost one in five (19 per cent) think they would have difficulty. Just over one in ten (13 per cent) are not sure.
Among those who indicated they would have difficulty accessing information or advice on sexual harassment in the workplace, nearly two-thirds said that the difficulty would relate to risking career consequences (67 per cent)[4] or that they do not trust the people in charge of processing harassment complaints (62 per cent). Over half (55 per cent) said that they would have difficulty due to fear or embarrassment in accessing information or advice. Slightly fewer noted concern that other staff would not be supportive (47 per cent) or of direct or implied threats (41 per cent). About one-third (34 per cent) said their difficulty is that there are not resources available in the workplace. Three in ten perceived difficulty as expertise would need to be accessed outside of work hours. Just over one in ten (12 per cent) reported difficulty as there was not private access to the internet at work to source information or advice.
Respondents were asked what they would do if they experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. Nearly half (47 per cent)[5] said they would complain to an agency, ombudsperson, or some other office to have their complaint investigated and resolved on their behalf. Over one-third (38 per cent) felt they would resolve the situation on their own, armed with information about their rights. Over one in five (21 per cent) said they would have a lawyer take the matter to court or tribunal, while nearly one in ten (seven per cent) speculated they would represent themselves on the matter in court or tribunal. Five per cent said they would not do anything and eight per cent stated a myriad of other actions.
About two in three (64 per cent)[6] individuals reported that if they wanted information on sexual harassment, they would prefer to access the information online. Over two in five said they would prefer an in-person discussion (44 per cent) or hard copy pamphlets and brochures (43 per cent). Fifteen per cent stated they would prefer a telephone conversation.
Nearly one-third (32 per cent) of Canadians feel that the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace is about the same as it was 10 years ago. Over one in ten (13 per cent) said that it is much less serious today than 10 years ago, while about one-quarter (24 per cent) indicated that the problem is somewhat less serious today. Nearly one-quarter of Canadians perceive that the problem of sexual harassment is either somewhat more serious today (12 per cent) or much more serious today compared to 10 years ago (11 per cent). Men more often see sexual harassment as less serious today while women see the problem as about the same or somewhat more serious.
Overall, people are fairly evenly split in their perception of the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace in their area. Nearly two in five indicated that they believe sexual harassment occurs not very often (38 per cent) or a fair bit (37 per cent). On the extreme ends, two per cent believe that sexual harassment does not occur at all and nine per cent feel it happens a lot. Those living in rural areas are more apt to say it does not happen very often (46 per cent).
There are many potential approaches to addressing sexual harassment in the workplace; respondents were asked to consider the effectiveness of various methods among a presented list. The vast majority consider prevention in the forms of training and education the most effective approaches, with nearly nine in ten supporting continued workplace training and awareness programs for employees and employers (89 per cent, and rated “most effective" method overall by 34 per cent) or public education and awareness programs (88 per cent). Over four in five consider counselling services for victims (86 per cent) and encouraging people to openly talk about their disapproval of sexual harassment (83 per cent) to be effective. Roughly two-thirds support treatment or counselling for perpetrators (69 per cent), harsher penalties for perpetrators (67 per cent) and having health care providers to be trained to recognize signs and make appropriate referrals (66 per cent) as effective methods to address sexual harassment. Nearly two in five (39 per cent) consider mediation between victims and perpetrators to be effective (although only four per cent support this option as the “most effective" overall).
Roughly 200 respondents also provided comments about ways in which sexual harassment could be addressed. The two most common themes related to public education and efforts to increase awareness. Some spoke of public campaigns and others talked about discussions in schools to inform young people going into the work force about these issues, with the message that harassment is socially unacceptable. Another key theme related to efforts in workplaces to encourage open conversations about sexual harassment, rules and procedures in place to reduce exposure, adopting a zero tolerance policy, and ensuring that employees have a clear understanding of what is not acceptable, and who they can turn to (e.g., human resource officers/safety manager) in the event of a problem. Others spoke about incarceration and harsher sentences in general, or public shaming. A few spoke of better enforcement and higher conviction rates, and others talked about a more victim-friendly environments within the courts that make it safe and encouraging for victims to come forward.
