LOCATION	GROUP	LANGUAGE	DATE	TIME (EST)	GROUP COMPOSITION	NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
Ontario – Eastern Regions	1	English	August 4	6:00-8:00 pm	Young Adults (aged 18-24)	8
Ontario – Golden Horseshoe	2	English	August 5	6:00-8:00 pm	Immigrants ( less than 10 years in Canada)	7
Quebec	3	French	August 6	6:00-8:00 pm	Young Adults (aged 18-24)	6
Interior B.C.	4	English	August 10	8:00-10:00 pm	Young Adults (aged 18-24)	3
Calgary	6	English	August 11	7:00-9:00 pm	Young Adults (aged 18-24)	8
B.C.	14	English	August 11	8:00-10:00 pm	Young Adults (aged 18-24)	7
Ontario – Border towns	5	English	August 12	5:30-7:30 pm	General population	6
Montreal CMA	13	French	August 13	6:00-8:00 pm	Immigrants ( less than 10 years in Canada)	7
Prairies	7	English	August 17	6:30-8:30 pm	Seniors (aged 55+)	6
Ontario – small towns, rural + Northern	10	English	August 18	5:30-7:30 pm	Parents (of children in Junior Kindergarten-Grade 6)	6
Quebec – Eastern townships	9	French	August 19	6:00-8:00 pm	General population	8
Vancouver	11	English	August 24	7:00-8:00 pm	Parents (of children in Junior Kindergarten-Grade 6)	8
Interior B.C.	8	English	August 25	8:00-10:00 pm	General population	8
Quebec	12	French	August 27	5:30-7:30 pm	Parents (of children in Grade 7-12)	7
Total number of participants	95

Detailed Findings – Part I: COVID-19

Timeline of August Announcements

In order to help place the focus group discussions within the context of key events which occurred during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic period, below is a quick reminder of the timeline in Canada at the end of July and throughout the month of August.

At the end of July:
- There had been 128,947 cases of COVID-19 in Canada with 9,113 deaths.
- All of the provinces had reopened to a significant extent.
- Canada’s border controls with the U.S. were still in place and in effect until September 21 ^st.
- International vaccine trials were underway.
1-7 August
- 4 August. Alberta announced that all school staff were mandated to return to school for the 2020-21 year. The province also mandated mask wearing for Grade 4 to 12 students.
- Focus group held with young adults in Eastern Ontario (August 4^th).
- Focus group held with immigrants residing in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe (August 5^th).
- 5 August. The COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force was announced, made up of vaccine and immunology experts who will advise the Government of Canada on vaccine development and in the development of bio-manufacturing capacity.
- Focus group held with young adults in Quebec (August 6^th).
- 10 August. The Government of Canada temporarily sets a 13.1% unemployment rate across Canada, one of the steps to help eligible Canadians in their transition from the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to Employment Insurance (EI).
- Two focus groups held with young adults in Calgary and B.C. (August 11 ^th).
- Focus group held with the general population living along the border of the US and Ontario (August 12 ^th) and a focus group held with immigrants residing in the Greater Montreal Area (August 13 ^th).
- 14 August. The Government of Canada released Canada’s Flight Plan for safe air travel.
15-21 August
- Focus group held with seniors living in mid-sized and small towns in the Prairies (August 17 ^th).
- Focus group held with parents of school aged children (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6) living in small, rural and northern towns in Ontario.
- 18 August. The Deputy Prime Minister of Canada was appointed as Minister of Finance.
- 18 August. Manitoba posted school division reopening plans online.
- 19 August. Quebec released a range of re-opening instructions to schools and educational facilities.
- Focus group held with the general population in Eastern Townships of Quebec.
- 20 August. The Government of Canada announced a plan to support Canadians through the next phase of recovery.
- 21 August. The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and 3M Canada announced a joint investment to expand a manufacturing facility for N95 respirators in Brockville, Ontario.
22-31 August
- Focus group held with parents of school aged children (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6) residing in Vancouver (August 24 ^th) and with the general population from Interior B.C. (August 25 ^th).
- 25 August. 17 ^th First Ministers’ Call was undertaken to discuss the shared response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 26 August. British Columbia announced back to school plans.
- 26 August. Ontario released Operational Guidance COVID-19 Management in Schools.
- Focus groups held with parents of school aged children (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6) residing in mid-size and small towns in Quebec (August 27 ^th).
- 31 August. The Government of Canada extended the application deadline for the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) to October 31^st and announced a series of measures to ensure the supply of future COVID-19 vaccines and therapies.

COVID-19 in the News (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, GMA Immigrants, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Eastern Townships Quebec, Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

COVID-19 Related News

In August, many participants were following news related to COVID-19 as the pandemic continued. Some comments raised by a few participants suggested a lower or declining level of engagement on pandemic-related news. Several participants commented they were finding the volume of information overwhelming or that they were already getting enough information from other sources (e.g., through word of mouth, at their work, etc.).

Among those who were following news on the virus, the areas that caught their attention or on which they seemed most engaged included the following: case counts, the status of the pandemic in the U.S., international news on a vaccine, and school re-openings (including an increased focus on mask-wearing for children).

With respect to perspectives on case counts, participants’ views differed depending on where they lived. Those in Ontario felt that the number of new cases in their province was decreasing and that Ontario was generally doing a good job of keeping cases down. Meanwhile, those living in the West, specifically in B.C., were of the view that cases in their province had increased, especially among youth, because of lax adherence to proper social distancing practices.

Stepping back, and assessing the situation overall, many participants felt Canada was much better off compared to the U.S. in terms of lowering case counts and limiting the spread of COVID-19. Across all groups, there were numerous mentions of higher rates of infection in the U.S. and a general concern about how quickly the virus was spreading there.

Participants had also heard about various reports regarding the development and imminent availability of a vaccine and many were aware of some progress on this front in Russia. While a few found this to be positive news, many others reacted negatively stating that the scientific community was questioning how the vaccine could have been properly tested within these timelines.

The topic of schools reopening was brought up numerous times in different groups throughout the month. Participants were unsure about what precautions were going to be taken and concerned about the lack of information or clarity they had received about the return to school. Some questioned what options they would have for their children’s learning (e.g., in person or online) for the upcoming school year, and some also discussed the lack of consistency across school boards in their area. Others recalled news reports suggesting that the mandatory mask-wearing age limits were changing for children, although they were not clear on the specific details.

Perceptions of the Government of Canada’s Response to COVID-19 (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants, Quebec Eastern Townships)

When participants were prompted with the question about the Government of Canada’s response to the pandemic, most participants were positive and felt that the actions it had taken had been appropriate given the situation they faced.

Participants were complimentary of the Government of Canada having taken active measures from the start of the pandemic, including implementing proper guidelines to stop the spread of the virus and promptly providing financial support/aid to Canadians who needed it via the CERB and other programs. In judging the federal government’s response, many positively compared it to other countries, specifically relative to what had occurred in the United States.

There were some criticisms, however, as some participants believed that more aggressive action should have been taken earlier on a couple of key issues. The first, and primary, critique from participants was a perception that the government had taken too long to close international borders at the beginning of the pandemic. There was also some discussion about receiving mixed messages on the effectiveness of masks and some believed that recommendations to wear face masks should have been implemented earlier as well.

Awareness of COVID Alert App (U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents)

Awareness

In two groups in Ontario participants were asked a series of questions to gauge their awareness of the Government of Canada’s COVID Alert app. Overall, awareness of the app was reasonably good with over half of participants in each group citing that they had heard of it. Fewer, however, reported having downloaded the app – typically two or three participants in each group.

Motivators and Barriers to Downloading the App

Those who had downloaded the app said that their primary motivation in doing so was a desire to know if they had been exposed. Those who held this view were generally comfortable downloading the app and had done so without hesitation. A few participants specifically mentioned that the information the app provided upfront about how it worked and how the data would be used was reassuring to them.

Those who were more opposed to downloading the COVID Alert app were concerned that it would track their location or that they would be required to turn their location settings on in order to use the app, which was something that they were against for a variety of reasons. In particular, those in small towns reported to be less likely to download the app because they believed it would require cell service to be effective, which was known to be inconsistent in their areas.

Among those few who were undecided about downloading the app, comments suggested they were less concerned about potential exposure to the virus and, as such, felt there was no strong requirement for the app at this time. However, they did say that as their children returned to school and they went back to their workplaces, they could see value in the reassurance that the app would provide as their risk of exposure increased.

Perceived Effectiveness of the App

After gauging their general awareness and views on the app, the moderator read the following to participants to provide some clarification on the app and how it works:

The federal government has just released an app that helps break the cycle of infection by letting people know of possible exposures before any symptoms appear. It uses Bluetooth to exchange random codes with nearby phones. Every day, it checks a list of random codes from people who tell the app they tested positive. If you’ve been near one of those codes in the past 14 days, you’ll get a notification.

When asked if they believed the app was an effective way to stop the spread, participants generally agreed. They viewed it as a proactive tool that would allow for Canadians who had been exposed to be tested earlier in the incubation period of COVID-19 in an effort to help contain the spread.

Most participants who were unaware of the app initially said they may not download it right away but were definitely interested and would look into the details about how it worked.

Canada-U.S. Issues (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, GMA Immigrants, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Eastern Townships Quebec)

Nearly all participants recalled information about the Canada-U.S. border, both in the news and on social media. While most participants referenced information about the border being closed to all non-essential travel, some extended the discussion by noting inconsistencies they believed to exist between essential workers, military personal, average citizens and other travellers from certain states within the U.S. (e.g., Alaska) with respect to following quarantine procedures. In addition to news that was specific to the Canada-U.S. border, some participants also recalled stories about the upcoming U.S. election and about difficulties some international students were facing in returning to school for their fall semester.

Participants further debated whether Canada’s response to this issue was appropriate after being provided with further clarification that the Government of Canada had said it would impose surtaxes against imports of aluminum and products that contain aluminum from the United States. Some participants felt that the Government of Canada was being peremptory and the Canadian response would have little impact in pressuring the U.S. to remove the tax. Others felt the response was justified and viewed Canada’s swift response in a positive light.

Behaviour Change (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Eastern Townships Quebec, Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

Overall

Participants reported observing changes in public behaviour both in terms of more people being out and about and increased tourist activity from out-of-province visitors. They attributed this to lockdown fatigue and commented that many people did not seem to be practicing social distancing and/or wearing masks. Some of this behaviour was seen as inevitable and even necessary in terms of facilitating economic activity and/or for mental health.

Participants themselves were taking a range of approaches with respect to their day-to-day routines and activities as the pandemic progressed. Many commented that they were socializing more and expressed relief at being able to do so. Most also reported that they had expanded their social circles and were increasingly comfortable venturing to outdoor patios, for example. Many also talked about reengaging in recreational activities. More people were taking up outdoor pursuits and several participants indicated they had taken up new pastimes such as sewing and other creative activities.

Participants also commented on practices they had been maintaining almost since the start of the pandemic and were now adhering to even more closely. Most were continuing to be alert to safety practices, for example using sanitizer more often, wearing masks, avoiding crowds and following all of the marked precautions in stores and workplaces. However, attitudes and practices around personal safety precautions did vary across the groups. Some participants were quite vocal in questioning the utility of masks, while others commented that masking should have been started much earlier in the pandemic.

Among participants residing in towns along the U.S.-Ontario border, most said that they were following the provincial guidelines as they moved from stage to stage, but also commented that as they entered Phase 3 they were feeling somewhat resigned to exposing themselves to a higher degree of risk as they encountered more people in the course of their daily lives.

Overall, relatively few participants reported having made little to no changes in their behaviour and this was for various reasons. Some were of the view that there had been no real decrease in risk and that reopening was being done for economic reasons not because the public health crisis had receded. For others, a key concern was risks to their own health or that of another family member who was disabled or immunocompromised. And, there were a few participants in several of the groups who described themselves as introverts and, as such, we not inclined to socialize much regardless of the circumstances or the trends in the number of cases of COVID-19 in their area.

Most participants were worried about the possibility of a second wave, and many attributed this to the process of reopening and the steps in that direction that jurisdictions had taken over the summer. Most appeared less worried about getting sick themselves but were nevertheless aware that the virus could affect people of any age. Worries about mental health issues, as a side effect of prolonged general confinement, were raised as a number of participants expressed concern over reduced social interaction.

Young Adults (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults)

In the groups of young adults, participants’ comments reflected a range of opinions about the efficacy of face masks, which went beyond simply favouring or opposing wearing them. Some thought that disposable masks were a bad idea environmentally and that reusable cloth masks should be stressed. Others recommended that there should be more stringent regulations around mask design to clearly instruct users on effective and appropriate use. In particular, the use of scarves as a substitute for face masks was criticized. Others also thought that there should be clearer rules about when masks are not needed and/or situations when they are less effective. Young adults also commented that, in general when getting together with friends, and when alcohol was involved, a more relaxed attitude tended to develop resulting in less compliance with the various guidelines intended to limit the spread of COVID-19.

In these five groups, participants were shown three statements and asked which made the most compelling case for following COVID-19 guidelines. These included:

1. Even though COVID is rarely fatal for young people, it often leaves permanent health disabilities

2. If you get COVID, you could pass it on to family or others who are more vulnerable to disease

3. If people don’t follow COVID guidelines, we could have a second wave which would cause everything to shut down again

Across all groups, there was a consensus that the second statement about the risk of passing the virus on to family or others who are more vulnerable to disease was the most impactful of the three. The explicit reference to possible effects on family members strongly resonated with young adults. It touched an emotional chord, connecting with feelings of family loyalty and responsibility. The way in which this statement was framed also spoke to them more directly and at a more personal level, rather than to the general population of younger people, as in the first statement. While there was little support for the other statements, the third statement was viewed as somewhat effective as it suggested the potential of a second wave, which some believed could be a compelling reason for young adults to rethink their behaviours.

Seniors (Mid-size and Small-Town Prairies Seniors)

Seniors’ behaviours generally reflected a more cautious approach to dealing with the pandemic. Participants commented that their travel was quite restricted, typically staying within the bounds of their local area, but also not venturing to more crowded public venues or spaces such as libraries or festivals. While a few were attending religious services, many commented that they were not dining out and, in fact, had a strong preference for enjoying life at home. In this group, some also reported very little change to their lives as a consequence of the pandemic given where they resided – on farms and in relatively isolated areas.

When asked what they would say about their COVID-19 experience to someone in their twenties, thoughts ranged from feeling like everyone was in the same boat, to expressions of the experience being surreal and frustrating. Others commented that while there had been a lot of attention on the issue, they did not see the virus as prevalent or a particularly high threat in their areas (especially in rural communities). A few participants compared it to other viruses, such as SARS, noting that with the latter issues such extreme precautions or measures had not been implemented.

They were also asked if they felt particularly vulnerable, given their age, but overall most did not. In addition to mentioning that they generally tended to keep themselves fit and stay active, seniors extolled the virtue of Canada’s healthcare system. They did, however, express some concerns about the social isolation aspects of the pandemic, especially the difficulties of being separated for such a long period of time from close family members. At the same time, many underscored that staying home had been easier than they thought and that staying connected had been significantly aided by platforms such as FaceTime and Zoom.

Parents (Small, Rural and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

In general, parents expressed a level of caution in the face of the pandemic situated somewhere between that expressed by young adults and seniors. Much of the behavioural change among this group had been driven by the need to work as well as their child-rearing responsibilities and activities, and preparing them to return to school. They did report that mask-wearing had become more natural, but as they looked forward towards school opening, they knew that their circles would be widening and saw no reason not to start taking children to playgrounds and other recreational facilities. Two particular areas of change arose from these discussions – a decline in the use of public transit, and an increase in online shopping – both related to spending more time in their home environments and a general disinclination to spend much time in congested spaces or areas.

Most participants reported having been quite strict about the safety precautions they had taken in the spring but easing off in the summer, especially as they felt some pressure to enhance the quality of life of their children. At the same time, parents acknowledged they would likely be reinstating stricter safety protocols in the fall, especially to avoid a second wave.

Asked if their relationship with their children had changed, responses were mixed. Many felt that there had been some positive changes in terms of feeling physically and emotionally closer to their children. Others, however, mentioned that their children were exhibiting symptoms of anxiety (e.g., clinging more to their parents) and some parents were feeling quite overwhelmed by the constant responsibility for and presence of their children. For some, the early days of the pandemic which had presented opportunities for enhanced family time and bonding were now becoming more of a grind. Parents’ feelings about this varied, mostly according to the age of the children. Those with younger children were more likely to have enjoyed the experience and to feel that it had brought them closer, while parents of older children (e.g., in high school) reported little change. Overall, parents described themselves as feeling more present, busier, more patient, having more fun, but also being more worried.

Gender (Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Eastern Townships Quebec)

When asked about the gender impact of the pandemic, most participants felt that women and men were affected more or less equally. This view was based on a sense that the negative impacts of the pandemic were less related to gender, and more a factor of one’s personal situation including marital status, family circumstances, working life and overall financial security.

Parents were identified by participants as one group which they felt has been more negatively impacted by the pandemic. More specifically, participants thought that single mothers or fathers, with only one source of income and who were also primarily responsible for caring for children on their own, were at a particular disadvantage.

As the discussion progressed comments suggested a higher degree of concern about the effects of the pandemic on women than participants had declared at the outset. On further reflection, some felt that women tended to have the primary responsibility for child-rearing and that the pandemic meant they were more likely to also be taking on the main responsibility for homeschooling, managing children’s recreational activities and for supervising children on a daily basis. Others commented on the predominance of women in specific types of jobs or occupations, such as restaurant serving staff and teachers, which were among the first to be affected by lockdown measures intended to limit the spread of the virus. By contrast, a smaller group of participants were of the view that women are more likely to be engaged in employment that permitted an easier transition to work from home.

Ultimately, participants tended to believe men were somewhat less affected because, in their view, the majority of men were more likely to be gainfully employed and earning an income. Additionally, participants felt that men were more likely to be employed in sectors that had in fact remained open and active since the early days of the pandemic (e.g., the construction industry). Some also made the point that the gender pay gap may play into a more conscious decision in two-parent (male/female) households to have the lesser paid individual (frequently the female) step away from their employment to manage child care responsibilities while the other (typically the male) continued working, specifically citing that men were often the primary wage earner for the family.

In one group only – Golden Horseshoe Ontario – participants were asked to comment further on a statement made by a Canadian economist. The idea put forward was that Canada is currently in a ‘she-cession’ which particularly affects women, given they are more likely to be in jobs involving a lot of human interaction and where social distancing is difficult, and that a ‘she-covery’ focusing on getting women back to work and increasing child-care support is required. Most participants in this group did not react favourably to the concepts of a ‘she-cession’ or a ‘she-covery,’ although they generally understood the meaning of the terms. Again, participants emphasized that, from their point of view, the negative impacts of COVID-19 were being felt by both men and women and that support should instead be provided to those who need it, regardless of gender.

On balance, most participants felt there was little need for the government to take any specific actions on the basis of gender alone. Rather the consensus was that recovery support should be targeted to those Canadians who are most in need, whether that meant directing support to a particular demographic sub-group, including women in particular circumstances, and/or those working in specific sectors of the Canadian economy. As noted earlier, single parents, women and men alike, were mentioned frequently by participants as a subgroup that would benefit from additional support. Meanwhile, some participants commented that the Government of Canada was already doing a lot to offer support across the board and to specific groups more adversely affected by the pandemic.

Economy (Quebec Young Adults, GMA Immigrants, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

With many jurisdictions having moved into the later phases of economic reopening, participants were asked to consider what type of economy Canada should aim for as it recovers. Participants were shown seven possible options (as follows) and asked to select up to two that best represent what they think Canada should strive for.

Future-proof economy
Green economy
Healthy economy
Modern economy
Resilient economy
Strong economy
Economic solidarity

Across the three groups in which this exercise was undertaken, all of which were held in Quebec, no strong consensus emerged around any one of the options. However, in two of the groups in particular (GMA Immigrants and Mid-Size/Small Towns Parents), many participants favoured ‘economic solidarity.’ For a number of participants this goal implied prioritizing and meeting citizens’ needs and taking care of all segments of the population, with a focus on jobs as well as on personal and public health, banding together, and stability. For some, it also implied a more community-based approach to economic recovery, while for others the notion of solidarity was viewed as reassuring especially in light of the current uncertainties.

Several participants saw direct links between ‘economic solidarity’ and a ‘strong economy.’ The ideas of solidarity and strength were seen as working hand-in-hand. A strong economy also implied the ability to confront challenging issues and effectively address them, but was also more directly associated with job creation, as well as a more diverse workforce, including greater reliance on immigration, and an economy that would generate positive health outcomes for Canadians.

The idea of a ‘resilient economy’ was supported more by participants from mid-size and small towns in Quebec. It was chosen primarily because it was felt to encompass aspects and attributes of some of the other options, including solidarity, strength and adaptability. Other participants commented that resiliency also connoted the ability to adapt in the short term. Some, however, took exception to the term ‘resilient,’ believing it to be more appropriate to describe a crisis situation rather than a circumstance whereby economic adjustments are required following a brief disruption.

In the one group (Mid-Size/Small Towns) in which participants were asked to consider other words that might convey the same principle as ‘resilient’ or ‘solidarity,’ participants offered alternatives such as ‘fair,’ ‘social justice,’ ‘adaptive’ and ‘supportive.’

Younger participants converged around the ideas of a ‘modern,’ ‘future-proof,’ ‘green’ and ‘healthy’ economy more so than did participants in the other two groups. These options resonated for a range of reasons. Participants felt it was important to respect the environment, address pollution, recycle and re-use, and that this approach was integral to a future-oriented, modern economy as well as one that promoted health equity.

Financial Support: Transition from CERB to EI and Recovery Benefits (Eastern Townships Quebec, Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

Throughout the month, discussions with participants about financial support for Canadians, including programs such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), evolved as information came to light and announcements were made regarding the transition to Employment Insurance (EI).

CERB in the News (U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Mid-size and Small-Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural and Northern Towns Ontario Parents)

In a few groups held mid-month, participants were asked early in the discussion about the government’s intention to transition as many Canadians as possible from CERB back to the EI system. At this time no official announcements had yet been made and few specific details were available.

When asked what they had been hearing in the news about this, most were aware of some discussions taking place about the CERB, the fact that it was coming to an end and, that there would be new programs to replace it. Beyond this, most participants were unclear on the transition process or any of the specifics related to eligibility requirements and benefits. A few participants took the opportunity to mention issues they had heard about related to fraudulent applications for CERB payments and talk of a Universal Basic Income.

Most commented positively on the stated intention of the Government of Canada to transition from CERB to EI. At the same time, participants did flag a few concerns about eligibility requirements and groups that may be overlooked in this process, including:

Women – Participants were concerned that a significant number of people may be unable to rejoin the workforce, either for the same number of hours as previously worked or at all. The point was made that women, in particular, may continue to need some kind of income support but may not qualify for EI given the uncertainties around availability of day care services and back-to-school plans; and
Self-employed persons – Some raised concerns about coverage for those who are self-employed, and questioned what programs would be available for people in this situation.

Participants underscored the need for a transition to a system which adequately addresses the variable ability of Canadians to qualify for income support, given that many have been unable to accumulate the hours of work that may be needed to be eligible. Moreover, participants wanted to ensure that any system that was introduced would ensure minimal to no gap in transitioning recipients off one system and onto another, to ensure continuity of benefits. They also expressed concern that the EI program was intended to support people during ‘normal’ times and was not really meant for situations when people do not have the option to return to work. And, while there was a recognition among some that EI may not be the perfect solution, and that there might be better options or solutions as yet undeveloped, there was also a sense that the government needed to ensure as smooth and quick a transition as possible.

Financial Support (Eastern Townships Quebec)

Many participants were supportive of the Government of Canada’s actions to provide financial support to Canadians, especially early in the pandemic, and were supportive that such programs were launched quickly. Those who were less supportive were generally more concerned about tax issues and what they perceived as poor communications between the federal government and the provinces with respect to support for students and farmers.

Few participants in this group were aware of any recent news about the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or about a transition to Employment Insurance (EI). When provided with some information about the impending end of the CERB (on September 26th) and preparations for a switch to EI for those who still needed support, participants responded positively. Many felt that taking this approach would incentivize a return to work. Although there was a general appreciation for those who were unable to return to work for reasons such as business closure or decline in revenues, for example, some also felt that the CERB was acting as a disincentive for certain groups to re-engage in the labour force, particularly students, many of whom would usually be employed part-time or full-time through the summer period and throughout the school year.

The following information was shared with participants after which they were asked their thoughts on EI as compared to the CERB:

For most people, the basic rate for calculating EI benefits is 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum amount. Currently, the maximum yearly insurable earnings amount is $54,200. This means that the maximum EI amount is $573 per week. For a number of Canadians, the amount they would receive using this calculation would be less than they are currently receiving via CERB (since a lot of Canadians earn less than $54,200/year).

Participants were questioned as to whether the standard EI calculation should be implemented or whether everyone should continue to receive $2,000 per month as was the case for the CERB. Most believed that if the calculation for EI turned out to be smaller, it would still be sufficient and that the current EI system should stay more or less as it is to encourage people to seek work. They also felt this approach would have less of a negative effect overall on the federal budget. A segment of participants did however feel that the minimum benefit should remain at $2,000 per month until a vaccine is available.

EI and Recovery Benefits (Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

Groups that were held during the last week of the month were shown the following background information on an approach to transition CERB claimants to EI, as well as information about a suite of three new benefits which had been announced on August 20th. Participants were then asked what they thought of this approach.

The Government of Canada recently announced that it will be transitioning to a simplified Employment Insurance (EI) program. Originally the CERB was ending at the end of August, but it has been extended another four weeks. As of September 27, 2020:

New EI claimants will receive a minimum benefit rate of $400 per week. Anyone eligible for EI will need to have worked 120 hours to qualify, well below current EI requirements - since many Canadians have been unable to work due to the pandemic and accumulate the required number of hours.

The Government of Canada also announced a suite of three new recovery benefits:

1. The new Canada Recovery Benefit would provide a benefit amount of $400 per week for workers who are not eligible for EI - mainly the self-employed and including those working in the gig economy (e.g. freelancers, consultants, independent contractors, temporary contract workers)

2. The new Canada Recovery Caregiver Benefit would provide $500/week to anyone who is unable to work because they need to provide care to children or support to other dependents who had to stay home (e.g. they had to stop work because their child’s school or daycare closed because of COVID-19).

3. The new Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit would provide $500 per week for up to two weeks for those who don’t have paid sick leave and become sick or must self-isolate due to reasons linked to COVID-19.

Views were mixed, and issues and questions were raised. There was no clear consensus as to how participants viewed these programs. Concerns were expressed about the cost of the programs and overall fiscal sustainability for the Government of Canada, while others thought that in these unprecedented times these types of benefits were necessary and, in fact, may not be large enough to meet needs.

The greater flexibility of these programs was appreciated, including the ability to accumulate hours for EI. Some however struggled to understand the eligibility requirements. A few participants thought that it still might be difficult to accumulate 120 hours, given layoffs and/or the ongoing barriers to return to work in some regions and in some industries. Additionally, some offered that the programs made it too easy to elect to stay home under this framework.

Participants were then asked a more pointed question about what they felt should be the key consideration in the transition from CERB to the new system, among the following:

Ensuring that there is no delay between payments from when CERB ends to when the new system starts
Ensuring that everyone who gets CERB also qualifies for EI or the new benefits
Trying to reduce the amount paid and the number of people who qualify in order to reduce the deficit

Across the groups, participants focused primarily on ensuring there would be no delay in payments between the end of CERB and the start of the new system. Some participants also felt it was important to ensure that those who had qualified for CERB would also be covered by EI or the new benefits. A few participants cited reducing the amount paid and, correspondingly the deficit, should be the primary consideration. Their view was that some people who did not need help had been claiming the CERB and also that reducing pressure on public sector finances was beneficial. Throughout the discussion, and even while participants supported the general approach put forward by the Government of Canada, concerns about fiscal sustainability were an overlay.

When participants were asked how long these benefits should remain in place, many were unsure – some felt they would be needed until such time as a vaccine is available, or at least as long as the government had COVID-19 control measures in place and possibly a few months beyond that. Others simply left the end date open – noting that the programs should be available as long as they are needed. Some did offer that it would be fiscally responsible to fix an end date for the programs, but most prioritized financial assistance to Canadians in need over the longer-term fiscal implications.

When it was explained that the simplified EI system and new benefits would be in place for one year and would provide entitlement for up to 26 weeks of regular benefits, most participants thought that this was reasonable. A few participants, however, felt the government should re-evaluate the program at regular intervals and as events necessitated, rather than committing at the time to a full year.

Re-opening Schools (Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

In groups held during the second half of August, parents claimed to have received very little concrete information about back to school plans for their respective communities. Some noted that they had heard schools would implement a new schedule, enforce social distancing, and that some learning would be moved online. Most of the participants, therefore, expressed a feeling of not being adequately informed.

To advance the discussion, participants were subsequently provided with more up-to-date information and statements that had been released by their respective provincial governments. They were then asked if they planned to send their children back to in-person schooling. Responses to this question were mixed. Those who intended to send their children back to school commented that they were comfortable doing so because infection rates were low in the area or that they were unable to home school their children properly. Moreover, some indicated their decision was influenced by their children who were keen to return. By contrast, those who said they would keep their children home either noted they felt that they had the time and capabilities to educate their children themselves or expressed the belief that the province could not make schools safe enough in time for a September school start.

Regardless of the decision parents had made, almost all had some concerns about in-person schooling. Many were concerned about exposure to the virus and the implications for their child's health and their family's health, and the health of the broader community. A few also raised the question of how schools would handle normal cold and flu symptoms, given their similarity to COVID-19 symptoms.

When prompted to think of ways to make schools safer, participants generated the following ideas (from most to least mentioned):

Smaller class sizes;
Additional funding for teachers and teaching supplies;
Additional time (some participants advocated for pushing back the start date of school to provide educators with additional time to create safe learning spaces);
Vaccination (it was expressed that this was the only real solution);
Hiring more psychologists to help children deal with pandemic and school-related stresses;
More hand washing stations (in addition to sanitizer); and
Additional education on hygiene and safety protocols.

Additionally, participants were asked to generate ideas about what the Government of Canada, in particular, could do to support a safe and healthy back to school transition. The most common response from participants was the need for financial support for parents. Participants were worried that if their child got sick while at school and brought COVID-19 home, the whole family may be out of work for a period of time, thus leading to financial hardship. Further, some participants noted that increased financial stability would allow parents to make the best choices for their family (between homeschooling/remote learning and in-person schooling) rather than being forced into a choice based on cost and financial viability. Besides funding, participants also expressed a desire to see the Government of Canada support children with disabilities and mandate masks across the country if COVID-19 cases spiked.

Mid-size and small-town Quebec parents were additionally informed about the Government of Canada providing two billion dollars of funding to the provinces and territories to help ensure children can safely go back to school. Parents reacted favourably although many felt the amount was insufficient, once they thought more about distributing the fund between the jurisdictions, and then among all schools within each jurisdiction. Their assumption was that once the funds had been evenly distributed, each school and district would still have to make health and safety sacrifices due to a shortage of funding.

Long-Term Care Homes (Eastern Townships Quebec)

Participants readily recalled news and information about long-term care (LTC) homes. Many commented positively on hearing that these facilities were set to receive more resources from the province and that there had been improvements in communications between head offices and individual care homes. At the same time, they were very aware of the numerous COVID-19 outbreaks occurring in LTC homes and concerned about an overall lack of staffing and resources, which suggested to some that these facilities may not be prepared for a second wave of the pandemic.

Many participants believed that the Government of Canada should be doing more to support LTC homes. Ideas generated by participants included:

Funding to hire more staff (to help improve the residents’ quality of life); and
Getting more involved in regulating and directing provinces on national standards for LTC homes, specifically around acceptable standards of care.

Some were less inclined to support an offer of assistance from federal government pointing to the fact that LTC facilities fall within provincial jurisdiction. They were concerned that doing so might cause some friction with the Quebec government.

Virtually all participants agreed that improving the quality of care in LTC homes was not a question of additional funding. Rather they felt there was a need for more explicit and enforceable standards of care and legislation. Some felt the initiative in this area should come from the federal government, while others were of the view that provincial needs in this area differ and that each province should be addressing this issue unilaterally.

COVID-19 Youth Ad Testing (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents)

Storyboard and Banner Concepts (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults)

A series of concepts developed by the Government of Canada for a possible advertising campaign regarding COVID-19 were shown to participants. Each concept included a banner and a video, in storyboard format. In two of the focus groups that were held in the first week of the month, participants were asked to provide their feedback on three concepts. Based on participants’ input, one of the concepts (Concept 3) was subsequently dropped from further testing. As such, participants in the remaining groups provided feedback on two concepts only (Concept 1, which included an alternate version, and Concept 2).

Each concept was reviewed separately before participants were asked to indicate their preference. The order in which the concepts was shown was rotated across the groups to reduce any overall order bias.

The primary targets for this advertising campaign were youth and young adults. The intention was to raise awareness of how easily the virus can be transmitted, and to encourage young people to both rethink their plans to socialize in large groups and to take the necessary precautions.

¹Storyboards are developed by creative agencies early in the creative process. They are a series of graphical illustrations, or frames, along with a short narrative that give a sense of what the ad might look like in its finished format. In this case, the final product was intended as a 15-second video which would be professionally produced and advertised through social media and digital platforms.

Concept 1

Concept 1 Storyboard

The above storyboard consists of 9 different frames; the first five depict a story and the remaining three consist of text. In the first frame, a young man arrives at a friend’s house. We see that he has colourful glitter on him, especially on his face, but he doesn’t seem to notice. In the next frame, the door opens, and we see that there’s a party going on in the next room (music, lighting, etc.) The young man walks in and waves to a couple of people already inside. The young woman whose house this is shows up in the entrance, and the two hug. In the following frame, the vibe becomes a bit more unsettling. Note that the reference to a change in the vibe was included in the narrative accompanying this frame after this concept had been tested in the first two groups in August. This was done to more clearly emphasize that something had changed. As the young man pulls away from his female friend, we see that he’s left traces of glitter on her shirt and smears of glitter on her cheeks. Again, nobody seems to notice. In the next frame, the friend scratches her face and gets glitter on her fingers. Then we see her fill up a bowl of chips from a bag. In the next frame, she puts a chip in her mouth and licks her glittery fingers. In the final story frame, we see another hand reaching into the glittery bowl of chip, and the following black text appears on the screen, “Is going to a party really worth it?” The next frame is dark grey with white text reading “Putting yourself at risk puts everyone at risk.” This frame is followed by a similar frame that reads, “Help limit the spread of COVID-19.” The final frame is white with the Government of Canada logo in the middle.

General reactions: Many participants reacted positively to this concept and it gained the most traction among participants across all the groups. The use of ‘glitter’ as a metaphor for the virus captured participants’ attention and was an effective technique in showing how easily and pervasively COVID-19 can be transmitted. Participants felt the approach would be effective in directly addressing what they felt was a general belief among the target demographic that their youthfulness shielded them from both spreading and succumbing to the virus. Some participants also commented that they would likely share the ad with others, thus highlighting the effectiveness of the ad.

Key message: Most participants thought the main message from this concept pertained to how readily the virus can be spread. Other key takeaways included reminders to practice social distancing and good hygiene, and to avoid touching one’s face and hands.

Likes/strengths: This concept was appreciated for its originality, honesty, simplicity, factualness and directness, as well as the creativity in the use of the glitter. Using glitter to represent the virus was seen as a highly effective and creative tool. Participants noted that using the glitter in this manner was a good way to visualize the spread of the virus. Moreover, some commented that the sparkle and colours associated with glitter would attract young people’s attention.

Others felt the ad spoke specifically to the issue of how people who are asymptomatic can spread the virus and were pleased that this message was being promoted. In particular, participants commented on the ‘real-life’ situation of a party, noting that they could easily relate to the scenario, especially hugging others, and eating snacks from a common bowl, etc. This further reinforced the message, its relevance, relatability and the overall memorability of the ad.

Dislikes/weaknesses: Some participants were concerned that the use of the glitter technique may be confusing, although they acknowledged that the glitter was readily identifiable as a metaphor for the virus and how easily it can spread. While not a predominant view, some thought that the lighthearted nature of this concept, underpinned by the glitter technique, might detract from its impact with youth.

Others commented that a more impactful message might be one that focuses less on how the virus is spread and more on the long-term health effects for those who become infected. A few thought the ad may not be highly effective primarily because of what they described as the generally lackadaisical attitude of young people toward the virus and their tendency to prioritize socializing with their peers despite the known risks. Still others felt this ad would do little to address the segment of young people who simply do not believe that COVID-19 is a serious threat. In this vein, some participants wondered if the ad should be more aggressive and recommended employing an approach that included ‘scare tactics’ to increase fear of the virus not only not only in terms of the impact on them, but also in terms of how they could be responsible for passing it onto others.

A few participants commented that the central character in the ad should be shown wearing a mask and still spreading the virus. They felt this would be also speak to those who oppose masks as well as those who might feel that the only reason why the contagion is occurring in this scenario is because the protagonist is not wearing a mask.

Perceived target audience: Participants felt that this ad was clearly directed to youth and young adults – specifically those between 15 and 30 years of age who are seen as the group most likely to be socializing and attending parties with their peers. Several participants felt the ad was directed to those at the post-secondary level, specifically first-year university students, whom they saw as a key group frequently engaged in social events, partying and interactions with friends and fellow students.

Some noted that the ad, while targeting younger people, would likely have broader appeal. A few commented that the ad could also be aimed at those in their early 30’s, especially people in the workforce, to remind them about the risks of common business practices such as shaking hands in the current environment. Others commented that the ad may connect with parents who may also be socializing in wider groups, noting that this would be beneficial given they act as role models for their children.

Concept 1 Banner

The figure above consists of three frames, all of the same size, font, and colour theme. The left half of the first and top frame is light grey with black font reading, “Is going to a party really worth it?” The right half of the frame depicts a woman and man embracing in a friendly manner, presumably at a party since the female is holding a drink. The man has colourful glitter around his mouth and on his hands. The left half of the second and middle frame looks identical to the first, but reads, “Putting yourself at risk puts everyone at risk.” The image on the right half of the second frame depicts a hand reaching into a bowl of chips that are covered in glitter. The drink next to the bowl and the people in the image’s background are also covered in glitter, with nobody noticing. Note that this image in the second frame was changed following testing of this banner ad in the first two groups in August. The original frame tested had shown only a woman smiling with glitter on her face and hands. The third and final frame has text reading “Help limit the spread of COVID-19.” on the left half of the image, and the right half has a dark grey button reading “Learn how” in black font with the Government of Canada logo and wordmark in white font against a black background at the bottom of the frame.

On its own, the banner was somewhat confusing for participants. Participants felt that without benefit of having previously viewed the storyboard it lacked sufficient context. Overall, some of the imagery was viewed as not overly-effective in underpinning or reinforcing the message.

A number of participants commented that the banner did not sufficiently underscore how dangerous the virus was or how quickly and easily it can spread. On balance, as noted earlier, most found the video storyboard more useful and impactful. And, participants generally better understood the message being relayed via the banner having been shown and reviewed the scenario described in the storyboard. Some participants felt viewers might be confused by the glitter and specifically what it was intended to represent. Others commented that the main message of the banner appeared to be more about maintaining social distance, rather than how readily the virus can be transmitted from person to person, leading to what is commonly described as a ‘superspreader’ event.

Several participants mentioned that the first panel of the banner did not necessarily look like a party scene, but rather just two friends getting together. Others from the first two groups held in August commented that they found the scene from the storyboard showing someone dipping their hand into a communal bowl of chips very impactful – they viewed this image as being particularly effective enhancing the message around limiting the spread of the virus. Sharing the chips was viewed as a very powerful visual representation for the transmission of the virus. It should be noted that participants in these groups previewed a slightly different version of the banner in which the image shown in the second frame featured the young girl with glitter on her face, her clothing and on the glass which she was holding, similar to the image shown in the third frame of the storyboard. All other aspects of the banner were the same. Following these groups this substitution was made and the version included above was shown to participants in all of the subsequent groups in which this concept testing was undertaken.

A few participants felt that a stronger connection to family, specifically the impact on family members, was needed to assist in personalizing the key message. Some suggested including a more direct call to action focused on helping protect family and friends from COVID-19. This was addressed in later groups with the introduction of the script and storyboard for Concept 1B (shown and explained further below).

Based on early feedback which suggested that the target audience responded positively to messaging underscoring the ease with which the virus could be passed to others, especially to older people and other family members, an alternative concept was developed which picked up on and was a continuation of the storyline presented in Concept 1. The alternative concept described a young man and a friend returning home after an evening out socializing. One group was presented with a script of this scenario only, while the two following groups were shown a storyboard that was developed based on the script and feedback from participants (see below).

Concept 1B Script (Interior B.C. Young Adults)

The following image is a script that would accompany a storyboard. The text on the image reads: “a young man and his friend enter his parents’ house late at night. We see that they both have a colourful glitter on their faces and hands, but neither one seems to notice. We cut to inside and watch them enter the kitchen without turning on a light or washing their hands. The young man goes straight to for the fridge while his friend leans on the counter. He takes out a water jug, pours them two glasses of and sets the jug done. While they sip, a light turns on and illuminates the kitchen. We cut away and see it’s the young man’s mom in a housecoat who switched on the kitchen light. As she walks over, her son smiles and pours her a glass. From here, the vibe becomes a bit more uncomfortable, like something is not quite right. We see the two young people have left traces of glitter everywhere around the kitchen (jug, cupboard, counter). As the mom brings the glass to her face, we see her hands and mouth are now covered with glitter. Nobody seems to notice, but it feels wrong. We end on a close up of the fridge with glitter all over it.”

At the bottom of the script, there are three bolded text options, the first of which reads, “is mixing social bubbles really worth it?” secondly, “Putting yourself at risk puts everyone at risk,” and finally, “Help limit the spread of COVID-19.” Two proposed alternatives are positioned to the right of the previous three text options, the first of which reads, “Is ignoring safety guidelines really worth it?” and secondly, “Is acting like everything’s normal really worth it?”

Concept 1B Banner (Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults)

The above storyboard consists of 10 frames, the first seven depict a story consistent with the previous storyboard script, and the final three frames consist of text. The first frame shows a young man and his friend enter his parents’ house late at night. We see that they both have colourful glitter on their faces and hands, but neither one seems to notice it. In the next frame, we cut inside and watch them enter the kitchen without turning on a light or washing their hands. The young man goes straight for the fridge while his friend leans on the counter. In the next frame, he takes out a water jug, pours them two glasses, and sets the jug down. While they sip a light turns on and illuminates the kitchen. In the following frame, we cut away and see it’s the young man’s mom in a housecoat who switched on the kitchen light. As she walks over, her son smiles and pours her a glass. In the next frame, the vibe becomes a bit more uncomfortable, like something is not quite right. We see the two young people have left traces of glitter everywhere around the kitchen (jug, cupboard, counter). In the next frame, the mom brings the glass to her face, we see her hands and mouth get covered with glitter. Nobody seems to notice, but it feels wrong. In the final frame, we end on a close up of the fridge with glitter all over it. The text “Is mixing social bubbles really worth it?” also appears on the screen. The following frame is dark grey with white text reading “Putting yourself at risk puts everyone at risk.” This frame is followed by a similar frame that reads, “Help limit the spread of COVID-19.” The final frame is white, with the Government of Canada wordmark in the middle.

Reaction to the alternative concept was generally positive. Participants found the scenario of returning home and interacting with a parent both relevant and impactful. They felt it personalized the ad in a way to which they could closely relate and represented an effective and realistic continuation of the storyline presented in Concept 1. In particular, the idea of spreading the virus to a family member made an even stronger impression on participants with respect to the impact of their own behaviours and the seriousness of the issue, relative to spreading it to another friend or acquaintance.

A few participants were confused by the phrase referring to social bubbles (‘Is mixing social bubbles really worth it?’), although most did understand what this meant. At the same time, several felt that clearly underscoring the impact on family members would be more effective (e.g., ‘Is it really worth putting your loved ones at risk?’).

Concept 2

Concept 2 Storyboard (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults)

The above storyboard consists of 10 different frames; the first 8 depict a story, and the remaining two consist of text. In the first frame, a young man walks into a bright living room, texting. The next frame cuts to his phone, and we see him open a text from a friend. It is a video of a house party with the message “You coming to this party?” In the next frame, the young man sits down on his couch, the edges of the screen begin to glitch slightly, and the black text “Miss a party?” appear on the screen. In the following frame, the scene suddenly fully glitches and switches to an alternate reality. On the following frame, we see the same young man now lying down on his couch, but the feeling of the scene is dark and gloomy. His hair is a mess and he looks exhausted, like he’s been sick for weeks. The black text “Or miss a month of work?” also appears on the screen. In the next frame, the young man begins to sit up; the scene’s edges start to glitch slightly again. In the following frame, once he is fully sitting up, the scene switched back to the bright living room we saw in the beginning. The black text “It’s your call.” also appears on the screen. In the final story frame, we cut to his phone. We see him respond to the original text with “No gonna go see my gf” before leaving. The next slight is dark grey with white text reading “Outsmart future outbreaks.” The final frame is white with the Government of Canada wordmark.

Concept 2A Storyboard (Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults)

The story board consists of 10 different frames, the first 8 of which depict a story and the remaining two consist of text. In the first frame, a young man walks into a bright living room, texting. The next frame cuts to his phone, and see him open a text from a friend. IT is a video of a house party with the message “You coming to this party?” In the next frame, the young man sits down on his couch, the edges of the screen begin to glitch slightly and the text “Miss a party?” Appear on screen. In the frame, suddenly the scene fully glitches and switches to an alternate reality, which is much more dark and gloomy. On the following frame, we see the same young man now, but now he has on ventilator on his face and his eyes are closed, like he has been sick for a long time. The text “Or miss a whole month?” also appears on screen. In the next frame, the young man opens his eyes and looks like he’s starting to panic. In the following frame, and just as suddenly as this first time, the scene switches back to the bright, normal reality we saw in the beginning. The black text “It’s your call.” also appear on the screen. In the final frame of the story, we cut to his phone and see him respond to the text with a “no staying in” before leaving. The next slight is dark grey with white text reading “Outsmart future outbreaks.” The final frame is white with the Government of Canada wordmark.

General reactions: Reaction to the second concept was more mixed, taking into account participants' comments across all of the groups. Note that comments on the original version of this concept (Concept 2), which were offered by participants in several of the groups undertaken early in the month, led to some adjustments to the concept as they appeared in the second version (Concept 2A). This feedback is included in the details with respect to dislikes and weaknesses below.