A set of five statements were presented to respondents to gauge reactions to the management of personal information by the federal government. Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of Canadians agree that a federal department should only collect information that it needs directly from the individual, rather than collecting it from another department; only fifteen per cent disagree. Almost three in five (58 per cent) feel that personal information would be better protected if federal government departments were required to have a specific person in charge of ensuring personal data is handled properly. Over half (54 per cent) said they would be comfortable with the federal government using or sharing their personal information with other federal government departments provided the information had no identifiers; three in ten (29 per cent) disagree with this statement. Over two in five (44 per cent) feel they are comfortable with the federal government sharing personal information with another federal government institution if it is for law enforcement purposes or to protect national security, although over one-third (35 per cent) of Canadians do not agree that information should be shared in this manner. Slightly more (38 per cent) Canadians do not trust law enforcement and national security agencies with personal information, compared to those who do trust these agencies (35 per cent).
Canadians are protected from discrimination in their workplaces and in accessing services and housing by federal, provincial and territorial laws. When asked about awareness of these anti discrimination laws, most people do not proclaim to have a high level of awareness or knowledge on the rights and responsibilities. Two in five (40 per cent) said they are either aware, or very aware, of the rights and responsibilities. Over three in ten (31 per cent) indicated they are moderately aware, and over one-quarter (27 per cent) indicated they were unaware. Perceived knowledge is fairly evenly split with one-third who stated they feel knowledgeable or very knowledgeable (33 per cent) about their rights and responsibilities, one-third (33 per cent) stating they are moderately knowledgeable, and another 32 per cent who indicated they are not knowledgeable.
If discriminated against, just under half (44 per cent) of Canadians indicate their preferred type of recourse would be to complain to an agency, ombudsperson, or some other office to have their complaint investigated and resolved on their behalf. Over one in five (22 per cent) felt they would resolve the situation on their own, armed with information about their rights. Slightly fewer (17 per cent) said they would have a lawyer take the matter to court or tribunal, while very few (three per cent) ventured they would represent themselves on the matter in court or tribunal. Three per cent said they would not do anything and four per cent stated some other action.
When asked about sources they would turn to for information if experiencing discrimination in the workplace, half (52 per cent) said they would rely on human resources within their workplace. Four in ten said they would consult a lawyer and the same proportion (39 per cent) would do an online search. About a third would go to a manager (34 per cent), friend or family member (34 per cent), or their union (30 per cent). About one in four would go to a human rights tribunal (27 per cent) and one in five said they would go to a community services agency (22 per cent) or a colleague (21 per cent). Fifteen per cent pointed to a women's or men's organization and 10 per cent would consult a health care provider. Few (four per cent) said they would go to a faith-based leader.
| Col1 | Total |
|---|---|
| n= | 2016 |
| Human resources | 52% |
| A lawyer or legal clinic | 40% |
| Online search | 39% |
| A manager | 34% |
| A friend or family member | 34% |
| My union | 30% |
| A human rights tribunal | 27% |
| A community services agency | 22% |
| A colleague | 21% |
| A women's (or men's) organization | 15% |
| A doctor or other health care provider | 10% |
| A faith-based leader | 4% |
| Other | 3% |
| Don't know/No response | 5% |
Two in five (42 per cent[7]) Canadians have never been involved in the Family Justice System. Just over one-quarter have been involved as a family member (27 per cent) or friend (also 27 per cent) of someone who experienced or is experiencing separation or divorce. One-quarter (25 per cent) said they have provided personal support to someone going through separation or divorce. Over one-quarter have been involved as a person who experienced or is experiencing separation or divorce, 18 per cent with children involved, and eight per cent without children involved. Two per cent of respondents work or volunteer in the family justice system.