While some participants felt that it was very effective in targeting the youth demographic, others believed that anchoring the concept around a message of missing a month of work was somewhat misdirected if the target was intended to be young people (e.g. those out partying and socializing with their friends regularly). These participants commented that this demographic likely does not prioritize work over socializing and, as a result, the idea of missing a month of work would be neither highly relevant nor impactful. As a few participants commented, many young adults are not engaged in the workforce and do not have bills to pay. As such, missing a month of work would have limited impact on them. Several participants also noted that others who do work could be eligible for paid sick leave. For this reason, they also felt the idea of missing a month of work as a result of catching the virus at a party may not resonate strongly with this age group.

For some participants, the concept was akin to a horror movie trailer or an anti-drinking and driving ad. And, while some found the concept effectively leveraged the element of fear, others stated the opposite – that it was not direct nor aggressive enough. Similarly, while some felt the tone of the ad hit the mark with the youth cohort, others commented that the text messaging as shown in one of the last frames of the storyboard did not accurately reflect the kind of conversation that young people would have with each other. This latter comment was offered by participants representing the target audience of young adults in British Columbia.

Key message: Perceptions as to what the main message of this ad was varied. Many believed the ad was intended as a forceful plea to young people simply to stop partying or avoid going to parties, and to limit the size of social gatherings. At the same time, participants felt it was unrealistic to expect young people to limit or stop any social activity until the pandemic was over. In this regard, they felt the ad was promoting an overly-radical and impractical message.

Others suggested that the primary message was to stay inside, think twice about one’s decisions and avoid large gatherings.

With respect to the tagline, participants offered both positive and negative responses. Many liked the reference to ‘outsmarting’ the virus, finding it to be empowering and memorable. However, others commented that the call to action should be more clearly directed to young people and evoke more of a common effort or resolve (e.g., ‘It’s up to us to outsmart future outbreaks’).

Likes/strengths: This concept had many strengths:

A strong message directed at young people to limit the size of gatherings.
The creative tool employed to shift (‘glitch’) to an alternate reality – A number of participants reacted positively to this, noting that it very clearly demonstrated how outcomes are directly linked back to the decisions one has made. Several also made the point that as the individual ‘glitches’ into an alternate reality, it provides a glimpse into the future, thereby completing the story by plainly showing the consequences of a bad decision.
Some commented that the ad was clear, concise, and to the point – They liked the split reality/transition and indicated there was absolutely no confusion with regards to the message.
The focus on one individual at the center of the story – several participants reacted positively to this more focused approach, which they felt helped to personalize the ad.
Emphasis on risks and consequences – as noted above, participants responded favourably to this approach which directly connected actions with outcomes, both positive and negative.

Dislikes/weaknesses: A number of weaknesses have been noted above, including the concerns raised by participants about the effectiveness of the ad in targeting young people (e.g., the message regarding missing work, and the style of text messaging employed). Although a few participants representing the target audience said the message did resonate with them given they would find it challenging to pay their rent if they missed a month of work, most commented that this message did not apply broadly to young people. Some commented that relative to the possible effects of contracting the virus, missing a month of work would not be nearly as serious. These participants felt the message should more distinctly relate to the possibly devastating health effects of the virus. They thought that the seriousness of the message was diluted in the original version (Concept 2) especially in the frames which showed the young man resting on a couch. Many commented that he did not look particularly ill. In the second version, these frames were replaced with others showing the young man in an alternate reality with a ventilator on his face. This approach seemed to be more effective, although some participants then found this storyline to be overly dire.

However, even with some adjustments in the second version of the ad (Concept 2A), showing the young man on a ventilator, some participants questioned how a person that seriously ill would only be off work for four weeks, as is noted in the caption shown on the fifth frame.

Specific to the texting, some participants commented that it felt fake or forced – essentially inauthentic and unnatural.

A few participants commented that, in attempting to make the ad more relatable to young people, the seriousness of the message and the severity of the situation with respect to COVID-19 was, in their view, underemphasized. A more direct connection to COVID-19 was perceived to be lacking.

Several participants commented that the ad was similar to ones they had seen in campaigns against drunk driving. In doing so, they pointed out that the ad might be less effective in both getting their attention and imparting a strong message in relation to COVID-19, as they would be inclined to mistake it for an ad focusing on the consequences of drugs, alcohol and partying. In this respect, the ad was viewed as somewhat generic.

The tagline – Outsmart future outbreaks – was identified as a weakness by some participants. It did not seem to relate directly to, or reinforce, the storyline. As some mentioned, one person falling ill did not equate, in their view, to a wider outbreak of the virus. Others also felt that the tagline did not flow well from the previous frame showing the young person texting about seeing their girlfriend. The consensus view was that a more appropriate sign-off would encourage the individual to make the right decision (e.g., ‘It’s your call.’) and take responsibility for their actions. Those who did like the tagline, specifically the idea of ‘outsmarting’ the virus, felt it was powerful and had the effect of making them feel superior. Nevertheless, they also commented that it might work better in a different type of ad or a different context and that the storyline of one individual becoming sick did not sufficiently underpin the idea of a widespread eruption of the virus.

What was missing for some participants was the potential impact on other family members. Several participants in Calgary, who were young adults themselves, did comment that the ad had the effect of making them feel somewhat guilty and instilled some degree of fear in them. They were struck by how the virus might impact their own health. Ultimately, however, more participants held the view that a more effective approach would be to show how their actions might affect another family member, particularly an elderly or vulnerable relative. A number of participants made the point that they care less about what happens to them than they do about others in their family circle.

While most reacted positively to the creative technique used in this concept, a few participants found the transition or ‘glitching’ to an alternate reality overly dramatic and perhaps overly assertive or forceful in attempting to get a message across to a younger cohort. Their view was that this approach might result in younger people ignoring the ad.

Perceived target audience: The combination of texting and the invitation to a party contributed to participants’ strong sense that this ad was aimed at young people, including youth and young adults aged between 16 and 30, although most felt it was intended for those at the younger end of this age range. Others commented that the intended audience were partygoers, possibly of any age, but principally younger people.

Concept 2 Banner (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults)

The figure above consists of 4 frames. The first frame is divided into two sections; the left section has a light grey background with black text reading “Miss a party?” and the right half of the image shows a cell phone, playing a video of people at a party with the accompanying text message reading “You coming to this party?”. The second frame is similarly split in half, with the left side depicting a young man lying on the couch, looking very sick. The right half of the frame reads, “Or miss a month of work?” against a similar grey background. The third frame is all grey, and the black text in the middle reads “It’s your call.” The final frame has text reading “Outsmart future outbreaks” on the left half of the image, and the right half has a dark grey button reading “Learn more” in black font with the Government of Canada logo and wordmark in white font against a black background at the bottom of the frame.

Concept 2A Banner (Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults)

The figure above consists of 4 frames. The first frame is divided into two sections; the left section has a light grey background with black text reading “Miss a party?” and the right half of the image shows a cell phone, playing a video of people at a party. The second frame is similarly split in half, with the left side depicting a young man lying in a hospital bed and on a ventilator, looking very sick. The frame’s right half reads, “Or miss a whole month?” against a similar grey background. The third frame is all grey, and the black text in the middle reads, “It’s your call.” The final frame has text reading “Outsmart future outbreaks” on the left half of the image, and the right half has a dark grey button reading “Learn more” in black font with the Government of Canada logo and wordmark in white font against a black background at the bottom of the frame.

Most participants found the banner ad concise and clear. However, the main comment on the banner was that it did not directly reference COVID-19, although some participants did appreciate the focus on stopping the outbreak.

Others questioned the choices offered in the banner – missing a party or missing work – while these presented the situation in a simple, direct manner, participants questioned how effective this approach would be in generating a heightened perception of risk among young people. This was especially the case with some participants who indicated they had attended parties where no one had contracted the virus. As such, they did not believe that there was an unusually high risk of contracting COVID-19 simply from attending a party.

And, while some participants liked and appreciated the gentle reminder about their being responsible for their own decisions, others took this (e.g., ‘it’s your call’) to mean that young people should do whatever they want. In this respect, they viewed the ad as inherently contradictory. These participants suggested that a more appropriate rallying cry would be to ‘make the right choice.’

Concept 3

This concept was presented to two groups among young adults in Eastern Ontario and Quebec only in the early part of the month. Based on their feedback it was excluded from further testing.

Concept 3 Storyboard (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults)

The above storyboard consists of 9 different frames; the first 7 depict a story, and the last two consisting of text. There is also a note that accompanies the entire storyboard reading, “SFX: Hype music plays throughout, creating a dynamic rhythm for the editing (think Nike ads).” The storyboard’s first frame depicts a young woman looking in the mirror with a determined look on her face. The next frame shows the same woman with black text on the screen reading, “Always ready for anything.” In the next frame, the screen suddenly splits into two, and on the right half of the screen half, we see a young man also getting ready and washing his hands. In the next frame, the screen splits again, and on the rightmost frame, we see another young person also getting ready and packing a mask into a backpack. The next frame follows all three characters with quick cuts, seeing them putting on shoes, grabbing keys, grabbing sanitizer, and leaving the house. The following frame continues to follow the three characters, and it feels like they’re getting ready for something epic. The final story frame ends on an outdoor park scene where the three people arrive separately to meet at a park to enjoy an evening together. There is also black text on the screen that reads “Including a night with a few friends.” The next frame is dark grey and has white text reading, “Together we’re unstoppable.” The final frame is white with the Government of Canada word mark in the middle.

General reactions: Participants were generally confused by this concept and reactions were somewhat muted. Specifically, some did not understand the relevance of the scenario – three people getting ready to meet in a park – to the message of being unstoppable together.

They also questioned the motivational aspects of the ad, indicating that it would be unlikely to alter anyone’s current behaviours or patterns or to make a significant difference to effectively addressing the spread of the virus.

Key message: For most, the message was drawn exclusively from the tagline, underscoring the idea of getting through the pandemic by adhering to safety protocols and guidelines around wearing masks and hand hygiene. Others also took away messages related to it being acceptable to get together/socialize with friends, as long as the proper precautions were being taken and to take the proper precautions and think about the consequences before acting.

Like/strengths: Most participants liked the message – ‘together we’re unstoppable.’ They felt it was upbeat and positive in tone. They also liked that the implication of teamwork. It demonstrated solidarity and was generally viewed as optimistic and uplifting.

Additionally, some participants commented that the scenario was realistic in that it showed people heading outside and getting ready to dawn a face mask, very much reflecting their own routine.

Others reacted favourably to the ‘hype music’ which they felt worked nicely and was compatible with the tagline. However, they also commented that the music may not align well with the images.

Dislikes/weaknesses: Several participants reacted negatively to the idea of three people getting together. They described this not only as uninteresting, but also as not the best example of an ‘unstoppable activity.’ Given the tagline, the scenario was somewhat disappointing in this respect and participants described the ad as lacklustre.

Perceived target audience: The audience for this ad was presumed to be quite broad – everyone.

Concept 3 Banner (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults)

The above banner consist of thee frames. The first frame is divided into two sections; the left portion has a light grey background with black text reading “Always ready for anything.” and the right half of the image shows a young woman packing a mask into a bag. The second frame is similarly split in half, with the left side reading “Including a night with a few friends.” The frame’s right half depicts the same woman heading to a park while two other characters are also arriving separately. The final frame has text reading “Together we are unstoppable.” on the left half of the image, and the right half has a dark grey button reading “Learn more” in black text with the Government of Canada logo and wordmark in white font against a black background at the bottom of the frame.

Reaction to the banner was also mixed. Some participants found it simple and relatively easy to understand. In fact, a few commented that they found the idea behind this concept and the overall message worked more effectively as a banner versus in storyboard format.

By contrast, other participants expressed some confusion specifically around who was being referred to in the opening statement – ‘always ready for anything.’ Participants wondered if this was directed at them or someone else, thus questioning the inclusivity of this statement. Others commented that the messaging in the banner was vague, lacked context and presented an obvious contradiction – encouraging people to go out while also working together to stop the spread of the virus.

Video Concepts (Mid-Size and Small Towns Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural and Northern Towns Ontario Parents)

In the latter half of the month, two 15-second videos based on the storyboards created for Concept 1 were shown to participants in two groups. Participants were told that the videos were a work in progress and, as such, there was additional editing, sound and music that would eventually be included. After viewing each, participants were asked to briefly comment on their interpretation of the scenes and, in particular, what the glitter represented to them. The videos were assessed in combination rather than individually.

Video 1

The video begins with a young woman walking into a house and hugging a young man. The young woman has colourful glitter on her face and hands, but neither character seems to notice. As the two pull away, we see that now the young man has the same glitter on his chest and face, but again, nobody notices. We then see the two characters talking, with the young woman touch the arm of the young man, beside a table with a bowl of chips and a few cups, all of which have clear glittery handprints. There are also people in the background, suggesting they are at a party. The young man then reaches for and eats a chip while audio saying, “Is going to a party really worth it?” plays. We then see a close up of the bowl of chips that the young man just ate from, nearly completely covered with glitter. Yellow text and audio then play “Putting yourself at risk puts everyone at risk.” A pink screen with lighter pink font then appears, along with audio, reading “Help limit the spread of COVID-19.” The ad ends with a black screen and the Government of Canada wordmark.

Video 2

The video begins with a young man and woman talking and friendly grabbing hands at a party (there are many people in the background of the scene) in front of a table holding a bowl of chips and a few cups. The young man has a colourful, glittery handprint on his shoulder, the young woman has the same glitter on his chest, and the cups and chips have clear glitter handprints too, but no one seems to notice. The young man eats a chip from the glittery bowl. We then cut to the same young man, now home in his kitchen. He has much more glitter on him than when we last saw him, and it is also all over his kitchen, including the counter, fridge, and cupboards. There is a box of cookies on the counter that he is eating from, also covered in glitter. The young man’s mother walks in, wearing a housecoat. She comes over and eats a cookie from the glitter-covered box. Audio plays, “Is going to a party really worth it?” We then pan to the mother, eating the cookie. She, too, now has glitter around her mouth. We then see her reach for another cookie from the glittery box, next to a milk cup with the same glitter on it. Audio and yellow text on the screen reads, “Putting yourself at risk puts everyone at risk.” A pink screen with lighter pink font then appears, along with audio, reading “Help limit the spread of COVID-19.” The ad ends with a black screen and the Government of Canada wordmark.

Most participants understood that the glitter was intended to represent the spread of the virus, although this stood out more to them in the second video compared to the first. The issue with the first video, among seniors in particular, was that the glitter was not as self-evident. For example, some seniors thought the purple colour intended to represent glitter was simply the colour of the potato chips. As a result, they did not readily make the connection between the glitter with the virus until they saw and heard the reference to COVID-19 in the closing line – ‘Help limit the spread of COVID-19.’

Participants commented that the use of the glitter technique helped to underscore how the virus is spread through respiratory droplets, generated by coughing, sneezing or talking, etc., but also that it may remain on clothes and other objects for a period of time. This was evident by highlighting the glitter being transmitted on clothes and an outline of handprints.

Overall, the glitter technique, representing COVID-19, was fairly self-evident and participants generally supported the approach taken in each of the videos to illustrate how the virus can be readily transmitted and the message that limiting our interactions, especially peer-to-peer interactions among youth and young adults, is an effective way to stop the spread and reduce risks for ourselves and others.

Canada’s Approach (Interior B.C.)

Participants were shown an image highlighting the Government of Canada’s overall approach to addressing COVID-19 and asked to comment on both the title and the information provided.

The top half of the image has a light pink backdrop. At the top of the pink portion of the image, in dark blue font, is text that reads "Living with COVID" in all capital letters. There is also a blue arrow on the left side of the title, point towards it. Under this title, in a slightly smaller dark blue font, is a subtitle reading "From Containment to Restart to Recovery." Below these titles is a white line separating the titles from five smaller text boxes that are all separated by vertical blue lines. From left to right in dark blue font, they, in order from left to right, read, "Canada is better prepared for a durable recovery because of the action we've taken;" "The recovery will be long and uneven, and we can expect some setbacks;" "A strong economy requires healthy Canadians;" "We must stay safe as we reopen businesses and take the next steps towards returning to work and school;" and "A safe restart means more than 'returning to normal', given pre-pandemic systematic challenges." The image's background below these text boxes becomes white, and there are three blue boxes in a horizontal row. In the first box, there is a heart with a heartbeat line enclosed in pink at the box's top. Below this, white text reads "Protecting the Health of Canadians" in all capital letters, and below that text is smaller white text reading "Avoiding and mitigating setbacks and being prepared for a potential resurgence." In the second and middle box, there is a dollar sign enclosed in a circle with two arrows that indicate turning in a circle in pink at the top. Below this symbol, white text reads, "Ensuring a strong and sustained economic restart and recovery" in capital letters. Below, there is smaller white text reading, "Moving from reopening to restarting to eventual prosperity." In the rightmost box, there is a happy face in pink text at the top, and below the happy face, there is white text reading, "Creating a brighter future," again in all capital letters. Below, smaller white text reads, "Taking care of those most affected and ensuring the recovery benefits all Canadians." Underneath these blue boxes, there are nine pieces of blue text, all separated by blue vertical lines. They read, in order from left to right, "Early Warning and Rapid Response Capabilities;" "Strong Infection Prevention and Control;" "Resurgence Planning;" "Safe and Effective Vaccines and Treatments;" "Safe Management of Our Borders;" "A Safe Economic Restart and Recovery;" "Financial Support;" and finally, "Support for the Vulnerable."

Please note: the background colour of the above figure was different during testing.

Participants responded somewhat negatively to the title – ‘Living with COVID.’ Some immediately interpreted this as meaning that the information shown was targeted primarily to those currently afflicted with or recovering from the virus. As a first impression, the title was not perceived as referring to the current era (e.g., the period of time during which Canada is being affected by the virus) or the broader situation being experienced by all Canadians.

Even those who interpreted the title as more broadly encompassing still found it to be somewhat gloomy or defeatist in its tone. Some felt that the title implied a certain degree of resignation (e.g., an outcome whereby Canadians find themselves living with COVID-19 for an extended period of time or possibly on an ongoing basis), while others simply described the title as downbeat and fatalistic. They felt the information contained in the document should be positioned in a more positive light, with more emphasis on Canada’s commitment to overcoming the virus, which they felt would be more friendly and appealing.

Participants generally had less to say about the content of the document and specifically what caught their attention, in either a good or a bad way. Some commented that the information of most interest to them was the series of nine items shown on the last line, specifically the reference to an ‘early warning and rapid response capability.’ They were very curious about these items and found them to be of tangible, practical interest. However, the smaller font size of these items, relative to the other information provided, contributed to it being challenging to notice and to read, especially online. Others commented that, in general, while there appeared to be a lot of information shown, the document ultimately imparted very little of substance and/or was not necessarily highly meaningful for them. Some struggled to understand the purpose of the document and, as a result, had difficulty commenting on the information it contained. Others felt the statements provided did not offer sufficient clarity on what the government was doing in a concrete way.

Detailed Findings – Part II: Other Issues

Government Objective (Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, GMA Immigrants)

When participants were initially asked what an “activist government” meant to them, the vast majority were unclear on the term. After some deliberation, a number of ideas were generated by participants in terms of the types of activities expected of an activist government. Predominant among these was a clear focus on specific activities related to sustainability and social justice, including:

Green initiatives
Equal rights
Protection and promotion of minority communities, specifically the Black Lives Matter movement

Some participants’ comments were more general in nature, indicating that an activist government may be one that focuses on a narrow, specific set of goals. Others thought the opposite – an activist government is one that is more dynamic and engaged in a range of social and economic activities simultaneously. A less common view, but one raised by some participants, is that the term alluded to a government which, on the political spectrum, held and promoted far right extreme views and applied these positions to corresponding policy initiatives.

Participants’ uncertainty regarding what an activist government is or does underpinned mixed responses about whether such a government would be viewed more positively or more negatively. Those who were more positively disposed toward an activist government tended to favour more government involvement in social issues. Conversely, those with more negative opinions expressed concerns that an activist government would be both too invasive and too narrowly-focused.

Participants were equally divided as to whether the Government of Canada could be viewed as an activist government. Some cited initiatives such as implementing the CERB, welcoming Syrian refugees, and climate action incentives as proof points of an activist federal government. These participants commented on the government’s strong focus on social issues and caring for all Canadians. Additionally, it was noted by some that, while they did not always agree with some of the actions the Government of Canada had taken (e.g., the legalization of cannabis) the fact that the government was making changes was enough to be considered activist. Those who held the opposing point of view felt that government could be doing much more to help Canadians who were struggling, financially or in other ways. Some participants were firmly of the view that the issues pertaining to Indigenous peoples and systemic racism had been overlooked. They were also critical of the government in other areas: supporting pipeline development and being too quick to permit air travel when they felt that the pandemic was not yet under control. For these reasons, they did not consider the Government of Canada as an activist government.

Regardless of any initial confusion or differences of opinion about the ‘activist’ record of the Government of Canada, most participants agreed that having a more activist government would be a good thing especially given the current public health crisis. They spoke of the financial assistance from the Government and the need for government to continue to be flexible as the situation evolves. They also mentioned efforts to move the country forward in more environmentally friendly and sustainable ways. They hoped to see the Government build on these actions for the benefit of all Canadians. Those few participants who rejected the idea that a more activist government would be advantageous typically were of the view that federal government was already doing enough, and therefore being more activist was unnecessary.

Youth Employment (Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario)

Participants were presented with a synopsis of the European Union’s ‘Youth Guarantee’ and asked about the application of this approach in a Canadian context.

The European Union has a “Youth Guarantee” that guarantees that young people who are unemployed or done school will be connected with apprenticeships, training programs, or a good quality job within four months. The program provides tax incentives for companies who create jobs for young people, and helps match young people with the right skills to these jobs. Young people in the program have access to advisors, language/skills training, and resume/interview help.

Asked how they would feel about Canada taking a similar approach, most reacted quite positively to the idea. They believed that this could fill a current gap with regards to the difficulty faced by young adults in finding and sustaining a good job, specifically after completing their post-secondary schooling. Some commented that it may incentivize youth to want to attend post-secondary education, given a more firm commitment that they would be able to secure some form of employment afterwards. Overall, the approach was seen to address a need to provide more career opportunities and direction for those within this age range. Even participants who were outside the age range to be able to take advantage of a Youth Guarantee commented on the importance of investing in youth to ensure a prosperous future for the country.

While most felt this was a good idea overall, many did cite various questions or cautions with the approach. By far, concerns around costs, specifically in terms of how the program would be funded, was top-of-mind for many. There were some questions, more generally, about how the program would be set up, how the government could provide a guarantee of hire within four months and who would be eligible to apply. Participants also expressed concerns about the program potentially creating a gap in lower-paid, less desired, or unskilled labour jobs for which the youth demographic is an integral component of the workforce.

Nevertheless, participants felt that the program would have a positive impact. From a broader, national perspective, participants discussed the benefits it could have on the Canadian economy. They discussed the value of having more people employed, contributing to a lower unemployment rate and fewer Canadians on EI. On a personal level, younger participants saw opportunities for themselves and their peers to be able to take advantage of this program to further their training opportunities and, ultimately, employment. And, while less frequently cited, a few participants did also suggest the benefits to companies and organizations as well.

Carbon Pricing (U.S. Border Towns Ontario, GMA Immigrants, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors)

In two of the three groups – Ontario and the GMA – participants had been hearing about climate change and were aware of links between the pandemic and reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generally resulting from a lower volume of traffic on the roads and in the air. When asked if they had heard anything related to the Government of Canada and climate change, comments from participants on the Prairies focused more specifically on the carbon tax and its effect on increasing gas prices, although few of the participants knew very much about the particulars of the policy.

Participants were then given more information about the Government of Canada’s plans, specifically including the Climate Action Incentive:

In 2016 the Government of Canada announced a plan to ensure a price on carbon pollution across the country, giving each province and territory the flexibility to develop a system that works for their circumstances, provided it meets the federal standard. In the five provinces that currently do not meet this standard – Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Alberta – the federal pricing system is in place.

All proceeds collected from the federal system in Ontario stay in Ontario – 90% is returned directly to residents in the form of an incentive payment. Individuals can claim these amounts through their personal income tax returns, with a typical household receiving about $448 this year. 10% will go to small businesses, hospitals and schools.

While participants acknowledged knowing little about the specifics of the government’s plan, overall, there was support for the use of economic instruments, like carbon pricing, as an element of a climate change plan. A focus on industry was seen as important, as was awareness-raising. However, when additional information (as below) was shared with participants to inform them about scheduled increases over the next few years in the price per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions, support weakened. Participants were mostly concerned about the impact on fuel taxes. And, participants from the Prairies expressed additional concerns as it was their sense that Prairie farms were already contributing to lowering GHG emissions, acting as carbon sinks.

Under the federal system the fuel charge rate started last year at $20 per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions and will be $30 per tonne starting in April. For gasoline purchases, $30 per tonne represents 6.6 cents a litre. However, the rate is scheduled to increase each year, reaching $50 per tonne, which represents about 11 cents per litre in 2022 and the incentive payments will also increase accordingly.

Participants were asked if it was possible to both reduce carbon emissions and take concrete steps towards recovery and growth of the economy, in light of COVID-19. In response, participants generally agreed that economic growth should be the singular focus and that the economy should be prioritized over other issues. There was very real concern among some participants about the prospects for recovery given the shuttering of many businesses and cumulative public debt in efforts to sustain the economy through the pandemic. At the same time, participants commented that the pandemic had revealed opportunities to reduce transit, which they saw as a primary contributor to global warming.

Immigration (Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants, Interior B.C.)

Participants who identified as immigrants or newcomers to Canada as well as those representing a cross-section of the general population, discussed the intersections of immigration, the Canadian economy, and COVID-19.

In light of the current economic climate, most participants felt that immigration should be put on hold for the time being, citing that it would be unfair to bring new immigrants to Canada due to the perceived difficulties in finding work during an economic downturn. At the same time, most were supportive of immigration under ‘normal’ circumstances noting the concomitant long-run economic benefits for Canada.

Most viewed immigration as a positive and productive way to better Canada, citing immigrants’ valuable skillsets, specifically in the healthcare sphere. In addition, some participants expressed the view that Canada has been overly-reliant on trade with the United States and that immigration could help to open new trade relationships with other countries, thereby diversifying the Canadian supply chain. Conversely, some participants expressed concern that if immigrants settle in major urban areas, they could drive up what are already viewed as exorbitant housing prices in some markets, making the cost of living unaffordable for other Canadians.

The proposed number of about 350,000 new immigrants being welcomed to Canada this year received mixed reviews from participants. Those who felt this number was too high claimed that immigrants would not have the same opportunities as they would in a non-pandemic year. They thought it was unfair to admit immigrants in the current economic climate when there are likely to be fewer meaningful employment opportunities. These same participants had no issue with approving this level in the next two to three years, once the economy recovers. The remainder of participants were split between those who felt the volume was acceptable and those who felt it might in fact be too low. Those holding the latter point of view claimed that Canada's geographical size provided room to accept a higher number and that bringing in more immigrants could help restart the economy. At the same time, participants expressed a strong desire for immigrants to settle in less populated areas of Canada to avoid overcrowding major urban centers, driving up rent and infrastructure costs.

Some participants opposed a proposal to double the number of economic immigrants accepted into the country this year believing that any immigration, regardless of the skill or economic status of those who have applied, should be postponed due to the lack of work and opportunities at this time. Others, however, were more supportive. They expressed a desire to allow more working immigrants into Canada as a means of boosting economic activity and creating more opportunities for Canadians as a whole. However, they did note that the federal government should ensure that these immigrants' skills could be immediately employable, rather than having to obtain any Canadian certifications as a requirement for entry into some fields.

Keeping Immigrants and Canadians Safe

Participants listed many health and safety protocols they believed new immigrants should adhere to in order to keep themselves and other safe, as well as the Canadian communities in which they settle. These included:

A mandatory 14-day quarantine after arriving in Canada;
Government regulated or government-issued economic support for housing costs to maintain a strict 14-day quarantine;
Screening and testing for COVID-19 prior to departure in place of, or in addition to, testing on arrival;
Government regulated screening to ensure that immigrants have enough money to support a transition to Canada; and
Prior access to health insurance.

Participants who themselves identified as immigrants expressed that they had always felt safe during their transition to Canada. They were of the view that government had done a good job of keeping everyone safe and felt that so long as COVID tests and strict quarantine measures were adhered to, everyone could enjoy a healthy and safe transition. Other participants tended to be more vocal in calling for additional measures to facilitate the transition to Canada in a way that would secure the safety of immigrants while also reducing the possible financial burden for Canadians, including implementing income and housing requirements. A small proportion of participants felt that the only way to keep Canadians and immigrants safe was to halt immigration altogether. These participants felt there was no safe way to contain the COVID-19 spread if Canadian borders were open to immigration at this time.

Views on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Most participants were aware of temporary foreign workers and understood this to be a designated group permitted entry into Canada to work on a temporary basis, often seasonally. Many referred to the heavy reliance on temporary foreign workers in the agricultural sector.

A majority of participants expressed support for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, noting their belief that the program helped fill job vacancies, with some participants going as far as to describe the program as necessary for many industries. Some had reservations about the program, mostly related to the potential for some companies to exploit workers or to use the Program as a way to skirt labour laws by hiring workers at lower wages than they would be required to pay Canadians for the same work.

Despite these concerns, a vast majority of participants responded positively to the idea of creating a path for temporary foreign workers to become permanent residents of Canada. In their view, participants thought that the work done as part of the program should count as Canadian experience, implying that these workers would be at least somewhat, if not entirely, integrated into Canadian society. They further perceived that these workers might then be better prepared to begin working immediately upon settling permanently in Canada (compared to those who had never been to Canada before) therefore making them more productive economic contributors. For those few participants who felt differently, the main concern pertained to a scenario by which a temporary worker may be unable to find full-time, year-round employment. Their view was that, in this case, a more financially stable economic immigrant would have better chances in terms of their economic and financial security and, as such, would be less of a burden on Canadian society.

Views on International Students

All participants generally approved of international students returning to Canada to attend school during the pandemic. Participants noted that so long as universities were open and students adhered to proper quarantine procedures upon arrival into Canada, there should be no issues with students returning. Some participants even actively promoted students returning to Canada believing they would help boost the economy by spending money and attaining the skills needed to potentially enter the Canadian workforce upon graduation.

A few participants had a different perspective on this issue, expressing concerns about any government support offered to international students while they are in Canada. For these participants, the predominant focus was on supporting Canadians and they felt strongly that international students coming to Canada should have the resources to support themselves.

Views on Refugees

In two of the three groups where this topic was discussed, participants were supportive of ensuring that Canada remains committed to providing assistance to refugees, allowing them to come into Canada as long as they abide by proper testing and quarantine procedures. They saw Canada as a large, developed nation and, as such, one which has an obligation to help others who are fleeing much worse circumstances. Some participants noted that conditions in the United States in regards to COVID-19 meant that Canada would need to take on more responsibility in this area this fall. Most did, however, emphasize the need to implement strict health and safety measures, such as running proper background checks, testing for COVID-19, and quarantining. Others mentioned ensuring that criminal record checks were undertaken as well.

In the focus group which was undertaken with immigrants residing in Ontario there was considerably less support for allowing refugees into the country this fall. There were concerns expressed both for the refugees, who would be arriving here at a time of considerable economic upheaval and reduced employment opportunities, as well as for those already living here and who are experiencing financial hardship and job loss as a result of the pandemic. These participants felt that it would be important to focus on improving conditions in Canada before taking in refugees.

Messages on Immigration

Participants were shown the following series of messages related to immigration and were asked to select up to two that, in their view, were the strongest reasons for bringing immigrants to Canada.

Canada has a history of immigration, and it is because of immigration that Canada is such a successful country today.
Immigrants can be key to our economic recovery, as they are more likely to start businesses and create jobs.
Immigrants contribute a lot to Canada, for example one-in-four healthcare workers in Canada are immigrants.
Immigration will help Canada overcome many of the demographic challenges it faces due to an aging population.
There are strict health protocols in place, including testing and mandatory two week quarantine for any immigrants who come to Canada.

While participants noted positive aspects of all five statements, the first statement, emphasizing Canada’s history of immigration, was by far the strongest. Many participants agreed that immigrants have contributed to building Canada and, as such, it was both credible and a good reminder to all Canadians that immigrants are a net benefit to Canada’s economy.

The statements which centered on the benefits of immigration with respect to addressing Canada’s demographic challenges, economic recovery, and supplying a significant proportion of Canada’s healthcare workforce also resonated strongly with participants. Many commented on the potential of immigrants to contribute to Canadian society and to economic growth as skilled workers, as family members and as integral members of their communities. While the last statement regarding strict health protocols stimulated the least discussion, participants noted their desire to integrate immigrants safely during the pandemic and, in that respect, the statement was at least somewhat comforting.

While most participants said they were already familiar with most of the points being made within each statement about the role and contribution of immigrations, many were surprised to discover that immigrants comprise one-quarter of healthcare professionals in Canada. This statistic not only underscored the very important contribution of immigrants in a field which participants viewed as vital, but also the shortages of personnel within the healthcare system that participants feel need to be addressed.

Contract Policing (Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors)

Participants were asked about their level of familiarity with the term ‘contract policing’ in relation to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Most participants were unfamiliar with the term, although a few guessed that it had to do with the RCMP providing police services to small towns. The few participants who were familiar with the term described it as a contract between municipalities and the RCMP. Those familiar with the term expressed an initial approval of the program, claiming they thought it worked well.

Once participants received more clarification on what contract policing entailed, they were asked whether they viewed it positively or negatively.

As the largest police force in Canada, the RCMP's responsibilities include investigating organized crime, cybercrime, and terrorism, among many other duties. Mounties are also assigned to contract policing, where they act as local police services for many municipalities and First Nations communities. This occurs in 150 municipalities across Canada, but not in Ontario and Quebec. The cost-sharing program means that provinces and territories pay 70% of the cost of the RCMP's operations in their jurisdictions, with the federal government contributing the remaining 30%.

On balance, most viewed contracting policing positively for a number of reasons. Some viewed the RCMP as a ‘free’ resource which smaller communities could utilize. They felt it made sense for these communities to take advantage of RCMP capacity. There was also a belief among others that all communities deserve excellent police services, to ensure the safety of Canadians, regardless of their ability to pay. Some, however, expressed concerns that an ‘outside’ police force may be less familiar with local issues. They commented that community-based policing is more integrated and more familiar with the dynamics of a community, which they felt was especially important at a time when certain divisions, disparities and inequities are coming to light (e.g., the Black Lives Matter protests). These participants worried that contracting an outside police service could possibly lead to further conflict and altercations.

Opioids (Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C.)

Towards the end of the month, participants in B.C. were asked to discuss their thoughts regarding the extent of the opioid crisis, what may be causing it, and what steps could be taken by the federal government to address the issue.

Virtually all of participants agreed that Canada was in the midst of an opioid crisis and that the situation was getting worse. Many mentioned the rise in media coverage on this issue and statistics regarding the number of opioid-related deaths which led them to believe the situation was deteriorating. When asked who or what is responsible for the crisis, participants generated a list that included:

The widespread availability of drugs;
High levels of stress;
Mental illness (with little to no available support);
Drug users themselves;
Poverty;
Access to more powerful and addictive drugs (specifically fentanyl); and
Corruption/illegal smuggling of drugs into Canada.

Participants then generated possible solutions that the Government could take to combat the crisis, including:

Introducing alternatives to pain relief medication in hospitals to prevent individuals from getting addicted on an opioid;
Longer rehab stays to ensure individuals are truly clean when they re-enter society;
Investing in more mental health resources (such as education and social workers) to help struggling addicts address the root cause of their addiction; and
Decriminalizing drugs.

When participants were probed further about the possibility of decriminalization, some favoured this approach while others opposed it. Participants who expressed support for decriminalizing opioids felt that historical attempts at prohibition had failed, and therefore a new approach was needed to deal with what are currently illegal substances. They also thought that decriminalization would help to reduce the stigma that persists around mental health, addiction, and substance use. Those who were less supportive of decriminalization worried that moving in this direction would increase the supply of opioids and very likely further exacerbate the issue.

Other Federal Government News and Issues (Eastern Ontario Young Adults)

Very little news on other issues surfaced when participants were asked about anything else they had heard from or about the Government of Canada unrelated to COVID-19. They referred briefly to the WE Charity and the Black Lives Matter movement, having heard about these primarily via social media. On the latter issue, participants were looking to the Government of Canada for a response.

Appendix A – Recruiting Scripts

English Recruiting Script

Privy Council Office

Recruiting Script – August 2020

English Groups (August 4-25)

Recruitment Specifications Summary

Groups conducted online
Each group is expected to last for two hours
Recruit 8 participants for 6-8 to show
Incentives will be $90 per person and will be sent to participants via e-transfer following the group

Specifications for the focus groups are as follows:

GROUP	DATE	TIME (EST)	TIME (LOCAL)	LOCATION	COMPOSITION	MODERATOR
1	Aug. 4	6:00-8:00	6:00-8:00 EST	Ontario – Eastern Region, including Ottawa and suburbs, Kingston, Cornwall	Young Adults, 18-24	TBW
2	Aug. 5	6:00-8:00	6:00-8:00 EST	Ontario – Golden Horseshoe	Immigrants – lived in Canada <10 years	DN
4	Aug. 10	8:00-10:00	5:00-7:00 PDT	Interior B.C.	Young Adults, 18-24	TBW
6	Aug. 11	7:00-9:00	5:00-7:00 MDT	Calgary	Young Adults, 18-24	TBW
14	Aug. 11	8:00-10:00	5:00-7:00 PDT	B.C.	Young Adults, 18-24	TBW
5	Aug. 12	5:30-7:30	5:30-7:30 EST	Ontario – Border Towns with U.S., including Sault St. Marie, Fort Frances, Kingston-Brockville, Fort Erie, Sarnia, Windsor	General population	DN
7	Aug. 17	6:30-8:30	5:30-7:30 CDT 4:30-6:30 CST	Prairies – Small and Mid-sized centres	Seniors, aged 55+	TBW
10	Aug. 18	5:30-7:30	5:30-7:30 EST	Ontario – Small Towns, Rural, and Northern	Parents of school-age children, JK/K to Gr. 6	DN
11	Aug. 24	8:00-10:00	5:00-7:00 PDT	Vancouver	Parents of school-age children, JK/K to Gr. 6	TBW
8	Aug. 25	8:00-10:00	5:00-7:00 PDT	Interior B.C.	General population	DN

Recruiting Script

INTRODUCTION

Hello, my name is [RECRUITER NAME]. I'm calling from The Strategic Counsel, a national public opinion research firm, on behalf of the Government of Canada/Bonjour, je m’appelle [NOM DU RECRUTEUR]. Je vous téléphone du Strategic Counsel, une entreprise nationale de recherche sur l’opinion publique, pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada.

Would you prefer to continue in English or French?/Préfériez-vous continuer en français ou en anglais? [CONTINUE IN LANGUAGE OF PREFERENCE]

RECORD LANGUAGE

EnglishCONTINUE

FrenchTHANK AND END

On behalf of the Government of Canada, we’re organizing a series of online video focus group discussions to explore current issues of interest to Canadians.

The format is a “round table” discussion, led by an experienced moderator. Participants will be given a cash honorarium in appreciation of their time.

Your participation is completely voluntary and all your answers will be kept confidential. We are only interested in hearing your opinions - no attempt will be made to sell or market you anything. The report that is produced from the series of discussion groups we are holding will not contain comments that are attributed to specific individuals.

But before we invite you to attend, we need to ask you a few questions to ensure that we get a good mix/variety of people in each of the groups. May I ask you a few questions?

YesCONTINUE

NoTHANK AND END

SCREENING QUESTIONS

1. Have you, or has anyone in your household, worked for any of the following types of organizations in the last 5 years?

A market research firm

THANK AND END

A marketing, branding or advertising agency

THANK AND END

A magazine or newspaper

THANK AND END

A federal/provincial/territorial government department or agency

THANK AND END

A political party

THANK AND END

In public/media relations

THANK AND END

In radio/television

THANK AND END

No, none of the above

CONTINUE

1a. IN ALL LOCATIONS: Are you a retired Government of Canada employee?

YesTHANK AND END

NoCONTINUE

2. In which city do you reside?

LOCATION	CITIES
Ontario – Eastern Region	East and southeast of Ottawa Ottawa and suburbs, Kingston, Cornwall Includes counties of Prescott, Russell, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Lanark, Renfrew, Leeds and Grenville, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, Hastings, Prince Edward ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION.	CONTINUE - GROUP 1
Ontario – Golden Horseshoe	Toronto, Hamilton, St. Catherine’s-Niagara, Oshawa, Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo, Barrie, Guelph, Brantford, Peterborough ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION.	CONTINUE - GROUP 2
Interior B.C.	Kamloops, Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton, Peachland Nelson, Cranbrook, Golden, Revelstoke, Prince George, Williams Lake, Fort St. JohnENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 4
Calgary	Calgary PARTICIPANTS SHOULD RESIDE IN THE ABOVE-NOTED CENTERS PROPER.	CONTINUE GROUP 6
B.C.	ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 14
Ontario – Border Towns with U.S.	Sault Ste. Marie, Fort Frances, Kingston-Brockville, Fort Erie, Sarnia, Windsor ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION.	CONTINUE - GROUP 5
Prairies – Small and Mid-sized centres	<100K in population, not immediately adjacent to a major center (Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon) Manitoba: Brandon, Steinbach, Portage La Prairie, Winkler, Selkirk, Morden, Dauphin, Gimli Saskatchewan: Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Yorkton, North Battleford, La Ronge, Humboldt, Meadow Lake ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION INCLUDING THOSE RESIDING IN SMALLER AND MID-SIZED COMMUNITIES. ALSO ENSURE A MIX ACROSS BOTH PROVINCES (I.E. 4 FROM EACH PROVINCE)	CONTINUE - GROUP 7
Ontario – Small Towns, Rural, and Northern	<50K in population Not immediately adjacent to a major center ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. ENSURE RURAL REPRESENTATION AND AT LEAST 3 PARTICIPANTS FROM NORTHERN ONTARIO.	CONTINUE - GROUP 10
Vancouver	Vancouver, West Vancouver. Richmond, Burnaby, New Westminster only PARTICIPANTS SHOULD RESIDE IN THE ABOVE-NOTED CENTERS PROPER.	CONTINUE - GROUP 11
Interior B.C.	Kamloops, Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton, Peachland Nelson, Cranbrook, Golden, Revelstoke, Prince George, Williams Lake, Fort St. John ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.	CONTINUE - GROUP 8
Other	-	THANK AND END
VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer	-	THANK AND END

2a. How long have you lived in [INSERT CITY]?

Less than two years	THANK AND END
Two years or more	CONTINUE
Don’t know/Prefer not to answer	THANK AND END

ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY NUMBER OF YEARS IN CITY. NO MORE THAN 2 PER GROUP UNDER 5 YEARS.

3. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 2 How many years have you lived in Canada?

5 to <10 years	CONTINUE – GROUP 2
Less than 5 years	CONTINUE – GROUP 2
10 to <20 years	THANK AND END
20 to <30 years
30 or more years
Don’t know/Prefer not to answer

ENSURE MIX OF THOSE <5 YEARS AND 5 TO <10 YEARS.

3a. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 2 Thinking about your ethnic and cultural heritage, do you identify as …? Check as many as apply.

Eastern European (Poland, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, etc.)	CONTINUE ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY ETHNICITY.
Western European (UK, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, etc.)	CONTINUE ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY ETHNICITY.
African	THANK AND END
Middle Eastern (Israel, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, etc.)
South Asian (India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, etc.)
Southeast Asian (Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, etc.)
East Asian (China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc.)
South/Central/Latin American
West Indian (Caribbean)
Other, please specify: _________________________
Prefer not to answer

4. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 10 OR 11 Do you have any children in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6?

YesCONTINUE

NoTHANK AND END

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND TERMINATE

4a. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 10 OR 11 Could you please tell me which grade these child/these children are in?

Child	Grade
1
2
3
4
5

ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY GRADE AND NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN EACH GROUP.

5. Would you be willing to tell me in which of the following age categories you belong?

35-44
Under 18 years of age	IF POSSIBLE, ASK FOR SOMEONE OVER 18 AND REINTRODUCE. OTHERWISE THANK AND END.
18-24	IF ONTARIO EASTERN REGION = GROUP 1 IF INTERIOR B.C.= GROUP 4 (OR CONTINUE FOR GROUP 8) IF CALGARY = GROUP 6 IF B.C. = GROUP 14 ALL OTHER LOCATIONS, CONTINUE
25-34	IF ONTARIO EASTERN REGION, CALGARY, PRAIRIES, B.C.= THANK AND END ALL OTHER LOCATIONS, CONTINUE
45-54
55+	IF PRAIRIES = GROUP 7 ALL OTHER LOCATIONS, CONTINUE
VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer	THANK AND END

ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF AGES WITHIN EACH GROUP. PARENTS IN GROUP 10/11 WILL SKEW YOUNGER.

6. [DO NOT ASK] Gender RECORD BY OBSERVATION.

Male

Female

ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY GENDER IN EACH GROUP.

7. Are you familiar with the concept of a focus group?

YesCONTINUE

NoEXPLAIN THE FOLLOWING “a focus group consists of six to eight participants and one moderator. During a two-hour session, participants are asked to discuss a wide range of issues related to the topic being examined.”

8. As part of the focus group, you will be asked to actively participate in a conversation. How comfortable are you in expressing your views in public?

Very comfortable CONTINUE

Somewhat comfortableCONTINUE

Somewhat uncomfortable THANK AND END

Very uncomfortableTHANK AND END

9. As this group is being conducted online, in order to participate you will need to have high-speed Internet and a computer with a working webcam, microphone and speaker. RECRUITER TO CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING. TERMINATE IF NO TO ANY.

Participant has high-speed access to the Internet

Participant has a computer/webcam

10. Have you used online meeting software, such as Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts/Meet, etc., in the last two years?

YesCONTINUE

No CONTINUE

11. How comfortable are you with using these types of online meeting platforms, on your own?

Very comfortable CONTINUE

Somewhat comfortable CONTINUE

Somewhat uncomfortableTHANK AND END

Very uncomfortableTHANK AND END

12. During the discussion, you could be asked to read or view materials on screen and/or participate in poll-type exercises online. You will also be asked to actively participate online using a webcam. Can you think of any reason why you may have difficulty reading the materials or participating by video?
TERMINATE IF RESPONDENT OFFERS ANY REASON SUCH AS SIGHT OR HEARING PROBLEM, A WRITTEN OR VERBAL LANGUAGE PROBLEM, A CONCERN WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, ANY CONCERNS WITH USING A WEBCAM OR IF YOU AS THE INTERVIEWER HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE PARTICIPANT’S ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE EFFECTIVELY.