Most (79 per cent) people agree that family laws should require that decisions regarding a separating or divorcing couple's child(ren) be based entirely, or almost entirely, on what is in the child(ren)'s best interests. One in ten (10 per cent) neither agree nor disagree, while seven per cent disagree.
Most Canadians feel they have little knowledge of the family justice system. Half (50 per cent) indicated they are not knowledgeable and three in ten (29 per cent) rated themselves with moderate knowledge. Only one in five (20 per cent) reported themselves to be knowledgeable or highly knowledgeable about the family justice system.
According to over one-third (35 per cent) of Canadians, government websites or publications would be the main source of information about the family justice system. About one-quarter (24 per cent) said a legal professional would be the best source. Over one in ten source family or friends (14 per cent) or information received through popular culture (11 per cent). Six per cent believe this should be a non-legal family justice professional and four per cent sited another source.
Nearly one in five (18 per cent) said they have visited the Justice Canada website and two per cent have used the Justice Canada helpline to gather information or seek advice on family law. Two-thirds (67 per cent) indicated that they (or someone they know) have not visited the Justice Canada website or used the Justice Canada helpline to gather information or seek advice on family law. Thirteen per cent do not know.
Of those who have used the Justice Canada website or helpline, ratings on ease of use are fairly evenly split between those who felt it was difficult (33 per cent), easy (32 per cent), or neither difficult nor easy (29 per cent) to get the needed information.
Appendix A: Methodology
The sample consists of 2,016 completed surveys with Canadians 18 years of age. The sample is based on a random selection of (Probit[8]) panel members from across the country. Probit panellists were selected using a random-digit dial (RDD) landline-cell phone hybrid sample frame. This is the same sample frame and sampling process used to conduct telephone surveys, which are considered to be representative of the population. Once selected, they are contacted and recruited by telephone and asked to complete a basic profile (i.e. base survey instrument) including a range of demographic information about themselves. They are also asked if they would prefer to complete surveys online or by telephone. All sample members are eligible to participate, including those with cell phones only, those with no Internet access and those who simply prefer to respond by telephone rather than online. This panel represents a fully representative sample of Canadians, from which we can draw random samples and collect data in a more cost conscious and timely manner than would otherwise be possible in a traditional telephone survey. This panel of more than 100,000 individuals can be considered representative of the general public in Canada (meaning that the incidence of a given target population within our panel very closely resembles the public at large) and margins of error can be applied.
Sample was randomly drawn from the Probit panel, including 2,357 panel members who were contacted by phone to participate in the survey. Of these, 353 agreed to participate, electing to receive an email invitation to participate, and 147 actually completed the survey online. Another 97 elected to complete the survey by telephone. In the online portion of the sample, 9,098 valid invitations were sent. The overall response rate for the final sample of 2,016 across online and phone sample 18 per cent[9]. The final survey sample of 2,016 yields a level of precision of +/-2.2 per cent for the sample overall and +/-3 to 6 per cent for most sub-groups that could be isolated in the analysis (including all regions, age, education, and income segments).
Prior to conducting the survey, the instrument was tested with 20 cases in English and 10 cases in French. Additional questions were placed on the pretest version of the questionnaire asking about length, flow, clarity of wording and so on to elicit feedback from respondents. Minimal changes were made as a result of the testing, although a few questions were removed in order to reduce the survey length.
The survey was administered between December 3 and 16, 2018, using a bilingual questionnaire, installed on a secure web-server controlled by Ekos. The email invitation included a description and purpose of the survey (in both languages) along with a link to the survey website. The survey database was mounted using a Personalized Identification Number (PIN), so only individuals with a PIN were allowed access to the survey (the PIN was included in the email invitation). The questionnaire was prefaced with a brief introduction to the study and rationale for the research. The voluntary and confidential nature of the survey was also emphasized. Survey data collection adhered to all applicable industry standards. All invited panel members were informed of their rights under current Privacy legislation, as well as how to obtain a copy of their response and results of the survey.