13. Have you ever attended a focus group discussion, an interview or survey which was arranged in advance and for which you received a sum of money?

YesCONTINUE

No SKIP TO Q.17

14. How long ago was the last focus group you attended?

Less than 6 months ago THANK AND END

More than 6 months ago CONTINUE

15. How many focus group discussions have you attended in the past 5 years?

0-4 groups CONTINUE

5 or more groups THANK AND END

16. And on what topics were they?
TERMINATE IF ANY ON SIMILAR/SAME TOPIC

ADDITIONAL RECRUITING CRITERIA

Now we have just a few final questions before we give you the details of the focus group, including the time and date.

17. What is the highest level of formal education that you have completed?

Grade 8 or less

Some high school

High school diploma or equivalent

Registered Apprenticeship or other trades certificate or diploma

College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma

University certificate or diploma below bachelor's level

Bachelor's degree

Post graduate degree above bachelor's level

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer

ENSURE A GOOD MIX.

18. Which of the following categories best describes your total household income in 2019? That is, the total income of all persons in your household combined, before taxes?

Under $20,000

$20,000 to just under $40,000

$40,000 to just under $60,000

$60,000 to just under $80,000

$80,000 to just under $100,000

$100,000 to just under $150,000

$150,000 and above

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer

ENSURE A GOOD MIX.

19. The focus group discussion will be audio-taped and video-taped for research purposes only. The taping is conducted to assist our researchers in writing their report. Do you consent to being audio-taped and video-taped?

Yes

NoTHANK AND END

INVITATION

I would like to invite you to this online focus group discussion, which will take place the evening of [INSERT DATE/TIME BASED ON GROUP # IN CHART ON PAGE 1]. The group will be two hours in length and you will receive $90 for your participation following the group via an e-transfer.

Please note that there may be observers from the Government of Canada at the group and that the discussion will be videotaped. By agreeing to participate, you have given your consent to these procedures.

Would you be willing to attend?

YesCONTINUE

NoTHANK AND END

May I please have your full name, a telephone number that is best to reach you at as well as your e-mail address if you have one so that I can send you the details for the group?

Name:

Telephone Number:

E-mail Address:

You will receive an e-mail from The Strategic Counsel with the instructions to login to the online group. Should you have any issues logging into the system specifically, you can contact our technical support team at support@thestrategiccounsel.com.

We ask that you are online at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the session in order to ensure you are set up and to allow our support team to assist you in case you run into any technical issues.

You may be required to view some material during the course of the discussion. If you require glasses to do so, please be sure to have them handy at the time of the group. Also, you will need pen and paper in order to take some notes throughout the group.

This is a firm commitment. If you anticipate anything preventing you from attending (either home or work-related), please let me know now and we will keep your name for a future study. If for any reason you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible at [1-800-xxx-xxxx] so we can find a replacement.

Thank you very much for your time.

RECRUITED BY: ____________________

DATE RECRUITED: ____________________

French Recruiting Script

Bureau du Conseil privé

Questionnaire de recrutement — août 2020

Groupes en français (6-27 août)

Résumé des consignes de recrutement

Groupes tenus en ligne.
Durée prévue de chaque rencontre : deux heures.
Recrutement de huit participants pour assurer la présence d’au moins six à huit personnes.
Incitatifs de 90 $ par personne, versés aux participants par transfert électronique après la rencontre.

Caractéristiques des groupes de discussion :

GROUPE	DATE	HEURE (DE L’EST)	LIEU	COMPOSITION DU GROUPE	MODÉRATEUR
3	6 août	18 h-20 h	Québec (Gatineau, Lévis, Saguenay, Trois Rivières, Terrebonne)	Les jeunes adultes (18-24 ans)	M. Proulx
13	13 août	18 h-20 h	Région métropolitaine de Montréal	Immigrants vivant au Canada depuis moins de 10 ans	M. Proulx
9	19 août	18 h-20 h	Cantons de l’Est (Québec)	Population générale	M. Proulx
12	27 août	17 h 30-19 h 30	Villes de taille moyenne et petites villes du Québec	Parents ayant des enfants d’âge scolaire (secondaire 1 à 5)	M. Proulx

Questionnaire de recrutement

INTRODUCTION

Hello, my name is [RECRUITER NAME]. I’m calling from The Strategic Counsel, a national public opinion research firm, on behalf of the Government of Canada/Bonjour, je m’appelle [NOM DU RECRUTEUR]. Je vous téléphone du Strategic Counsel, une entreprise nationale de recherche sur l’opinion publique, pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada.

Would you prefer to continue in English or French?/Préféreriez-vous continuer en français ou en anglais?
[CONTINUER DANS LA LANGUE PRÉFÉRÉE]

NOTER LA LANGUE ET CONTINUER

AnglaisREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

FrançaisCONTINUER

Nous organisons, pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada, une série de groupes de discussion vidéo en ligne afin d’explorer des questions d’actualité qui intéressent les Canadiens.

La rencontre prendra la forme d’une table ronde animée par un modérateur expérimenté. Les participants recevront un montant d’argent en remerciement de leur temps.

Votre participation est entièrement volontaire et toutes vos réponses seront confidentielles. Nous aimerions simplement connaître vos opinions : personne n’essaiera de vous vendre quoi que ce soit ou de promouvoir des produits. Notre rapport sur cette série de groupes de discussion n’attribuera aucun commentaire à une personne en particulier.

Avant de vous inviter à participer, je dois vous poser quelques questions qui nous permettront de former des groupes suffisamment diversifiés. Puis-je vous poser quelques questions?

OuiCONTINUER

NonREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

QUESTIONS DE SÉLECTION

1. Est-ce que vous ou une personne de votre ménage avez travaillé pour l’un des types d’organisations suivants au cours des cinq dernières années?

Une société d’études de marché REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Une agence de commercialisation, de marque ou de publicité REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Un magazine ou un journal REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Un ministère ou un organisme gouvernemental fédéral, provincial ou territorial REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Un parti politique REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Dans les relations publiques ou les relations avec les médias REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Dans le milieu de la radio ou de la télévision REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Non, aucune de ces réponses CONTINUER

1a. POUR TOUS LES LIEUX : Êtes-vous un ou une employé(e) retraité(e) du gouvernement du Canada ?

OuiREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

NonCONTINUER

2. Quelle langue parlez-vous le plus souvent à la maison ?

AnglaisREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Français CONTINUER

Autre [Préciser ou non la langue, selon les besoins de l'étude]REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Préfère ne pas répondre REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

3. Dans quelle ville habitez-vous ?

LIEU	VILLES
Québec	Gatineau, Lévis, Saguenay, Trois Rivières, Terrebonne	CONTINUER - GROUPE 3
Région métropolitaine de Montréal	Montréal, Laval, Longueuil, Terrebonne, Brossard, Repentigny, Saint-Jérôme, Blainville, Mirabel, Dollard-des-Ormeaux ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES VILLES DANS CHAQUE LIEU. MAXIMUM DE DEUX PARTICIPANTS DE MONTRÉAL.	CONTINUER - GROUPE 13
Cantons de l’Est (Québec)	Sherbrooke, Granby, Magog, Cowansville, Drummondville, Victoriaville, Thetford Mines, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Lac-Mégantic ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES VILLES DANS CHAQUE LIEU. MAXIMUM DE D’UN PARTICIPANT DE DRUMMONDVILLE, VICTORIAVILLE, SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHILIEU.	CONTINUER- GROUPE 9
Villes de taille moyenne et petites villes du Québec	Villes de taille moyenne : 100 000 à 300 000 habitants Petites villes : 25 000 à 100 000 habitants	CONTINUER – GROUPE 12
	Comme les régions métropolitaines de recensement de Montréal ou de Québec ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES VILLES DANS CHAQUE LIEU.
Autre lieu	-	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE
RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE Préfère ne pas répondre	-	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

3a. Depuis combien de temps habitez-vous à [INSÉRER LE NOM DE LA VILLE]?

Moins de deux ans	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE
Deux ans ou plus	CONTINUER
Ne sais pas/Préfère ne pas répondre	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION EN FONCTION DU NOMBRE D’ANNÉES DE RÉSIDENCE DANS LA VILLE. PAS PLUS DE DEUX PAR GROUPE DOIVENT Y VIVRE DEPUIS MOINS DE 5 ANS.

4. DEMANDER SEULEMENT POUR LE GROUPE 13 Depuis combien d’années habitez-vous au Canada?

5 ans à moins de 10 ans	AFFECTER AU GROUPE 13
Moins de 5ans	AFFECTER AU GROUPE 13
10 ans à moins de 20 ans	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE
20 ans à moins de 30 ans
30 ans ou plus
Ne sais pas/Préfère ne pas répondre

ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES « MOINS DE 5 ANS » ET DES « 5 ANS À MOINS DE 10 ANS ».

5. En ce qui concerne votre patrimoine ethnique et culturel, vous définissez-vous comme …? Choisissez toutes les réponses pertinentes.

Européen, Européenne de l’Est (Pologne, Hongrie, Roumanie, Ukraine, Russie, etc.)
Européen, Européenne de l’Ouest (R.-U., Espagne, Portugal, France, Allemagne, Autriche, Suisse, etc.)	CONTINUER ASSURER UN BON MÉLANGE SUR LE PLAN ETHNIQUE. POUR TOUS LES GROUPES (SAUF LE GROUPE 13), RECRUTER AU MAXIMUM 1 OU 2 PARTICIPANTS QUI SE DÉFINISSENT COMME IMMIGRANTS.
Africain, Africaine
D’origine moyen-orientale (Israël, Syrie, Jordanie, Égypte, Iran, Irak, etc.)
Asiatique du Sud (Inde, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, etc.)
Asiatique du Sud-Est (Thaïlande, Vietnam, Singapour, Philippines, Indonésie, Cambodge, etc.)
Asiatique de l’Est (Chine, Corée, Japon, Taiwan, etc.)
Sud-Américain, Sud-Américaine, Centraméricain, Centraméricaine, Latino-Américain, Latino-Américaine
Antillais, Antillaise (Caraïbes)
Autre ; veuillez préciser : _________________________
Préfère ne pas répondre	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

6. SEULEMENT POUR LE GROUPE 12 Avez-vous des enfants qui sont au secondaire 1 à 5 ?

Oui CONTINUER

NonREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE Préfère ne pas répondre REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

6a. DEMANDER SEULEMENT POUR LE GROUPE 12 Pourriez-vous me dire en quelle année est cet enfant / en quelle année sont ces enfants ?

Enfant	Année
1
2
3
4
5

ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION EN FONCTION DU NOMBRE D’ENFANTS ET DU NIVEAU SCOLAIRE.

7. Seriez-vous prêt/prête à m’indiquer votre tranche d’âge dans la liste suivante ?

35 à 44
Moins de 18 ans	SI POSSIBLE, DEMANDER À PARLER À UNE PERSONNE DE 18 ANS OU PLUS ET REFAIRE L’INTRODUCTION. SINON, REMERCIER ET CONCLURE.
18 à 24	+ QUÉBEC (GATINEAU, LÉVIS, SAGUENAY, TROIS RIVIERES, TERREBONNE) = GROUPE 3 (LES JEUNES ADULTES) TOUS LES AUTRES LIEUX, CONTINUER
25 à 34	+ QUÉBEC (GATINEAU, LÉVIS, SAGUENAY, TROIS RIVIERES, TERREBONNE) = REMERCIER ET CONCLURE SINON, CONTINUER
45 à 54
55 ans ou plus
RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE Préfère ne pas répondre	REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES ÂGES DANS CHAQUE GROUPE.

8. [NE PAS DEMANDER] Sexe NOTER SELON VOTRE OBSERVATION.

Homme

Femme

ASSURER UNE PROPORTION ÉGALE D’HOMMES ET DE FEMMES DANS CHAQUE GROUPE.

9. Est-ce que vous connaissez le concept du « groupe de discussion »?

OuiCONTINUER

NonEXPLIQUER QUE : « un groupe de discussion se compose de six à huit participants et d’un modérateur. Au cours d’une période de deux heures, les participants sont invités à discuter d’un éventail de questions reliées au sujet abordé ».

10. Dans le cadre du groupe de discussion, on vous demandera de prendre une part active à la conversation. Dans quelle mesure êtes-vous à l’aise pour exprimer vos opinions en public?

Très à l’aiseCONTINUER

Assez à l’aiseCONTINUER

Assez mal à l’aise REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Très mal à l’aiseREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

11. Étant donné que ce groupe se réunira en ligne, vous aurez besoin, pour participer, d’un accès Internet haut débit et d’un ordinateur muni d’une caméra Web, d’un microphone et d’un haut-parleur en bon état de marche. CONFIRMER LES POINTS CI-DESSOUS. METTRE FIN À L’APPEL SI NON À L’UN DES TROIS.

Le participant a accès à Internet haut débit

Le participant a un ordinateur avec caméra Web

12. Avez-vous utilisé des logiciels de réunion en ligne tels que Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts/Meet, etc., au cours des deux dernières années ?

OuiCONTINUER

NonCONTINUER

13. Dans quelle mesure êtes-vous à l’aise pour utiliser ces types de plateformes de réunion en ligne par vous-même ?

Très à l’aiseCONTINUER

Assez à l’aiseCONTINUER

Assez mal à l’aiseREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Très mal à l’aiseREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

14. Au cours de la discussion, vous pourriez devoir lire ou visionner du matériel affiché à l’écran, ou faire des exercices en ligne comme ceux qu’on trouve dans les sondages. On vous demandera aussi de participer activement à la discussion en ligne à l’aide d’une caméra Web. Pensez-vous avoir de la difficulté, pour une raison ou une autre, à lire les documents ou à participer à la discussion par vidéo?
CONCLURE L’ENTRETIEN SI LE RÉPONDANT SIGNALE UN PROBLÈME DE VISION OU D’AUDITION, UN PROBLÈME DE LANGUE PARLÉE OU ÉCRITE, S’IL CRAINT DE NE POUVOIR COMMUNIQUER EFFICACEMENT, SI L’UTILISATION D’UNE CAMÉRA WEB LUI POSE PROBLÈME, OU SI VOUS, EN TANT QU’INTERVIEWEUR, AVEZ DES DOUTES QUANT À SA CAPACITÉ DE PARTICIPER EFFICACEMENT AUX DISCUSSIONS.

15. Avez-vous déjà participé à un groupe de discussion, à une entrevue ou à un sondage organisé à l’avance en contrepartie d’une somme d’argent?

OuiCONTINUER

NonPASSER À LA Q.18

16. À quand remonte le dernier groupe de discussion auquel vous avez participé ?

À moins de six mois,REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

À plus de six mois, CONTINUER

17. À combien de groupes de discussion avez-vous participé au cours des cinq dernières années?

0 à 4 groupes, CONTINUER

5 groupes ou plus REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

18. Et sur quels sujets portaient-ils?
METTRE FIN À L’ENTRETIEN SI LES SUJETS ÉTAIENT LES MÊMES OU SEMBLABLES

CRITÈRES DE RECRUTEMENT SUPPLÉMENTAIRES

Il me reste quelques dernières questions avant de vous donner les détails du groupe de discussion, comme l’heure et la date.

19. Quel est le niveau de scolarité le plus élevé que vous avez atteint ?

École primaire

Études secondaires partielles

Diplôme d’études secondaires ou l’équivalent

Certificat ou diplôme d’apprenti inscrit ou d’une école de métiers

Certificat ou diplôme d’un collège, cégep ou autre établissement non universitaire

Certificat ou diplôme universitaire inférieur au baccalauréat

Baccalauréat

Diplôme d’études supérieur au baccalauréat

RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE : Préfère ne pas répondre

ASSURER UN BON MÉLANGE.

20. Laquelle des catégories suivantes décrit le mieux le revenu annuel total de votre ménage — c’est-à-dire le revenu cumulatif de l’ensemble des membres de votre ménage avant impôt ?

Moins de 20 000 $

20 000 $ à moins de 40 000 $

40 000 $ à moins de 60 000 $

60 000 $ à moins de 80 000 $

80 000 $ à moins de 100 000 $

100 000 $ à moins de 150 000 $

150 000 $ ou plus

RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE : Préfère ne pas répondre

ASSURER UN BON MÉLANGE.

21. La discussion sera enregistrée sur bandes audio et vidéo, strictement aux fins de la recherche. Les enregistrements aideront nos chercheurs à rédiger leur rapport. Est-ce que vous consentez à ce qu’on vous enregistre sur bandes audio et vidéo??

Oui

Non REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

INVITATION

J’aimerais vous inviter à ce groupe de discussion en ligne, qui aura lieu le [DONNER LA DATE ET L’HEURE EN FONCTION DU NO DE GROUPE INDIQUÉ DANS LE TABLEAU, PAGE 1]. La discussion durera deux heures et vous recevrez 90 $ pour votre participation. Ce montant vous sera envoyé par transfert électronique après la tenue du groupe de discussion.

Veuillez noter que des observateurs du gouvernement du Canada pourraient être présents au groupe et que la discussion sera enregistrée sur bande vidéo. En acceptant de participer, vous donnez votre consentement à ces modalités.

Est-ce que vous accepteriez de participer ?

OuiCONTINUER

NonREMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Puis-je avoir votre nom complet, le numéro de téléphone où vous êtes le plus facile à joindre et votre adresse électronique, si vous en avez une, pour vous envoyer les détails au sujet du groupe?

Nom :

Numéro de téléphone :

Adresse Courriel :

Vous recevrez un courrier électronique du Strategic Counsel expliquant comment rejoindre le groupe en ligne. Si la connexion au système vous pose des difficultés, veuillez en aviser notre équipe de soutien technique à : support@thestrategiccounsel.com.

Nous vous prions de vous mettre en ligne au moins 15 minutes avant l’heure prévue, afin d’avoir le temps de vous installer et d’obtenir l’aide de notre équipe de soutien en cas de problèmes techniques.

Vous pourriez devoir lire des documents au cours de la discussion. Si vous utilisez des lunettes, assurez-vous de les avoir à portée de main durant la rencontre. Vous aurez également besoin d’un stylo et de papier pour prendre des notes.

Ce rendez-vous est un engagement ferme. Si vous pensez ne pas pouvoir participer pour des raisons personnelles ou professionnelles, veuillez m’en aviser dès maintenant et nous conserverons votre nom pour une étude ultérieure. Enfin, si jamais vous n’êtes pas en mesure de participer, veuillez nous prévenir le plus rapidement possible au [1-800-xxx-xxxx] pour que nous puissions trouver quelqu’un pour vous remplacer.

Merci de votre temps.

RECRUTEMENT FAIT PAR : ____________________

DATE DU RECRUTEMENT : __________________

Appendix B – Discussion Guides

English Moderators Guide

MODERATOR’S GUIDE – August 2020

MASTER

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) All Locations

Moderator or technician should let participants know that they will need pen and paper in order to take some notes, jot down some thoughts around some material that we will show them later in the discussion.

COVID-19 IN THE NEWS (5-15 minutes) Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Eastern Townships Quebec, Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents What have you heard about the coronavirus or COVID-19 in the last few days?

Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents Have you heard anything about the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) recently?
- Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents PROMPT AS NECESSARY: Have you heard anything about transitioning from CERB to the Employment Insurance (EI) system?
  - Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents Have you heard anything about eligibility requirements or the minimum amount of money EI recipients will receive per week, or anything like that? What have you heard?
  - Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents Have you heard anything about any new benefits? What have you heard?

Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents CLARIFY AS NECESSARY –
The last eligibility period for which Canadians can receive CERB ($2,000/month) ends on Sept. 26. The Government of Canada recently announced that it is preparing to transition as many Canadians as possible back to the EI system at the end of this month.

Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents What do you think about transitioning those who will still need income support from CERB to EI? Do you think this is a good or bad approach? What makes you say that?
U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents Have you heard about the Government of Canada’s new COVID-19 Alert App? Have you downloaded it? Do you plan on doing so? Why? Why not?

Clarify: The federal government has just released an app that helps break the cycle of infection by letting people know of possible exposures before any symptoms appear. It uses Bluetooth to exchange random codes with nearby phones. Every day, it checks a list of random codes from people who tell the app they tested positive. If you’ve been near one of those codes in the past 14 days, you’ll get a notification.

U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents Do you think it’s an effective way to stop the spread? For those who are hearing about it for the first time, do you plan on downloading it?
Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants, Quebec Eastern Townships Have you heard anything else about how the Government of Canada has responded?
- Do you think that, to date, the government has responded appropriately? Why/not? [MODERATOR NOTE: TAKE TIME TO ALLOW RESPONDENTS TO CONSIDER ANSWERS]
- What else, if anything, should they be doing at this time?
- Quebec Eastern Townships How well do you think the Government of Canada is doing when it comes to providing information on how to stay safe? What makes you say that?

CANADA-U.S. BORDER (5-10 minutes) Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, GMA Immigrants, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Quebec Eastern Townships

Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, GMA Immigrants, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Quebec Eastern Townships Have you heard anything about the Canada-US border recently?
U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Quebec Eastern Townships Have you heard about any other Canada-U.S. issues? PROMPT AS NECESSARY: Have you heard anything about aluminum tariffs? Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Quebec Eastern Townships What have you heard?
GMA Immigrants PROMPT AS NECESSARY: Have you heard anything about the trade relations with the U.S., namely regarding aluminum recently?

Quebec Eastern Townships CLARIFY AS NECESSARY
Earlier this month, the United States announced the imposition of tariffs of 10% on imports of certain aluminum products from Canada.

Quebec Eastern Townships Have you heard how the Government of Canada has responded? What have you heard?

Quebec Eastern Townships CLARIFY AS NECESSARY
In response, the Government of Canada has said it will impose surtaxes against imports of aluminum and products that contain aluminum from the U.S.

Quebec Eastern Townships What do you think about the Government of Canada’s response?
- Is there anything else Canada should do in response?

BEHAVIOUR (10-30 minutes) Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Eastern Townships Quebec, Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents

Have you changed your behaviour in the last few weeks?
- What have you done? (Probe for going to stores or restaurants (not just grocery), visit people more, run more errands, use public transit, etc.)
- If yes: why are you doing these things more?
- If no: why haven’t you changed your behaviour?
Eastern Ontario Young Adults Ontario has been reopening more. What things have opened up in your community?

How do you feel about that?

Eastern Ontario Young Adults, How do you feel about the COVID-19 restrictions that are currently in place?
- How do you feel about wearing a mask and other distancing guidelines (like staying 6 feet away from each other)?
Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults How do you feel about the COVID-19 restrictions that are currently in place, such as wearing a mask?
- Do you think your level of caution will change in the fall, especially as some of you will be going back to school and will be away from family, or as the weather gets colder and more things are done indoors?
Eastern Ontario Young Adults As COVID-19 restrictions continue to lift in the coming weeks and months, how do you feel about your ability to stay safe?
- Would you feel safe going to a restaurant? Why/why not?
- How do you feel about going to bars or parties? Why/why not?
Eastern Ontario Young Adults When it comes to catching COVID-19, do you worry about your own health, and/or about passing it on to other people?
Eastern Ontario Young Adults And has COVID-19 affected your mental health? Are you doing better, worse, or about the same now compared to pre-pandemic?
Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults Which of the following do you think is the most compelling reason to follow COVID guidelines and be safe? Why? (POLL)
- Even though COVID is rarely fatal for young people, it often leaves permanent health disabilities
- If you get COVID, you could pass it on to family or others who are more vulnerable to disease
- If people don’t follow COVID guidelines, we could have a second wave which would cause everything to shut down again
Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors Imagine you were speaking to a friend or relative who was in their twenties. What would you tell them about your experience living through the COVID-19 pandemic?
Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians over the age of 55 have been called a particularly “vulnerable” population.
- Does that label resonate with you? Why or why not?
Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors Thinking about how your behaviour and habits have or haven’t changed because of COVID-19:
- What has been most challenging for you?
- What has been easier than you expected?
Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents Imagine you were speaking to a friend or relative who does not have any children.
- What would you tell them about the experience of being a parent during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents What three words best describe being a parent during the COVID-19 pandemic? Please elaborate.
Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents Has your relationship with your child/children changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic?
- If so, what has changed?
Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents Have your kids changed their behaviour in the last few weeks?
- What have they done? (Probe for starting to go out more, have friends over, visit friends, etc.)