The database was reviewed following data collection for data quality, outliers, coding requirements, weighting and construction of independent variables, and was used to explore sub-group patterns (e.g., by age, gender and so on) in the analysis. Weighting of the sample was based on population parameters according to the latest Census on age, gender and region of the country.
Appendix B: Survey Questionnaire
INTRO
Thank you for your interest in taking this survey. The Government of Canada has hired Ekos Research Associates Inc. to conduct a public opinion survey on behalf of the Department of Justice. The government is interested to know your views on a variety of topics related to the law and justice system. This survey is one way for the Department of Justice Canada to hear back from Canadians. Your participation is voluntary and completely confidential. Your answers will remain anonymous. Any information you provide will be administered in accordance with the Privacy Act and other applicable privacy laws. The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete. Si vous préférez répondre au sondage en français, veuillez cliquer sur français A few reminders before beginning... On each screen, after selecting your answer, click on the "Continue" button at the bottom of the screen to move forward in the survey. If you leave the survey before completing it, you can return to the survey URL later, and you will be returned to the page where you left off. Your answers up to that point in the survey will be saved. If you have any questions about how to complete the survey, please call Probit at 866.211.8881 or send an email to online@probit.ca. Thank you in advance for your participation.
QGENDER
What is your gender?
Male 1
Female 2
Other 3
Prefer not to answer 99
QAGEX
In what year were you born?
Year : 77
Prefer not to answer 9999
QAGEY
Hesitant, QAGEX
In which of the following age categories do you belong?
less than 18 years old 1
18 to 24 2
25 to 34 3
35 to 44 4
45 to 54 5
55 to 64 6
65 or older 7
Prefer not to answer 9
PREQ1
Part 1 – Public Confidence in the Criminal Justice System (5 questions)
How would you describe your level of awareness when it comes to the role of the following areas in the Criminal Justice System?
Q1A
Police
Not at all aware 1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
Very aware 5 5
Don't know 99
Q1B
Courts
Not at all aware 1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
Very aware 5 5
Don't know 99
Q1C
Corrections
Not at all aware 1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
Very aware 5 5
Don't know 99
PREQ2
How confident are you that the Canadian criminal justice system is...?
Q2A
fair to all people
Not confident at all 1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
Very confident 5 5
Don't know 99
Q2B
accessible to all people
Not confident at all 1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
Very confident 5 5
Don't know 99
PREQ3
Part 2 – Workplace Sexual Harassment (19 questions)
When we talk about workplace sexual harassment, it refers to unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature -- such as comments, gestures or advances -- that negatively affects the work environment or leads to negative job-related or other consequences for the victims of the harassment.
Q3
In the last 12 months, have you heard or read anything about sexual harassment in the workplace?
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know/No response 99
Q4 [1,12]
Yes, Q3
Where did you get this information?
Media/Newspaper story (online or print) 1
Popular culture (television/movies/radio/magazine) 2
Social media 3
Friend or family member 4
Employer/at work 5
Poster/pamphlet 6
Community organization 7
Doctor/health care provider 8
Government 9
Other (specify): 77
Don't know/No response 99
Q5
How would you rate your level of knowledge involving what is considered to be sexual harassment?
Not at all knowledgeable 1
Slightly knowledgeable 2
Moderately knowledgeable 3
Knowledgeable 4
Very knowledgeable 5
Don't know/No response 99
Q6 [1,8]
Not at all/Slightly/Moderately knowledgeable, Q5
What kinds of information do you believe you would need to be well-informed?
Types of sexual harassment 1
Statistics/amount/frequency of sexual harassment 2
Information about resources in community 3
Talking to young people about sexual harassment 4
Material related to justice system 5
Information about what to do if you have been sexually harassed in the workplace 6
Other (specify): 77
Don't know/No response 99
Q7 [1,13]
If you experienced sexual harassment in your workplace, and you were looking for information/support, where would you go?