ADVERTISING TESTING / YOUTH (45 minutes) Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults

STORYBOARD/BANNER CONCEPTS 1, 2 AND 3
Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults I’m now going to show you 3 concepts that are currently being developed by the Government of Canada for possible advertising regarding COVID-19.

Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults There is a total of 3 concepts which includes a banner and a video. You will notice that the ad is not in its finished form. Instead the images look more like a comic strip (which we call a storyboard) and convey what you would see in each frame of the ad. A storyboard is something that advertisers develop early in the creative process so you get a graphical illustrations and short narrative that give a sense of what the ad might look like it its finished format. The final product will be a 15 second video produced professionally to be advertised through social media and digital platforms. Please keep this in mind as you are viewing the ad.

SHOW STORYBOARDS AND BANNERS BY CONCEPTS ON SCREEN AND ASK THE FOLLOWING SET OF QUESTIONS FOR EACH CONCEPT. INDIVIDUALS REVIEW INDIVIDUALLY, THEN GROUP DISCUSSION.

ORDER OF CONCEPTS:
Eastern Ontario Young Adults CONCEPT 1, 2, THEN 3
Quebec Young Adults CONCEPT 2, 3 and 1

Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults What are your initial thoughts about this ad? What makes you say that?

What is the main message of this ad?
- What do you like most? What do you like the least?
- What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses?
- Is the language easy to understand? What in particular is confusing or unclear
- Who is this ad aimed at? Why do you say that?
- Would they stand out to you if you saw this online?
Do you have any other thoughts about what could make these ads more effective?
Now, let me show you the banner ad for this concept. MODERATOR TO SHOW BANNER AD. ASK:
What do you think of this banner?
What do you think specifically of the statements? Are they clear or confusing?
What about the tagline? Does it work in the context of this ad? What does it mean to you?

AD WRAP-UP

Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults POLL: Between the three concepts, which one do you prefer?
What is it about XX concept that you prefer over the other ones?

STORYBOARD/BANNER CONCEPTS 1 (A AND B) AND 2

Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults I’m now going to show you 2 concepts that are currently being developed by the Government of Canada for possible advertising regarding COVID-19.

Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults There are a total of 2 concepts each of which includes a banner and a video. One of the concepts includes an alternate version which I will show you separately. You will notice that these are not in finished form. Instead the images look more like a comic strip (which we call a storyboard) and convey what you would see in each frame of the ad. A storyboard is something that advertisers develop early in the creative process so you get a graphical illustration and short narrative that give a sense of what the ad might look like in its finished format. The final product will be a 15-second video produced professionally to be advertised through social media and digital platforms. Please keep this in mind as you are viewing the ad.

SHOW STORYBOARDS AND BANNERS BY CONCEPT. ASK THE FOLLOWING SET OF QUESTIONS. INDIVIDUALS REVIEW INDIVIDUALLY, THEN GROUP DISCUSSION.

ORDER OF CONCEPTS:
Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults CONCEPT 1A, 1B, THEN 2.
Calgary Young Adults CONCEPT 2, 1A, THEN 1B.

SHOW CONCEPT 1A ON SCREEN

Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults What are your initial thoughts about this ad? What makes you say that?

What is the main message of this ad?
- What do you like most? What do you like the least?
- What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses?
- Is the language easy to understand? What in particular is confusing or unclear?
- Who is this ad aimed at? Why do you say that?
Would they stand out to you if you saw this online?
- In the ad, we see the friend scratch her face, get glitter on her fingers, then fill up a bowl of chips from a bag (image 4) and then put a chip in her mouth and lick her glittery fingers (image 5). What if we then saw her leaving the party and getting picked up by her parent – what do you think about that? Do you think that would make the ad more or less effective, or would have not make a difference?
- Do you have any other thoughts about what could make these ads more effective?
- Now, let me show you the banner ad for this concept. MODERATOR TO SHOW BANNER AD. ASK:
- What do you think of this banner?
- What do you think specifically of the statements? Are they clear or confusing?
- What about the tagline? Does it work in the context of this ad? What does it mean to you?

Now I’m going to show you a different version of this ad. For this one, we only have a script, so you’ll need to imagine the scenes.

SHOW CONCEPT 1B ON SCREEN

Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults What do you think of this version of the ad? Do you think it makes more sense as an alternate version of the first ad you saw (at a party), or do you think it makes more sense as a continuation of the first one? What makes you say that?

This version says “is mixing social bubbles really worth it?” – What do you think of that line?

SHOW CONCEPT 2 ON SCREEN

Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults What are your initial thoughts about this ad? What makes you say that?

What is the main message of this ad?
- What do you like most? What do you like the least?
- What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses?
- Is the language easy to understand? What in particular is confusing or unclear?
- Who is this ad aimed at? Why do you say that?
- Would they stand out to you if you saw this online?
Do you have any other thoughts about what could make these ads more effective?
Now, let me show you the banner ad for this concept. MODERATOR TO SHOW BANNER AD. ASK:
What do you think of this banner?
What do you think specifically of the statements? Are they clear or confusing?
What about the tagline? Does it work in the context of this ad? What does it mean to you?

AD WRAP-UP

Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults POLL Which concept do you prefer?
What is it about XX concept that you prefer over the other one?

COVID AD (15 minutes) Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents

Now, moving on to a different topic…

We are now going to review potential ads that are currently being developed by the Government of Canada. I will show you the videos, and then we will discuss what we thought about them.

You will notice that the ads are not in their finished form, so for example they still need some editing, there’s very little sound, no music, etc. Please keep this in mind as you are viewing the ads. [MODERATOR ASKS PARTICIPANTS TO MUTE PHONES AND TURN UP VOLUME ON LAP-TOP]

ORDER OF CONCEPTS:
Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors SHOW PUB1 FIRST, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY PUB2
Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents SHOW PUB2 FIRST, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY PUB1
(NOTE TO MODERATOR: SHOW EACH VIDEO ONCE ONLY)

In the ad, we see a woman entering a party and she is covered in purple glitter, then we see the man she hugs with the same purple glitter, then we see it on bowls, chips, cups, and so on. How do you interpret this?
- AS NEEDED: does the purple glitter represent anything to you? IF YES: what does it represent?
At the end, of each video clip, it says “help limit the spread of COVID-19”. When you watched these 2 clips, was it clear that the ads were about how COVID-19 is spread? Why/why not?

GENDER (10-15 minutes) Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Quebec Eastern Townships

Do you think the economic impact of COVID-19 has had a larger negative impact on men or women? Why?
- (ASK PARTICIPANTS WHO FEEL IT HAS HAD A LARGER NEGATIVE IMPACT ON WOMEN) Does the government need to do extra to help women during this recovery period?

Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants Recently, a Canadian economist spoke about currently being in a she-session, which is a recession that particularly affects women as they are more likely to have jobs that involve a lot of human interaction and make social distancing difficult. Some note that is why some of the same female-dominated sectors were first to shut down and last to re-open and recover. With this in mind, she suggests a she-covery, which is a recovery that focuses on getting women back to work and increasing child-care support for working parents.

Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants With that in mind, some people have said we are in a “she-session” and we need a “she-covery” to help women during this recovery period. How do you feel about this way of describing things?

IMMIGRATION (50 minutes) Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants, Interior B.C.

Now I’d like you to think about immigration to Canada.

When you think about Canada’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, how do you see immigration fitting in to this, if at all?
- Do you see a difference in terms of how immigration fits into short-term vs. long-term economic recovery?
- How do immigrants positively impact Canada’s economy? Are there any downsides?
Prior to COVID-19, the Government of Canada had announced plans to admit roughly 350,000 immigrants in 2021. Do you feel that would be too many, too few, or about the right number of immigrants coming to Canada? What makes you say that?
Interior B.C. When you hear about different types of immigrants, what type of immigrant comes to mind?
- PROMPT AS NECESSARY: for example, do you mainly think of skilled workers, economic immigrants*, family reunification, something else?

[MODERATOR NOTE: THE SKILLED WORKER CLASS IS A SUBSET OF ECONOMIC IMMIGRANTS]

Interior B.C. I’m now going to show you some messages the Government of Canada could provide related to immigration I’d like you to look at these individually and then we’ll discuss.

Interior B.C. SHOW ON SCREEN

Canada has a history of immigration, and it is because of immigration that Canada is such a successful country today.
Canada’s population would decline without immigrants so we need immigrants to keep tax revenue where it is to pay for government services.
Immigrants can be key to our economic recovery, as they are more likely to start businesses and create jobs.
Immigrants contribute a lot to Canada, for example one-in-four healthcare workers in Canada are immigrants.
There are strict health protocols in place, including testing and mandatory two week quarantine for any immigrants who come to Canada.

Interior B.C. I’m going to show you a poll. I’d like you to select which of these messages, if any, is the strongest reason to bring immigrants to Canada. (participants to select 1-2 max). MODERATOR TO SHOW POLL (STRONGEST). END POLL – BROADCAST POLL. VIEW VOTES. MODERATOR TO REVIEW SELECTIONS. MODERATOR TO READ OUT LOUD NUMBER/% WHO VOTED FOR EACH MESSAGE, AND DISCUSS IN ORDER FROM HIGHEST TO LOWEST.
Interior B.C. Is any of this new information? Which one(s)?
Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants About half of all immigrants who come to Canada are from the economic class of immigrants. As you may know, economic class immigrants are immigrants who have skills and training that make them likely to help the Canadian economy. How would you feel about the government of Canada doubling the number of economic class immigrants who come to Canada? (this would increase overall immigration levels by about 50% then)
- (IF AGAINST IDEA) What about doing this in a few years, once COVID-19 is no longer an issue?
Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants Now, thinking about keeping Canadians safe, what does Canada need to do to ensure that immigration to Canada is done in a safe manner?
- And what does Canada need to do to make sure that immigrants and newcomers stay safe when they come to Canada?
Does anyone know what a temporary foreign worker is? How would you explain it?

Employers can hire workers from other countries to fill temporary labour and skill shortages. These workers leave Canada when their work permit expires.

How do you feel about the Temporary Foreign Worker Program?
What do you think about creating a path where temporary foreign workers could become permanent residents in Canada? Do you think this is a good or bad idea? What makes you say that?
How do you feel about international students studying in Canada this fall? If universities are open, are you comfortable with this, so long as they quarantine when they first arrive?
How do you feel about Canada allowing refugees this fall? If they follow proper testing and quarantine procedures, are you comfortable with this?
Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants I’m now going to show you some messages the Government of Canada could provide related to immigration I’d like you to look at these individually and then we’ll discuss.

Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants SHOW ON SCREEN

- Canada has a history of immigration, and it is because of immigration that Canada is such a successful country today.
- Immigrants can be key to our economic recovery, as they are more likely to start businesses and create jobs.
- Immigrants contribute a lot to Canada, for example one-in-four healthcare workers in Canada are immigrants.
- Immigration will help Canada overcome many of the demographic challenges it faces due to an aging population.
- There are strict health protocols in place, including testing and mandatory two week quarantine for any immigrants who come to Canada.

Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants I’m going to show you a poll. I’d like you to select which of these messages, if any, is the strongest reason to bring immigrants to Canada. (participants to select 1-2 max).
MODERATOR TO SHOW POLL (STRONGEST). END POLL – BROADCAST POLL. VIEW VOTES. MODERATOR TO REVIEW SELECTIONS. MODERATOR TO READ OUT LOUD NUMBER/% WHO VOTED FOR EACH MESSAGE, AND DISCUSS IN ORDER FROM HIGHEST TO LOWEST.
Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants Is any of this new information? Which one(s)?

RCMP (15 minutes) Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors

Is anyone familiar with the term “contract policing” as it involves the RCMP?
- PROVIDE EXPLANATION: As the largest police force in Canada, the RCMP's responsibilities include investigating organized crime, cybercrime, and terrorism, among many other duties. Mounties are also assigned to contract policing, where they act as local police services for many municipalities and First Nations communities. This occurs in 150 municipalities across Canada, but not in Ontario and Quebec. The cost-sharing program means that provinces and territories pay 70% of the cost of the RCMP's operations in their jurisdictions, with the federal government contributing the remaining 30%.
On balance, do you think contract policing is a good thing or a bad thing? Why do you say that?

GOVERNMENT OBJECTIVE (10 minutes) Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, GMA Immigrants

What do you think of when you hear the term “activist government”? What type of things do you think an “activist government” does?
Do you think the Government of Canada is an activist government? Why?
Given the COVID-19 context we find ourselves in, do you think it would be a good thing or a bad thing to have a more activist government?

YOUTH EMPLOYMENT (10 minutes) Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario

The European Union has a “Youth Guarantee” that guarantees that young people who are unemployed or done school will be connected with apprenticeships, training programs, or a good quality job within four months. The program provides tax incentives for companies who create jobs for young people, and helps match young people with the right skills to these jobs. Young people in the program have access to advisors, language/skills training, and resume/interview help.
How would you feel about Canada doing something like this?
- What do you think the impact of this would be?

ECONOMY (10 minutes) Quebec Young Adults, GMA Immigrants, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents

I’d now like to talk about the economy for a bit.
I’m going to show you a few different terms to describe the type of economy we could be aiming for. I’d like you to read it individually and then we’ll discuss. SHOW OPTIONS ON SCREEN.
- Future-proof economy
- Green economy
- Healthy economy
- Modern economy
- Resilient economy
- Strong economy
- Economic solidarity (solidarité economique)
POLL: I’m going to show you a poll. I’d like you to select which of these represents the type of economy we should be aiming for (participants to select up to 2 choices). MODERATOR TO SHOW POLL (BEST DESCRIBES ECONOMY AIMING FOR). END POLL – BROADCAST POLL. VIEW VOTES. MODERATOR TO REVIEW SELECTIONS; ASK WHY THEY PICKED THESE ONES
Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents What does “resilient economy” mean to you in this context?
- What do you like, if anything, about this term?
- What do you dislike, if anything about it?
And what does “economic solidarity” mean to you in this context?
- What do you like, if anything, about this term?
- What do you dislike, if anything about it?
Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents Can you think of any other words that would convey the same kind of principle as “resilient” or “solidarity”?

CARBON PRICING (20-40 minutes) U.S. Border Towns Ontario, GMA Immigrants, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors

I would now like to discuss climate change.

What have you seen, read or heard about climate change lately?
- And have you seen, read or heard anything related to the Government of Canada and climate change recently?
- PROMPT AS NECESSARY: Have you heard anything about the Government of Canada’s plan on pricing carbon pollution? What can you tell me about carbon pricing?

CLARIFY: In 2016 the Government of Canada announced a plan to ensure a price on carbon pollution across the country, giving each province and territory the flexibility to develop a system that works for their circumstances, provided it meets the federal standard. In the five provinces that currently do not meet this standard – Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Alberta – the federal pricing system is in place.

Is anyone aware of the Climate Action Incentive? Can you describe it to me? How much do you think the rebate was this year?

CLARIFY: All proceeds collected from the federal system in Ontario stay in Ontario – 90% is returned directly to residents in the form of an incentive payment. Individuals can claim these amounts through their personal income tax returns, with a typical household receiving about $448 this year. 10% will go to small businesses, hospitals and schools.

What do you think about this plan?
- Do you think it is an effective way to fight climate change? Why or why not?
- Do you think it’s possible to fight climate change effectively without a form of carbon pricing?
  - IF YES: How so?

U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors Under the federal system the fuel charge rate started last year at $20 per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions and will be $30 per tonne starting in April. For gasoline purchases, $30 per tonne represents 6.6 cents a litre. However, the rate is scheduled to increase each year, reaching $50 per tonne, which represents about 11 cents per litre in 2022 and the incentive payments will also increase accordingly.

U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors So far, the federal government plan only outlines the plan through 2022, and the federal government will then have to either continue to increase the price on carbon, freeze it at $50, lower it, or eliminate it entirely. Based on what you know so far about the plan, what would you recommend they do?
In light of COVID-19, do you think the reduction of carbon emissions can be balanced with the recovery and growth of Canada’s economy?
- Why or why not?

SCHOOLS (40 minutes) Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents

What have you heard about back to school plans in your community?

Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents CLARIFY AS NECESSARY
The Ontario Government has said that elementary schools will be equipped to reopen with increased health and safety standards, and that students will attend school 5 days a week. In-person school attendance will be optional for the 2020-2021 school year so that parents can make decisions that work for their children and family. School boards will offer remote learning for all students who choose this option.

Vancouver Parents CLARIFY AS NECESSARY
The B.C. Government has said that Vancouver elementary schools will run full time with all students having in-person instruction in learning groups that are no larger than 60 students. The students’ individual class will be their main learning group, but kids will be allowed to socialize with those in other learning groups outdoors, if physical distancing is possible. To minimize contact, some elementary schools will have staggered pick-up and drop-off times. Recess and lunch breaks may also be staggered. Kids in Grades 6 and 7 will be required to wear masks in hallways and when physical distancing is not possible.

Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents CLARIFY AS NECESSARY
The Quebec Government has said that most secondary students will return to in-person class instruction with students remaining in the same group at all times*. Physical distancing will not be required between students in the same group. Teachers will move between rooms according to the subject they are teaching, whereas students will remain in the same room. Face coverings are mandatory for students outside classrooms and in common areas or in the presence of students from a different group. Face coverings are also mandatory when students are using school transportation or taking public transit.
[NOTE FOR MODERATOR: FOR SECONDARY IV AND V, SCHOOL SERVICE CENTRES AND SCHOOL BOARDS (ENGLISCH SECTOR AND THOSE WITH A SPECIAL STATUS) MAY OPT FOR AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION IF THE COURSE SCHEDULE CANNOT BE REORGANIZED TO MAINTAIN STABLE GROUPS]

Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents Are you planning to send your kids to school in person? Why/why not?
Are you worried about sending them to school in person?
- IF YES: what kinds of things are you worried about?
  - PROMPT AS NECESSARY: Your kids’ health? Your kids passing COVID on to you or other family members? Something else?
What do you think is most needed in order to make things safer in schools?
- PROBE: Do schools need more space so kids can be spaced more? Do they need to hire more teachers so that class sizes are smaller? Hire more cleaning staff? Something else?
Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents Have you heard of anything the Government of Canada has done or announced recently to help make schools safer?
- IF YES: What have you heard?
Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents The Government of Canada announced that it is giving $2 billion more to provinces and territories to help them ensure kids can safely go back to school. Did anyone hear about this?
- What do think of this? Do you think it will help?
Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents Is there anything else you think the Government of Canada could do to help provinces and territories ensure kids can safely go back to school?
Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents Education is a provincial jurisdiction, but do you think there is anything the Government of Canada could do to help make schools safer?
- IF YES: What could they do?
Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents What if the Government of Canada could make unused building space available to schools, so that classrooms could be spaced out more? Would that help?
- Does this idea make you think of any other things the Government of Canada could do to help make schools safer?

LONG-TERM CARE HOMES (15 minutes) Quebec Eastern Townships

Have you heard anything recently about long-term care (LTC) homes? What have you heard?
LTCs are under provincial jurisdiction, but do you think there is anything the Government of Canada could do to improve LTCs?
- IF YES: What could they do?
Do you think improving LTCs is a question of more funding? Clear standards for quality of care? Laws and penalties around operators of LTCs who mistreat residents? Something else?

FINANCIAL SUPPORT (30 minutes)Quebec Eastern Townships

How well do you think the Government of Canada is doing when it comes to providing financial support to Canadians impacted by COVID-19? What makes you say that?
Have you heard anything about the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) recently?
- PROMPT AS NECESSARY: Have you heard anything about transitioning from CERB to the Employment Insurance (EI) system?

CLARIFY AS NECESSARY
The last eligibility period for which Canadians can receive CERB ($2,000/month) ends on Sept. 26. The Government of Canada recently announced that it is preparing to transition as many Canadians as possible back to the EI system at the end of this month.

What do you think about transitioning those who will still need income support from CERB to EI? Do you think this is a good or bad approach? What makes you say that?
Some people have said that CERB is a disincentive to work. What do you think – as the economy has reopened, do you think that by and large, most people receiving CERB still can’t find jobs, or do you think that there are a number who are choosing not to work?

For most people, the basic rate for calculating EI benefits is 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum amount. Currently, the maximum yearly insurable earnings amount is $54,200. This means that the maximum EI amount is $573 per week. For a number of Canadians, the amount they would receive using this calculation would be less than they are currently receiving via CERB (since a lot of Canadians earn less than $54,200/year).

As the Government of Canada transitions Canadians receiving CERB back to the EI system, do you think the amount an individual receives should follow the standard EI calculation, or do you think that everyone should continue to receive $2,000/month? What makes you say that?
FOR THOSE WHO SAY CONTINUE AT $2,000: How long do you think this kind of enhanced EI system should stay in place?
Now I’d like you to think about the EI system over the long-term. Let’s think ahead to when COVID is no longer an issue. Do you think at that point, it makes sense to continue with the EI system in its current form (e.g. same eligibility requirements, payment amounts, etc.) or do you think it will need major changes?
FOR THOSE WHO SAY MAJOR CHANGES: What types of changes are needed?
- PROMPT AS NECESSARY: for example, higher payment amounts? More coverage for people in the gig economy (e.g. freelancers, consultants, independent contractors, temporary contract workers, etc.) or self-employed individuals? Other?

EI/RECOVERY BENEFITS (20 minutes) Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C., Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents

SHOW ON SCREEN:
The Government of Canada recently announced that it will be transitioning to a simplified Employment Insurance (EI) program. Originally the CERB was ending at the end of August, but it has been extended another four weeks. As of September 27, 2020:

New EI claimants will receive a minimum benefit rate of $400 per week. Anyone eligible for EI will need to have worked 120 hours to qualify, well below current EI requirements - since many Canadians have been unable to work due to the pandemic and accumulate the required number of hours.

The Government of Canada also announced a suite of three new recovery benefits:

1. The new Canada Recovery Benefit would provide a benefit amount of $400 per week for workers who are not eligible for EI - mainly the self-employed and including those working in the gig economy ( (e.g. freelancers, consultants, independent contractors, temporary contract workers, etc.)

2. The new Canada Recovery Caregiver Benefit, would provide $500/week to anyone who is unable to work because they need to provide care to children or support to other dependents who had to stay home (e.g. they had to stop work because their child’s school or daycare closed because of COVID-19).

3. The new Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit

What do you think about this approach? Do the minimum benefit rate and the eligibility requirements make sense? Why/why not?
Now, thinking about transitioning individuals from the CERB to this new system, what do you think is the most important consideration: SHOW 3 BULLET POINTS ON SCREEN
- Ensuring that there is no delay between payments from when CERB ends to when the new system starts
- Ensuring that everyone who gets CERB also qualifies for EI or the new benefits
- Trying to reduce the amount paid and the number of people who qualify in order to reduce the deficit
How long do you think the benefits for people who can’t work due to COVID-19 or because they need to care for others will need to be in place?

CLARIFY AS NECESSARY
The simplified EI system and the new recovery benefits will be in place for one year, and will provide a minimum entitlement of 26 weeks of regular benefits (aside from the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit - which is for up to 2 weeks).

Do you think keeping these in place for a year seems reasonable? Why/why not?

OPIOIDS (15 minutes) Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C.

Now I’d like to talk about a completely different topic…

Have you heard anything about opioids recently? What have you heard?
Do you think there is an opioid crisis in Canada? Why/why not?
- IF YES: What are the reasons for this crisis? Who do you see as responsible for this becoming a crisis?

CLARIFY AS NECESSARY:
Opioids such as fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone and hydromorphone are medications that can help relieve pain.
Opioids are drugs that affect your mind, mood, and mental processes and can also cause euphoria, or the feeling of being “high.” This creates the potential for them to be used improperly.

Now, thinking about opioids being used improperly, who do you think is most affected by this?
Do you think the opioid situation (i.e. opioids being used improperly) in Canada is getting better or worse?
What, if anything, should the Government of Canada do?
Some have suggested that the Government of Canada should decriminalize possession of illicit drugs for personal use, so that those with a substance use disorder are diverted away from the criminal justice system and towards a health-care approach instead. What do you think about that approach?

CANADA’S APPROACH (10 minutes) Interior B.C.

I’m going to show you an image that highlights the Government of Canada’s overall approach to addressing COVID-19.

SHOW IMAGE ON SCREEN:

At the top of this image, it says “Living with COVID”. Do you think that’s the right way to frame the Government of Canada’s approach? Why/why not?
Is there anything that caught your attention in this image, either in a good way or a bad way? How so?

OTHER NEWS (5 minutes) Ontario Young Adults

We’ve talked a lot about COVID-19 today. Before we go have you heard any other Government of Canada news over the past few months? What have you heard?
- FOR EACH NEWS ITEM MENTIONED: Have others of you heard about this? How do you feel about it?

CONCLUSION (5 minutes)

French Moderators Guide

GUIDE DU MODÉRATEUR — JUIN 2020

DOCUMENT MAÎTRE

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) Tous les lieux

Le modérateur ou la personne responsable du soutien technique doit faire savoir aux participantes et aux participants qu’un stylo et du papier seront nécessaires afin de prendre des notes et d’écrire quelques réflexions au sujet des pièces de communication que nous leur montrerons plus tard au cours de la discussion.

LA COVID-19 DANS L’ACTUALITÉ (5 à 15 minutes) Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario, immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, immigrants de la RGM, villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec, parents de Vancouver, intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Qu’avez-vous entendu dire au sujet du coronavirus ou de la COVID-19 au cours des quelques derniers jours ?

Ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, parents de Vancouver, intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit au sujet de la Prestation canadienne d’urgence (PCU) récemment ?
- Ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, parents de Vancouver, intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec AU BESOIN, DEMANDER : Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit quant à la transition de la PCU vers le régime d’assurance-emploi ?
  - Parents de Vancouver, intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit à propos des critères d’admissibilité ou du montant minimum d’argent que les bénéficiaires de l’assurance-emploi recevront par semaine ou autre chose du genre ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?
  - Parents de Vancouver, intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit au sujet de nouvelles prestations ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?

Ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN
La dernière période d’admissibilité pour laquelle les Canadiens peuvent recevoir la PCU (2 000 $/mois) se termine le 26 septembre. Le gouvernement du Canada a récemment annoncé qu’il prépare une transition visant à transférer le plus grand nombre possible de Canadiens vers le régime d’assurance-emploi à la fin de ce mois-ci.

Ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario Que pensez-vous de cette transition de la PCU vers l’assurance-emploi pour les personnes qui auront encore besoin d’un soutien du revenu ? Pensez-vous que ce soit une bonne ou une mauvaise approche ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
Villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario Avez-vous entendu parler de la nouvelle application Alerte COVID du gouvernement du Canada ? L’avez-vous téléchargée ? Avez-vous l’intention de la faire ? Pourquoi ? Pourquoi pas ?

ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT : Le gouvernement fédéral vient de lancer une application qui aide à briser le cycle d’infection en avisant les gens en cas d’exposition potentielle avant même que des symptômes apparaissent. Elle utilise Bluetooth pour échanger des codes aléatoires avec les téléphones à proximité. Chaque jour, elle vérifie une liste de codes aléatoires provenant d’autres utilisateurs ayant signalé un test positif à l’application. Si vous avez été à proximité d’un de ces codes au cours des 14 derniers jours, vous recevrez une notification.

Villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario Pensez-vous que c’est un moyen efficace de stopper la propagation ? Pour vous qui en entendez parler pour la première fois, comptez-vous la télécharger ?
Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario, immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, immigrants de la RGM, Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit d’autre quant à la réponse du gouvernement du Canada ?
- Pensez-vous que, jusqu’à présent, le gouvernement a réagi de manière appropriée à la pandémie de COVID-19 ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ? [NOTE À L’ATTENTION DU MODÉRATEUR : PRENDRE LE TEMPS DE PERMETTRE AUX RÉPONDANTES OU RÉPONDANTS DE RÉFLÉCHIR À LEURS RÉPONSES]
- Et qu’est-ce que le gouvernement du Canada devrait faire de plus, le cas échéant, en réponse à la pandémie ?
- Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec Comment évaluez-vous le travail que fait le gouvernement du Canada quant à fournir des informations sur les moyens à prendre pour se protéger ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

FRONTIÈRE CANADO-AMÉRICAINE (5-10 minutes) Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario, immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, immigrants de la RGM, ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec

Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario, immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, immigrants de la RGM, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit concernant la frontière entre le Canada et les États-Unis récemment ?
Villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec Avez-vous entendu parler de quelque enjeu que ce soit concernant le Canada et les États-Unis ? AU BESOIN, DEMANDER : Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit au sujet de tarifs douaniers sur l’aluminium ? Ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec Qu’avez-vous entendu ?
Immigrants de la RGM AU BESOIN, DEMANDER : Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit concernant les relations commerciales avec les États-Unis, notamment en ce qui concerne l’aluminium récemment ?

Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN

Plus tôt ce mois-ci, les États-Unis ont annoncé l’imposition de tarifs de 10 % sur les importations de certains produits d’aluminium en provenance du Canada.

Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec Avez-vous entendu parler de la façon dont le gouvernement du Canada y a répondu ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?

Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN
En réponse, le gouvernement du Canada a déclaré qu’il imposerait des surtaxes sur les importations d’aluminium de même que sur les produits contenant de l’aluminium en provenance des États-Unis.

Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec Que pensez-vous de la réponse du gouvernement du Canada ?
- Y a-t-il autre chose que le Canada devrait faire en réponse ?

COMPORTEMENT (10 à 30 minutes) Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario, jeunes adultes du Québec, jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec, parents de Vancouver, intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec

Avez-vous modifié votre comportement au cours de ces dernières semaines ?

Qu’avez-vous fait ? (Sonder : aller dans les magasins ou au restaurant (pas seulement à l’épicerie), à rendre visite aux gens, à faire plus de courses, à utiliser les transports en commun, etc.)
Si oui : pourquoi faites-vous davantage ces choses ?
Si non : pourquoi n’avez-vous pas changé votre comportement ?

Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario L’est de l’Ontario poursuit sa réouverture. Quelles choses sont en train de rouvrir dans votre collectivité ?

Comment vous sentez-vous par rapport à cela ?

Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario Que pensez-vous des restrictions relatives à la COVID-19 qui sont actuellement en vigueur ?
- Comment vous sentez-vous quant à porter un masque et par rapport aux autres lignes directrices de distanciation (tel que rester à 6 pieds l’un de l’autre) ?
Jeunes adultes du Québec, jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary Que pensez-vous des restrictions relatives à la COVID-19 qui sont actuellement en vigueur tel que porter un masque ?
- Est-ce que vous croyez que votre niveau de prudence va changer à l’automne, d’autant plus qu’il y en aura qui retourneront à l’école et seront sans leur famille, ou bien à mesure que le temps se refroidit et que plus de choses sont faites à l’intérieur ?
Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario Alors que les restrictions relatives à la COVID-19 continuent d’être levées dans les semaines et les mois à venir, comment vous sentez-vous par rapport à votre capacité de rester en sécurité ?
- Vous sentiriez-vous en sécurité d’aller dans un restaurant ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
- Comment vous sentez-vous par rapport à aller dans un bar ou une fête ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario Lorsqu’il s’agit d’attraper la COVID-19, est-ce que vous vous inquiétez quant à votre propre santé, quant à la transmettre à d’autres personnes, ou par rapport à ces deux possibilités ?
Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario Et la COVID-19, a-t-elle affecté votre santé mentale ? Est-ce que vous allez mieux, moins bien, ou à peu près aussi bien qu’avant la pandémie ?
Jeunes adultes du Québec, jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary Selon vous, quelle est la raison la plus convaincante de suivre les consignes relatives à la COVID et de se protéger ? Pourquoi ? (SONDAGE)
- Même si la COVID est rarement mortelle pour les jeunes, elle laisse souvent des séquelles permanentes sur la santé
- Si vous contractez la COVID, vous pourriez la transmettre à votre famille ou à d’autres personnes plus vulnérables à la maladie
- Si les gens ne respectent pas les consignes en matière de COVID, nous pourrions avoir une deuxième vague qui aurait pour conséquence de tout fermer à nouveau
Ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies Imaginez que vous parlez à un ou une ami(e) ou à un membre de votre famille qui n’a pas d’enfant. Que leur diriez-vous de l’expérience d’être parent pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 ?
Ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies Pendant la pandémie de COVID-19, les Canadiens de plus de 55 ans ont été qualifiés de population particulièrement « vulnérable ».
- Est-ce que cette étiquette a une résonance pour vous ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
Ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies En pensant à la façon que vos comportements ont ou n’ont pas changés en raison de la COVID-19 :
- Qu’est-ce qui a été le plus grand défi pour vous ?
- Qu’est-ce qui a été plus facile que ce à quoi vous vous attendiez ?
Parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, parents de Vancouver, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Imaginez que vous parlez à un ou une ami(e) ou à un membre de votre famille qui n’a pas d’enfant.
- Que leur diriez-vous de l’expérience d’être parent pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 ?
Parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, parents de Vancouver, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Quels sont les trois mots qui décrivent le mieux ce que c’est que d’être parent pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 ? Veuillez préciser.
Parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, parents de Vancouver, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Est-ce que votre relation avec votre enfant ou vos enfants a changé depuis le début de la pandémie de COVID-19 ?
- Si c’est le cas, qu’est-ce qui a changé ?
- Parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, parents de Vancouver, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Est-ce que vos enfants ont changé de comportement au cours des dernières semaines ?
- Qu’est-ce qu’ils ou elles ont fait ? (Sonder quant à ces éléments : ont commencé à sortir plus souvent ; ont invité des amis à la maison ; rendent visite à des amis, etc.)

ÉVALUATION PUBLICITAIRE – JEUNES ADULTES (45 minutes) Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario, jeunes adultes du Québec, jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary

SCÉNARIMAGE/BANNIÈRE CONCEPTS 1, 2 ET 3
Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario, jeunes adultes du Québec Je vais maintenant vous montrer trois concepts dont le gouvernement du Canada est en train de mettre au point pour une éventuelle publicité relative à
la COVID-19.

Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario, jeunes adultes du Québec Il y a un total de trois concepts qui comprend une bannière publicitaire et une vidéo. Vous remarquerez que la publicité n’est pas dans sa forme définitive. Les images ressemblent plutôt à une bande dessinée (c’est ce que nous appelons un scénarimage) et illustrent ce que vous verriez dans chaque plan de la publicité. Un scénarimage est ce que les annonceurs produisent au début du processus de création afin d’obtenir des illustrations graphiques et une courte narration qui donnent une idée de ce à quoi la publicité pourrait ressembler dans sa version définitive. Le produit final sera une vidéo de 15 secondes réalisée de manière professionnelle et qui sera diffusée par le biais des médias sociaux et des plateformes numériques. Veuillez garder cela à l’esprit pendant que vous regardez la publicité.

AFFICHER LES SCÉNARIMAGES ET BANNIÈRES, PAR CONCEPT, À L’ÉCRAN ET DEMANDER LA SÉRIE DE QUESTIONS SUIVANTES POUR CHACUN DES CONCEPTS. CHAQUE PERSONNE PASSERA EN REVUE LES CONCEPTS INDIVIDUELLEMENT, PUIS UNE DISCUSSION DE GROUPE SUIVRA.

SÉQUENCE DES CONCEPTS :
Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontar CONCEPT 1, 2, PUIS 3
Jeunes adultes du Québec CONCEPT 2, 3 et 1

Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario, jeunes adultes du Québec Quelles sont vos premières impressions de cette publicité ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

Quel est le message principal de cette publicité ?
- Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le plus ? Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le moins ?
- Quelles sont ses plus grandes forces ? Ses faiblesses ?
- Est-ce que le langage est facile à comprendre ? Qu’est-ce qui prête à confusion ou n’est pas
  clair exactement ?
- À qui s’adresse ce message ? Pourquoi dites-vous cela ?
- Est-ce que ça se démarquerait si vous les voyiez en ligne ?
Avez-vous d’autres idées sur ce qui pourrait rendre cette publicité plus efficace ?
Maintenant, laissez-moi vous montrer la bannière publicitaire de ce concept. LE MODÉRATEUR AFFICHERA LA BANNIÈRE PUBLICITAIRE. DEMANDEZ :
Que pensez-vous de cette bannière publicitaire ?
Que pensez-vous précisément des énoncés ? Sont-ils clairs ou prêtent-ils à confusion ?
Qu’en est-il de la signature ? Est-ce qu’elle fonctionne dans le contexte de cette publicité ? Qu’est-ce qu’elle signifie pour vous ?

RÉCAPITULATIF DE LA PUBLICITÉ

Jeunes adultes de l’est de l’Ontario, jeunes adultes du Québec SONDAGE : Des trois concepts, lequel préférez-vous ?
Que préférez-vous du concept X par rapport aux autres ?

SCÉNARIMAGE/BANNIÈRE CONCEPTS 1 (A ET B) ET 2

Jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary Je vais maintenant vous montrer DEUX concepts dont le gouvernement du Canada est en train de mettre au point pour une éventuelle publicité relative à la COVID-19.

Jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary Il y a un total de deux concepts qui comprend une bannière publicitaire et une vidéo. Un des concepts comprend une variante que je vous montrerai séparément. Vous remarquerez que la publicité n’est pas dans sa forme définitive. Les images ressemblent plutôt à une bande dessinée (c’est ce que nous appelons un scénarimage) et illustrent ce que vous verriez dans chaque plan de la publicité. Un scénarimage est ce que les annonceurs produisent au début du processus de création afin d’obtenir des illustrations graphiques et une courte narration qui donnent une idée de ce à quoi la publicité pourrait ressembler dans sa version définitive. Le produit final sera une vidéo de 15 secondes réalisée de manière professionnelle et qui sera diffusée par le biais des médias sociaux et des plateformes numériques. Veuillez garder cela à l’esprit pendant que vous regardez
la publicité.

MONTRER LES SCÉNARIMAGES ET BANNIÈRES PAR CONCEPT ET DEMANDER LA SÉRIE DE QUESTIONS SUIVANTE. CHAQUE PERSONNE PASSERA EN REVUE LES CONCEPTS INDIVIDUELLEMENT, PUIS UNE DISCUSSION DE
GROUPE SUIVRA.

SÉQUENCE DES CONCEPTS :
Jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique,
CONCEPT 1A, 1B, PUIS 2.
Jeunes adultes de Calgary CONCEPT 2, 1A, PUIS 1B.

AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN LE CONCEPT 1A

Jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary Quelles sont vos premières impressions de cette publicité ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

Quel est le message principal de cette publicité ?

Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le plus ? Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le moins ?
Quelles sont ses plus grandes forces ? Ses faiblesses ?
Est-ce que le langage est facile à comprendre ? Qu’est-ce qui prête à confusion ou n’est pas
clair exactement ?
À qui s’adresse ce message ? Pourquoi dites-vous cela ?
Est-ce que ça se démarquerait si vous les voyiez en ligne ?

Dans la publicité, on voit l’amie se gratter le visage, se faire mettre des paillettes sur les doigts, puis remplir un bol de croustilles à partir d’un sachet (image 4), puis mettre une croustille dans sa bouche et se lécher les doigts scintillants (image 5). Et si nous la voyions ensuite quitter la fête et qu’un de ses parents venait la chercher — qu’en pensez-vous ? Pensez-vous que cela rendrait la publicité plus ou moins efficace, ou que cela n’aurait pas fait de différence ?
Avez-vous d’autres idées sur ce qui pourrait rendre cette publicité plus efficace ?
Maintenant, laissez-moi vous montrer la bannière publicitaire de ce concept. LE MODÉRATEUR AFFICHERA LA BANNIÈRE PUBLICITAIRE. DEMANDEZ :
Que pensez-vous de cette bannière publicitaire ?
Que pensez-vous précisément des énoncés ? Sont-ils clairs ou prêtent-ils à confusion ?
Qu’en est-il de la signature ? Est-ce qu’elle fonctionne dans le contexte de cette publicité ? Qu’est-ce qu’elle signifie pour vous ?

Je vais maintenant vous montrer une autre version de cette publicité. Pour celle-ci, nous n’avons qu’un texte, il vous faudra donc imaginer les scènes.

AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN LE CONCEPT 1B

Jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary Que pensez-vous de cette version de l’annonce ? Pensez-vous qu’elle soit plus intéressante en tant que substitut à la première publicité que vous avez vue (lors d’une fête) ou qu’elle soit plus intéressante en tant que suite à la première ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

Dans cette version, on peut entendre : « Le mélange des bulles sociales en vaut-il vraiment la peine ? »

Que pensez-vous de cette phrase ?

AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN LE CONCEPT 2

Jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary Quelles sont vos premières impressions de cette publicité ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

Quel est le message principal de cette publicité ?
- Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le plus ? Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le moins ?
- Quelles sont ses plus grandes forces ? Ses faiblesses ?
- Est-ce que le langage est facile à comprendre ? Qu’est-ce qui prête à confusion ou n’est pas
  clair exactement ?
- À qui s’adresse ce message ? Pourquoi dites-vous cela ?
- Est-ce que ça se démarquerait si vous les voyiez en ligne ?
Avez-vous d’autres idées sur ce qui pourrait rendre cette publicité plus efficace ?
Maintenant, laissez-moi vous montrer la bannière publicitaire de ce concept. LE MODÉRATEUR AFFICHERA LA BANNIÈRE PUBLICITAIRE. DEMANDEZ :
Que pensez-vous de cette bannière publicitaire ?
Que pensez-vous précisément des énoncés ? Sont-ils clairs ou prêtent-ils à confusion ?
Qu’en est-il de la signature ? Est-ce qu’elle fonctionne dans le contexte de cette publicité ? Qu’est-ce qu’elle signifie pour vous ?

RÉCAPITULATIF DE LA PUBLICITÉ

- Jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary : Lequel des concepts préférez-vous ?
- Que préférez-vous du concept X par rapport aux autres ?

PUBLICITÉ COVID (15 minutes) Ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies, parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario

Maintenant, passons à un autre sujet…

Nous allons maintenant passer en revue une éventuelle publicité que le gouvernement du Canada est en train de mettre au point. Je vais vous faire jouer la vidéo, puis nous discuterons de ce que nous en avons pensé.

Vous remarquerez que la publicité n’est pas dans sa forme finale, donc par exemple, elle doit encore être modifiée pour en faire une publicité plus courte, il n’y a pas de musique, etc. Veuillez garder cela à l’esprit pendant que vous regardez la pub. [L’ANIMATEUR INVITERA LES PARTICIPANT(E)S À METTRE LEURS MICROPHONES EN SOURDINE ET À AUGMENTER LE VOLUME SUR LEURS ORDINATEURS]

SÉQUENCE DES CONCEPTS :
Ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies MONTRER D’ABORD PUB1, PUIS IMMÉDIATEMENT SUIVI DE PUB2
Parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario MONTRER D’ABORD PUB2, PUIS IMMÉDIATEMENT SUIVI DE PUB1
(NOTE AU MODÉRATEUR : NE MONTRER CHAQUE VIDÉO QU’UNE SEULE FOIS)

Dans la publicité, nous voyons une femme qui entre dans une fête et qui est couverte de paillettes violettes, puis nous voyons l’homme qu’elle embrasse avec les mêmes paillettes violettes, puis nous les voyons sur des bols, des croustilles, des tasses, etc. Comment interprétez-vous cela ?
- SELON LE BESOIN : est-ce que les paillettes violettes représentent quelque chose pour vous ?
- SI OUI : Que représentent-elles ?
À la fin de chaque clip vidéo, il est écrit « contribuez à limiter la propagation de la COVID-19 ». Lorsque vous avez regardé ces 2 clips, était-il clair que les publicités portaient sur la manière dont la COVID-19 se répand ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?

LES SEXES (10 à 15 minutes) Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary, villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec

Pensez-vous que l’impact économique de la COVID-19 a eu un effet négatif plus important sur les hommes ou les femmes ? Pourquoi ?
- (DEMANDER AUX PARTICIPANTES ET AUX PARTICIPANTS QUI ESTIMENT QU’IL Y A UN IMPACT NÉGATIF PLUS IMPORTANT SUR LES FEMMES) Est-ce que le gouvernement doit en faire davantage pour aider les femmes pendant cette période de relance ?

Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario Récemment, une économiste canadienne a parlé du fait que nous sommes actuellement dans une « she-cession » ou une récession au féminin, c’est-à-dire une récession qui touche particulièrement les femmes, car elles sont plus susceptibles d’avoir des emplois qui impliquent beaucoup d’interaction humaine et qui rendent difficile la distanciation sociale. Certains notent que c’est la raison pour laquelle certains de ces mêmes secteurs à prédominance féminine ont été les premiers à fermer et les derniers à rouvrir et à se rétablir. Dans cette optique, elle propose une « she-covery » ou une relance au féminin, c’est-à-dire une relance économique axée sur le retour des femmes au travail et sur l’augmentation de l’aide à la garde des enfants pour les parents qui travaillent.

Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario C’est dans cet esprit que certaines personnes ont affirmé que nous sommes dans une « she-cession » ou une récession au féminin, et que nous avons besoin d’une « she-covery », autrement dit une reprise au féminin, afin d’aider les femmes pendant cette période de reprise économique. Que pensez-vous de cette façon de décrire les choses ?

IMMIGRATION (50 minutes) Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, immigrants de la RGM, intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique

Maintenant, j’aimerais que vous réfléchissiez à l’immigration au Canada.

Lorsque vous pensez à la reprise économique du Canada au terme de la pandémie de COVID-19, comment voyez-vous la place de l’immigration dans ce contexte, le cas échéant ?
- Voyez-vous une différence entre la façon dont l’immigration s’inscrit dans la reprise économique à court terme et à long terme ?
- De quelle façon est-ce que les immigrants ont un impact positif sur l’économie canadienne ? Y a-t-il des aspects négatifs ?
Avant la COVID-19, le gouvernement du Canada avait annoncé son intention d’admettre environ 350 000 immigrants en 2021. Pensez-vous que ce serait trop, trop peu, ou qu’il s’agit du bon nombre d’immigrants arrivant au Canada ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
Intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique Lorsque vous entendez parler de différents types d’immigrants, quel type d’immigrant vous vient à l’esprit ?
- DEMANDEZ SI NÉCESSAIRE : par exemple, pensez-vous principalement aux travailleurs qualifiés, aux immigrants économiques*, au regroupement familial, ou à autre chose ?