Select all that apply
A friend or family member 1
A colleague 2
A manager 3
Human resources 4
My union 5
A community services agency 6
A lawyer or legal clinic 7
A human rights tribunal 8
A doctor or other health care provider (e.g. nurse, naturopath) 9
A faith-based leader 10
A women's (or men's) organization 11
Online search 12
Other 77
Don't know/No response 99
Q8
Do you think that you would experience any difficulty accessing information or advice on sexual harassment in the workplace if you were in need?
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know/No response 99
Q9 [1,10]
Yes, Q8
What kind of difficulty do you think you would experience?
Select all that apply
Needing to access expertise outside of work hours, and not having the time or ability to do so 1
Not having private access to the internet at work 2
Fear or embarrassment 3
Direct or implied threats 4
Would risk career consequences 5
No resources available in the workplace 6
Other staff not supportive 7
Don't trust people in charge of processing harassment complaints 8
Other (please specify) : 77
Don't know/No response 99
Q9A [1,7]
If you experienced sexual harassment in your workplace, which type of recourse would you prefer to use?
I would deal with the situation on my own, armed with information about my rights 1
I would complain to an agency, ombudsperson, or some other office, to have my complaint investigated and resolved on my behalf 2
I would have a lawyer take the matter to court or tribunal 3
I would take the matter to court or tribunal myself and present my case 4
I would not do anything 5
Other 77
Don't know/No response 99
Q10 [1,6]
If you wanted information on sexual harassment, how would you prefer to receive it?
Select all that apply
Online 1
Hard copy pamphlets and brochures 2
In person discussion 3
By telephone 4
Other (specify) : 77
Don't know/No response 99
Q11
How would you rate the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace in our society today compared to ten years ago?
Much less serious today than 10 years ago 1
Somewhat less serious today 2
About the same 3
Somewhat more serious today 4
Much more serious today than 10 years ago 5
Don't know/No response 99
Q12
To what extent do you think that sexual harassment occurs in workplaces in the area you live?
Not at all 1
Not very often 2
A fair bit 3
A lot 4
Don't know/No response 99
PREQ13
The following is a list of ways to address sexual harassment. Which do you consider to be effective?
Q13A
Public education and awareness programs
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know 99
Q13B
Continued workplace training and awareness programs for employees and employers
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know 99
Q13C
Counselling services for victims
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know 99
Q13D
Treatment/Counselling for perpetrators
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know 99
Q13E
Harsher penalties for perpetrators
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know 99
Q13F
Mediation between victims and perpetrators
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know 99
Q13G
Encouraging people to openly talk about their disapproval of sexual harassment
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know 99
Q13H
Having health care providers be trained to recognize signs and make appropriate referrals as part of routine medical check-ups
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know 99
Q13I [0,1]
Other (specify) :
Yes 1
No 2
Don't know 99
Q14
More than one selection, Q13
Which of these (that you just picked) would you consider to be the most effective?
Q13A = 1
Public education and awareness programs 1
Q13B = 1
Continued workplace training and awareness programs for employees and employers 2
Q13C = 1
Counselling services for victims 3
Q13D = 1
Treatment/Counselling for perpetrators 4
Q13E = 1
Harsher penalties for perpetrators 5
Q13F = 1
Mediation between victims and perpetrators 6
Q13G = 1
Encouraging people to openly talk about their disapproval of sexual harassment 7
Q13H = 1
Having health care providers be trained to recognize signs and make appropriate referrals as part of routine medical check-ups 8
Q13I = 1
[AQ13BOX] 9
Don't know/No response 99
PREQ15
Part 3 – Privacy (10 questions)
To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
Q15A
A federal department should only collect information that it needs about me directly from me, rather than collecting it from another government department
Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neither agree nor disagree 3
Agree 4
Strongly Agree 5
Don't know 99
Q15B
I am comfortable with the federal government sharing information I have provided with another federal government institution if it is for law enforcement purposes or to protect national security.
Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neither agree nor disagree 3
Agree 4
Strongly Agree 5
Don't know 99
Q15C
I trust law enforcement and national security agencies with my personal information.
Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neither agree nor disagree 3
Agree 4
Strongly Agree 5
Don't know 99
Q15D
I would be comfortable with the federal government using or sharing my personal information with other federal government departments, if my information has no identifiers such as my name, date of birth and address information.
Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neither agree nor disagree 3
Agree 4
Strongly Agree 5
Don't know 99
Q15E
My information would be better protected if federal government departments were required to have a specific person in charge of ensuring personal data is handled properly.
Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neither agree nor disagree 3
Agree 4
Strongly Agree 5
Don't know 99
PREQ15_
To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
A federal government department should be able to share my information for a different administrative purpose than for which it was initially collected:
Q15_A
Within the same federal government department
Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neither agree nor disagree 3
Agree 4
Strongly Agree 5
Don't know 99
Q15_B
With another federal government department
Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neither agree nor disagree 3
Agree 4
Strongly Agree 5
Don't know 99
Q15_C
With my provincial or territorial government
Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neither agree nor disagree 3
Agree 4
Strongly Agree 5
Don't know 99
Q15_D
With a foreign government
Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neither agree nor disagree 3
Agree 4
Strongly Agree 5
Don't know 99
PREQ16
Part 4 – Discrimination (4 questions)
Canadians are protected from discrimination in their workplaces, in accessing services and in accessing housing, by federal, provincial and territorial laws.
Q16
How would you rate your level of awareness of these rights and responsibilities under these anti-discrimination laws?
Not at all aware 1
Slightly aware 2
Moderately aware 3
Aware 4
Very aware 5
Don't know/No response 99
Q17
How would you rate your level of knowledge of what your rights and responsibilities are under these anti-discrimination laws?
Not at all knowledgeable 1
Slightly knowledgeable 2
Moderately knowledgeable 3
Knowledgeable 4
Very knowledgeable 5
Don't know/No response 99
Q18 [1,14]
If you experienced discrimination, and you were looking for information/support, where would you go?
Select all that apply
A friend or family member 1
A colleague 2
A manager 3
Human resources 4
My union 5
Online search 6
A community services agency 7
A lawyer or legal clinic 8
A human rights tribunal 9
A doctor or other health care provider 10
A faith-based leader 11
A women's (or men's) organization 12
Other 77
Don't know/No response 99
Q19
If you experienced discrimination, which type of recourse would you prefer to use?
I would deal with the situation on my own, armed with information about my rights. 1
I would complain to an agency, ombudsperson, or some other office, to have my complaint investigated and resolved on my behalf. 2
I would have a lawyer take the matter to court or tribunal. 3
I would take the matter to court or tribunal myself and present my case. 4
I would not do anything 5
Other 77
Don't know/No response 99
Q20
Part 5 – Family Law (6 questions)
To what extent do you agree that family laws should require that decisions regarding a separating or divorcing couple's child(ren) be based entirely, or almost entirely on what is in the child(ren)'s best interests?
Strongly disagree 1
Disagree 2
Neither agree nor disagree 3
Agree 4
Strongly agree 5
Don't know/No response 99
Q21 [1,8]
Have you ever been involved in the family justice system in any of the following ways?
Select all that apply
As a person who experienced/ is experiencing separation or divorce without a child/children (18 or under) involved. 1
As a person who experienced/ is experiencing separation or divorce with children (18 or under) involved. 2
As a family member of someone who experienced/ is experiencing separation or divorce 3
As a friend of someone who experienced/ is experiencing separation or divorce 4
I work or volunteer in the family justice system 5
I have provided personal support to someone going through separation or divorce 6
None of the above 98
Don't know/No response 99
Q22
How would you rate your knowledge of the family justice system?
Not at all knowledgeable 1
Slightly knowledgeable 2
Moderately knowledgeable 3
Knowledgeable 4
Very knowledgeable 5
Don't know/No response 99
Q23
What is your main source of information (that is, the source you would access most often) about the family justice system?
Choose one
Family or friends 1
Popular culture (television/movies/radio/magazine) 2
Government websites or publications 3
Legal professional 4
Non-legal family justice professional (mediator, mental health professional, parent information) 5
other (please specify) 77
Don't know/No response 99
Q24
Have you or someone you know visited the Justice Canada website or used the Justice Canada helpline to gather information or seek advice on family law?
Yes, the Justice Canada website 1
Yes, the Justice Canada helpline 2
No 3
Don't know/No response 99
Q25
Website, Q24
How easy or difficult was it to get the information you needed?
Very difficult 1
Somewhat difficult 2
Neither difficult nor easy 3
Somewhat easy 4
Very easy 5
Don't know/No response 99
DEMIN
The following questions will be used for statistical purposes only. All responses are strictly confidential.
Q26 [1,11]
Have you ever been involved in the criminal justice system?
Choose all that apply
Testifying as a witness in criminal court 1
Jury member chosen to participate in a criminal trial 2
As the victim/survivor of a non-violent crime 3
As the victim/survivor of a violent crime 4
After being charged/convicted of a crime 5
As a family member of a victim/survivor 6
As a family member of an accused/convicted person 7
Know someone as victim/accused 8
By working in the criminal justice system/Working in a related field 9
Volunteering in the criminal justice or related area 10
Other (please specify) : 77
I have not been involved in the CJS before 98
Prefer not to answer 99
QEDUC
What is the highest level of formal education that you have completed to date?
Grade 8 or less 1
Some high school 2
High School diploma or equivalent 3
Registered Apprenticeship or other trades certificate or diploma 4
Some post-secondary (not completed) 5
College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma 6
University certificate or diploma below bachelor's level 7
Bachelor's degree 8
Post graduate degree above bachelor's level 9
Prefer not to answer 99
QINC
Which of the following categories best describes your total household income? That is, the total income of all persons in your household, before taxes?
Under $20,000 1
$20,000 to just under $40,000 2
$40,000 to just under $60,000 3
$60,000 to just under $80,000 4
$80,000 to just under $100,000 5
$100,000 to just under $120,000 6
$120,000 to just under $150,000 7
$150,000 and above 8
Prefer not to answer 99
QBORN
Were you born in Canada?
Yes 1
No 2
Prefer not to answer 99
QMINOR [1,5]
Do you consider yourself to belong to any of the following groups?
A member of a visible minority 1
An Aboriginal person 2
A person with a disability 3
None of the above 98
Prefer not to answer 99
QEMP
Which of the following categories best describes your current employment status? Are you...?
Working full-time, that is, 35 or more hours per week 1
Working part-time, that is, less than 35 hours per week 2
Self-employed 3
Unemployed, but looking for work 4
A student attending school full-time 5
Retired 6
Not in the workforce (disability, full-time homemaker, unemployed, not looking for work) 7
Other 77
Prefer not to answer 99
QCOMM
In what type of community do you live?
Urban (town, city, suburb) 1
Rural (small or sparsely populated community, with fewer than 5,000 or so residents, usually with considerable open/farm land surrounding it) 2
Remote (at least 2 hours drive from an urban centre and lacks reliable transportation links) 3
On reserve 4
None of the above 98
Prefer not to answer 99
QFSA
What are the first three characters of your postal code?
Please specify : 77
Prefer not to answer 99
QPROV
Hesitant, QFSA
In which province or territory do you live?
Alberta 1
British Columbia 2
Manitoba 3
New Brunswick 4
Newfoundland and Labrador 5
Northwest Territories 6
Nova Scotia 7
Nunavut 8
Ontario 9
Prince Edward Island 10
Quebec 11
Saskatchewan 12
Yukon 13
Prefer not to answer 99
THNK
Thank you, those are all the questions we have for you today.