[NOTE À L’INTENTION DU MODÉRATEUR : LA CATÉGORIE DES TRAVAILLEURS QUALIFIÉS EST UN SOUS-ENSEMBLE DES IMMIGRANTS ÉCONOMIQUES]

Intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique Je vais maintenant vous montrer quelques messages que le gouvernement du Canada pourrait communiquer en matière d’immigration. J’aimerais qu’individuellement vous les regardiez et puis nous en discuterons.

Intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique AFFICHER LES OPTIONS À L’ÉCRAN

Le Canada a une histoire d’immigration, et c’est grâce à l’immigration que le Canada est aujourd’hui un pays si prospère.
Les immigrants peuvent être la clé de notre reprise économique, car ils sont plus susceptibles de démarrer des entreprises et de créer des emplois.
Les immigrants contribuent beaucoup au Canada, par exemple une personne sur quatre travaillant dans le secteur de la santé au Canada est issue de l’immigration.
L’immigration aidera le Canada à surmonter plusieurs des défis démographiques auxquels il est confronté en raison du vieillissement de la population.
Des protocoles sanitaires stricts sont en place, notamment des tests de dépistage et une mise en quarantaine obligatoire de deux semaines pour toute personne qui immigre au Canada.

Intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique Je vais procéder à un sondage. J’aimerais que vous choisissiez le message ou les messages, le cas échéant, qui représentent la plus forte raison ou les plus fortes raisons pour faire venir des immigrants au Canada. (Les participant(e)s doivent sélectionner au maximum 1 à 2 messages)
LE MODÉRATEUR SOUMETTRA LE SONDAGE (PLUS FORTE). FIN DU SONDAGE — DIFFUSION DU SONDAGE. AFFICHER LES RÉSULTATS. LE MODÉRATEUR PASSERA EN REVUE LES CHOIX. LE MODÉRATEUR LIRA À HAUTE VOIX LE NOMBRE OU LE POURCENTAGE DE PERSONNES AYANT SÉLECTIONNÉ CHACUN DES MESSAGES ET EN DISCUTER SELON UN ORDRE DÉCROISSANT.
Intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique Parmi celles-ci, y a-t-il de nouvelles informations ? Laquelle ou lesquelles ?
Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, immigrants de la RGM Environ la moitié de tous les immigrants qui viennent au Canada sont issus de la catégorie économique. Comme vous le savez peut-être, les immigrants de la catégorie économique sont des immigrants qui possèdent des compétences et une formation qui les rendent susceptibles à aider l’économie canadienne. Que diriez-vous si le gouvernement du Canada doublait le nombre d’immigrants de la catégorie économique qui viennent au Canada ? (Cela augmenterait alors le niveau global d’immigration d’environ 50 %.)
- (SI L’ON S’OPPOSE À CETTE IDÉE) Et si on le faisait dans quelques années, une fois que la COVID-19 ne sera plus un enjeu ?
Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, immigrants de la RGM Maintenant, en ce qui concerne la sûreté des Canadiens, que doit faire le Canada pour s’assurer que l’immigration au Canada se fait en toute sécurité ?
- Et que doit faire le Canada pour s’assurer que les immigrants et les nouveaux arrivants restent en sécurité lorsqu’ils viennent au Canada ?
Et que doit faire le Canada pour s’assurer que les immigrants et les nouveaux arrivants restent en sécurité lorsqu’ils viennent au Canada ?

Les employeurs peuvent embaucher des travailleurs d’autres pays pour combler des pénuries temporaires de main-d’œuvre et de compétences. Ces travailleurs quittent le Canada à l’expiration de leur permis de travail.

Que pensez-vous du Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires ?
Que pensez-vous de la création d’une voie permettant aux travailleurs étrangers temporaires de devenir des résidents permanents du Canada ? Pensez-vous que c’est une bonne ou une mauvaise idée ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
Que pensez-vous des étudiants étrangers qui viendront étudier au Canada cet automne ? Si les universités sont ouvertes, êtes-vous à l’aise avec ça, pour autant que ces personnes soient mises en quarantaine dès leur arrivée ?
Que pensez-vous si le Canada acceptait des réfugiés cet automne ? Si ces personnes suivent les mesures appropriées relatives aux tests de dépistage et de quarantaine, êtes-vous à l’aise avec ça ?
Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, immigrants de la RGM Je vais maintenant vous montrer quelques messages que le gouvernement du Canada pourrait communiquer en matière d’immigration. J’aimerais qu’individuellement vous les regardiez et puis nous en discuterons.

Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, immigrants de la RGM AFFICHER LES OPTIONS
À L’ÉCRAN

Le Canada a une histoire d’immigration, et c’est grâce à l’immigration que le Canada est aujourd’hui un pays si prospère.
Les immigrants peuvent être la clé de notre reprise économique, car ils sont plus susceptibles de démarrer des entreprises et de créer des emplois.
Les immigrants contribuent beaucoup au Canada, par exemple une personne sur quatre travaillant dans le secteur de la santé au Canada est issue de l’immigration.
L’immigration aidera le Canada à surmonter plusieurs des défis démographiques auxquels il est confronté en raison du vieillissement de la population.
Des protocoles sanitaires stricts sont en place, notamment des tests de dépistage et une mise en quarantaine obligatoire de deux semaines pour toute personne qui immigre au Canada.

Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, immigrants de la RGM Je vais procéder à un sondage. J’aimerais que vous choisissiez le message ou les messages, le cas échéant, qui représentent la plus forte raison ou les plus fortes raisons pour faire venir des immigrants au Canada. (Les participant(e)s doivent sélectionner au maximum 1 à 2 messages.)
LE MODÉRATEUR SOUMETTRA LE SONDAGE (PLUS FORTE). FIN DU SONDAGE — DIFFUSION DU SONDAGE. AFFICHER LES RÉSULTATS. LE MODÉRATEUR PASSERA EN REVUE LES CHOIX. LE MODÉRATEUR LIRA À HAUTE VOIX LE NOMBRE OU LE POURCENTAGE DE PERSONNES AYANT SÉLECTIONNÉ CHACUN DES MESSAGES ET EN DISCUTER SELON UN ORDRE DÉCROISSANT.
Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, immigrants de la RGM Parmi celles-ci, y a-t-il de nouvelles informations ? Laquelle ou lesquelles ?

GRC (15 minutes) Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary , villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies

Est-ce que quelqu’un connaît l’expression « police contractuelle » en ce qu’elle concerne la GRC ?
- FOURNIR DES EXPLICATIONS : En sa qualité du plus important service de police au Canada, la GRC est chargée, entre autres, d’enquêter sur le crime organisé, la cybercriminalité et le terrorisme. Les membres de la GRC sont également affectés aux services de police contractuels, où ils agissent en tant que corps policier local pour de nombreuses municipalités et communautés autochtones. Ceci se fait dans 150 municipalités au Canada, mais pas en Ontario ni au Québec. Le programme de partage des coûts signifie que les provinces et les territoires assument 70 % des coûts des opérations de la GRC sur leur territoire, tandis que le gouvernement fédéral contribue à hauteur des 30 % restants.
Dans l’ensemble, pensez-vous que la police contractuelle est une bonne ou une mauvaise chose ? Pourquoi dites-vous cela ?

L’OBJECTIF DU GOUVERNEMENT (10 minutes) Immigrants de la région du Golden Horseshoe de l’Ontario, jeunes adultes du Québec, jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary, villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, immigrants de la RGM

À quoi pensez-vous lorsque vous entendez le terme « gouvernement activiste » ? Quel genre de choses est-ce qu’un « gouvernement activiste » fait, selon vous ?
Est-ce que vous croyez que le gouvernement du Canada est un gouvernement activiste ? Pourquoi ?
Compte tenu du contexte de la COVID-19 dans lequel nous nous trouvons, pensez-vous que ce serait une bonne ou une mauvaise chose d’avoir un gouvernement qui est plus activiste ?

EMPLOI JEUNESSE (10 minutes) Jeunes adultes du Québec, jeunes adultes de l’intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de la Colombie-Britannique, jeunes adultes de Calgary, villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis

L’Union européenne dispose d’une « Garantie pour la jeunesse » qui garantit que les jeunes qui sont sans emploi ou qui ont terminé leurs études seront orientés vers des apprentissages, des programmes de formation ou un emploi de bonne qualité dans un délai de quatre mois. Le programme accorde des avantages fiscaux aux entreprises qui créent des emplois pour les jeunes et aide à orienter vers ces emplois les jeunes ayant les compétences correspondantes. Les jeunes qui participent à ce programme ont accès à des conseillers(-ères), à une formation linguistique, à une formation axée sur les compétences ainsi qu’à de l’aide pour la rédaction de leur CV et les entrevues d’emploi.
Que diriez-vous si le Canada faisait quelque chose de ce genre ?

Quel serait, selon vous, l’impact de cette initiative ?

ÉCONOMIE (10 minutes) Jeunes adultes du Québec, immigrants de la RGM, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec

J’aimerais maintenant parler un peu de l’économie.
Je vais maintenant vous montrer quelques termes différents pour décrire le type d’économie vers lequel nous pourrions nous orienter. J’aimerais qu’individuellement, vous les lisiez, puis nous en discuterons.
AFFICHER LES OPTIONS À L’ÉCRAN.

Une économie à l’épreuve du temps
Une économie verte
Une économie saine
Une économie moderne
Une économie résiliente
Une économie forte
Solidarité économique

SONDAGE : Je vais procéder à un sondage. J’aimerais que vous choisissiez celui qui représente le type d’économie vers lequel nous devrions nous orienter. (Veuillez choisir jusqu’à deux termes.) LE MODÉRATEUR AFFICHERA LE SONDAGE N° 2 (DÉCRIT LE MIEUX LE TYPE D’ÉCONOMIE VERS LEQUEL NOUS DEVRIONS NOUS ORIENTER). LE MODÉRATEUR PASSERA EN REVUE LES TERMES QUI FURENT SÉLECTIONNÉS ; DEMANDER POURQUOI ILS ONT FAIT CES CHOIX.
Parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Et que signifie « une économie résiliente » pour vous dans ce contexte ?
- Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît, le cas échéant, quant à ce terme ?
- Qu’est-ce qui vous déplaît, le cas échéant, quant à ce terme ?
Et que signifie « solidarité économique » pour vous dans ce contexte ?
- Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît, le cas échéant, quant à ce terme ?
- Qu’est-ce qui vous déplaît, le cas échéant, quant à ce terme ?
Parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Pouvez-vous penser à d’autres mots qui pourraient évoquer le même genre de principe que les termes « résilient » ou « solidarité » ?

LA TARIFICATION DU CARBONE (20-40 minutes) Villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, immigrants de la RGM, ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies

J’aimerais maintenant discuter de changement climatique.

Qu’avez-vous vu, lu ou entendu concernant le changement climatique dernièrement ?
- Et avez-vous vu, lu ou entendu quoi que ce soit concernant le gouvernement du Canada et le changement climatique récemment ?
- AU BESOIN, DEMANDEZ : Avez-vous entendu parler du plan du gouvernement du Canada sur la tarification de la pollution par le carbone ? Que pouvez-vous me dire sur la tarification du carbone ?

ÉCLAIRCISSEMENTS : En 2016, le gouvernement du Canada a annoncé un plan visant à assurer la tarification de la pollution par le carbone dans l’ensemble du pays, en donnant à chaque province et territoire la souplesse nécessaire pour élaborer un système qui convient à leur situation, pour autant qu’il respecte la norme fédérale. Dans les cinq provinces qui ne satisfont pas actuellement à cette norme — l’Ontario, la Saskatchewan, le Manitoba, le Nouveau-Brunswick* et l’Alberta —, le système de tarification fédéral est actuellement en place.

Villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies Est-ce que quelqu’un est au courant de l’Incitatif à agir pour le climat ? Pouvez-vous me le décrire ? Quel était, selon vous, le montant du rabais cette année ?

Villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies Éclaircissement : Toutes les sommes perçues par le système fédéral en Ontario restent en Ontario — 90 % sont directement restituées aux résidents sous la forme d’un paiement incitatif. Les contribuables peuvent réclamer ces montants dans leur déclaration de revenus, et un ménage typique peut ainsi recevoir environ 448 $ cette année. Dix pour cent seront versés aux petites entreprises, aux hôpitaux et aux écoles.

Que pensez-vous de ce plan ?
- Est-ce que vous croyez que c’est un moyen efficace de lutter contre le changement climatique ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
- Pensez-vous qu’il est possible de lutter efficacement contre le changement climatique sans une forme de tarification du carbone ?
  - SI OUI : De quelle façon ?

Villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies Dans le cadre du système fédéral, le taux de la taxe sur les carburants a commencé l’année dernière à 20 $ la tonne d’émissions de dioxyde de carbone et sera de 30 $ la tonne à partir du mois d’avril. Pour les achats d’essence, 30 $ la tonne représente 6,6 cents le litre. Toutefois, il est prévu que la taxe sur le carbone ainsi que le remboursement augmenteront chaque année pour atteindre 50 $ la tonne en 2022, ce qui représente environ 11 cents le litre, avec les paiements incitatifs qui augmenteraient également en conséquence.

Villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, ainés de villes de taille moyenne et de petites villes des Prairies Jusqu’à présent, le plan du gouvernement fédéral ne présente que les grandes lignes du plan pour la période allant jusqu’à 2022, et le gouvernement fédéral devra alors soit continuer à augmenter le prix du carbone, soit le geler à 50 dollars, soit le réduire, ou soit le supprimer complètement. Sur la base de ce que vous savez jusqu’à présent au sujet du plan, que leur recommanderiez-vous de faire ?
Compte tenu de la COVID-19, pensez-vous qu’il soit possible de conjuguer la réduction des émissions de carbone avec la reprise et la croissance de l’économie canadienne ?
- Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?

LES ÉCOLES (40 minutes) Parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, parents de Vancouver, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec

Qu’avez-vous entendu au sujet des plans de retour à l’école dans votre région ?

Parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN
Le gouvernement de l’Ontario a déclaré que les écoles primaires seront équipées pour rouvrir avec des normes de santé et de sécurité accrues, et que les élèves fréquenteront l’école 5 jours par semaine. La fréquentation scolaire en personne sera facultative pour l’année scolaire 2020-2021 afin que les parents puissent prendre des décisions qui conviennent à leurs enfants et à leur famille. Les conseils scolaires offriront un enseignement à distance à tous les élèves qui choisiront cette option.

Parents de Vancouver ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN
Le gouvernement de la Colombie-Britannique a déclaré que les écoles primaires de Vancouver fonctionneront à plein temps et que tous les élèves recevront un enseignement en présentiel dans des groupes d’apprentissage ne dépassant pas 60 élèves. La classe individuelle des élèves sera leur principal groupe d’apprentissage, mais les jeunes seront autorisés à socialiser avec ceux et celles des autres groupes d’apprentissage à l’extérieur, si une distanciation physique est possible. Afin de minimiser les contacts, certaines écoles primaires auront des horaires en décalé pour ramasser et déposer les élèves. Les séances de récréation et les pauses du midi peuvent également être décalées. Les enfants de 6^e et 7^e années devront porter des masques dans les couloirs et lorsque la distance physique n’est pas possible.

Parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN Le gouvernement du Québec a déclaré que la plupart des élèves du secondaire retourneront à l’enseignement en présentiel, et que les élèves resteront dans le même groupe-classe en tout temps*. La distanciation physique ne sera pas nécessaire entre les élèves faisant partie d’un même groupe-classe. Le personnel enseignant se déplacera d’une salle à l’autre selon la matière à enseigner, tandis que les élèves resteront dans le même local. Le port du couvre-visage sera obligatoire pour les élèves lors des déplacements hors des salles de classe, lorsqu’ils se trouveront dans les aires communes et en présence d’élèves n’appartenant pas à leur groupe-classe. Le couvre-visage sera également requis pour ces élèves dans le transport scolaire ou le transport public. [LE MODÉRATEUR DOIT NOTER : QU’EN CE QUI CONCERNE LES ÉLÈVES DE 4e ET 5e SECONDAIRE, LES CENTRES DE SERVICES SCOLAIRES ET LES COMMISSIONS SCOLAIRES (ANGLOPHONES ET À STATUT PARTICULIER) PEUVENT OPTER POUR UNE SOLUTION ALTERNATIVE SI LE RÉAMÉNAGEMENT DE L’HORAIRE DES COURS EST IMPOSSIBLE POUR RESPECTER LE PRINCIPE DES GROUPES-CLASSES STABLES.]

Parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario Avez-vous l’intention d’envoyer vos enfants à l’école en personne ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
Avez-vous des inquiétudes par rapport à les envoyer à l’école en personne ?
- SI OUI : Quels genres de choses vous inquiètent ?
  - AU BESOIN, DEMANDER : La santé de vos enfants ? Que vos enfants vous transmettent la COVID ou la transmettent à d’autres membres de votre famille ? Y a-t-il autre chose ?
À votre avis, de quoi a-t-on le plus besoin pour rendre les choses plus sécuritaires dans les écoles ?
- SONDER : Est-ce que les écoles ont besoin de plus d’espace afin de placer les enfants à plus grande distance les uns des autres ? Doivent-elles embaucher plus de personnel enseignant pour que les classes soient moins nombreuses ? Doivent-elles embaucher plus de personnel d’entretien ménager ? Y a-t-il autre chose ?
Parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit sur ce que le gouvernement du Canada a fait ou a annoncé récemment pour aider à rendre les écoles plus sécuritaires ?
- SI OUI : Qu’avez-vous entendu ?
Parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Le gouvernement du Canada a annoncé qu’il accordait 2 milliards de dollars supplémentaires aux provinces et territoires pour les aider à faire en sorte que les enfants puissent retourner à l’école en toute sécurité. Est-ce que quelqu’un en a entendu parler ?
- Que pensez-vous de cela ? Pensez-vous que cela va aider ?
Parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec Selon vous, y a-t-il autre chose que le gouvernement du Canada pourrait faire afin d’aider les provinces et les territoires à s’assurer que les enfants peuvent retourner à l’école en toute sécurité ?
Parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, Parents de Vancouver L’éducation est une compétence provinciale, mais y a-t-il, selon vous, quoi que ce soit que le gouvernement du Canada pourrait faire pour aider à rendre les écoles plus sécuritaires ?
- SI OUI : Que pourrait-il faire ?
Parents de petites villes et de villes rurales ainsi que de villes du Nord de l’Ontario, Parents de Vancouver Qu’en serait-il si le gouvernement du Canada pouvait mettre à la disposition des écoles les espaces inutilisés des immeubles, afin que les salles de classe soient plus espacées ? Est-ce que cela aiderait ?
- Est-ce que cette idée vous amène à penser à d’autres choses que le gouvernement du Canada pourrait faire pour contribuer à rendre les écoles plus sécuritaires ?

CENTRE D’HÉBERGEMENT ET DE SOINS DE LONGUE DURÉE (15 minutes)Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec

Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit récemment en ce qui concerne les centres d’hébergement et de soins de longue durée (CHSLD) ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?
Les CHSLD sont de compétence provinciale, mais pensez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada pourrait faire quelque chose pour améliorer les CHSLD ?
- SI OUI : Que pourrait-il faire ?
Pensez-vous que l’amélioration des CHSLD est une question de financement additionnel ? De normes claires en matière de qualité des soins ? Des lois et des sanctions pour les opérateurs de CHSLD qui maltraitent les résidents et résidentes ? Autre chose ?

SOUTIEN FINANCIER (30 minutes) Cantons-de-l’Est du Québec

Comment évaluez-vous le travail que fait le gouvernement du Canada quant au soutien financier qu’il apporte aux Canadiennes et aux Canadiens affectés par la COVID-19 ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit au sujet de la Prestation canadienne d’urgence (PCU) récemment ?
- AU BESOIN, DEMANDER : Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit quant à la transition de la PCU vers le régime d’assurance-emploi (AE) ?

ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN
La dernière période d’admissibilité pour laquelle les Canadiens peuvent recevoir la PCU (2 000 $/mois) se termine le 26 septembre. Le gouvernement du Canada a récemment annoncé qu’il prépare une transition visant à transférer le plus grand nombre possible de Canadiens vers le régime d’assurance-emploi à la fin de ce mois-ci.

Que pensez-vous de cette transition de la PCU vers l’assurance-emploi pour les personnes qui auront encore besoin d’un soutien du revenu ? Pensez-vous que ce soit une bonne ou une mauvaise approche ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
Certaines personnes ont dit que la PCU décourage le travail. Qu’en pensez-vous ? Avec la réouverture de l’économie, croyez-vous que dans l’ensemble, la plupart des prestataires de la PCU ne peuvent toujours pas trouver d’emploi, ou pensez-vous qu’il y en a un certain nombre qui choisit de ne pas travailler ?

Pour la plupart des gens, le taux de base servant au calcul des prestations d’assurance-emploi est de 55 % de la rémunération hebdomadaire moyenne assurable, jusqu’à un montant maximal. Actuellement, le montant maximum de la rémunération annuelle assurable est de 54 200 $. Cela signifie que le montant maximum de l’assurance-emploi est de 573 $ par semaine. Pour un certain nombre de Canadiennes et de Canadiens, le montant qui leur serait versé selon ce calcul serait inférieur à celui qui leur est actuellement versé dans le cadre de la PCU (puisqu’il y a beaucoup de personnes au Canada qui gagnent moins de 54 200 $ par an).

Alors que le gouvernement du Canada procède à la transition vers le régime d’assurance-emploi des Canadiennes et des Canadiens qui reçoivent la PCU, croyez-vous que le montant qu’une personne reçoit devrait être calculé selon les modalités habituelles de l’assurance-emploi, ou croyez-vous que tout le monde devrait continuer à recevoir 2 000 $ par mois ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
POUR LES PERSONNES QUI ESTIMENT QU’IL FAUT CONTINUER DE VERSER 2 000 $ : Combien de temps pensez-vous que ce genre de régime d’assurance-emploi bonifié devrait être maintenu ?
Maintenant, j’aimerais que vous réfléchissiez au régime d’assurance-emploi sur le long terme. Imaginons le moment où la COVID cessera d’être un enjeu. Pensez-vous qu’à ce moment-là, il serait sage de conserver le régime d’assurance-emploi sous sa forme actuelle (par exemple, les mêmes conditions d’admissibilité, les mêmes montants de prestations, etc.) ou pensez-vous qu’il faudra y apporter des changements majeurs ?
POUR LES PERSONNES QUI PRÉCONISENT DES CHANGEMENTS MAJEURS : Quels genres de changements sont nécessaires ?
- AU BESOIN, DEMANDER : Par exemple, des montants de prestations plus élevés ? Une plus grande couverture pour les personnes faisant partie de l’économie à la demande (par exemple, les pigistes, les consultant(e)s, les entrepreneur(e)s indépendant(e)s, ceux et celles ayant un contrat temporaire, etc.) ou les travailleurs(-euses) autonomes ? Autre chose ?

Assurance-emploi/Prestations de la relance économique (20 minutes) Parents de Vancouver, intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique, parents de petites villes et de villes de taille moyenne du Québec

AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN :
Le gouvernement du Canada a récemment annoncé qu’il allait amorcer une transition vers un programme d’assurance-emploi simplifié. À l’origine, la PCU devait se terminer à la fin du mois d’août, mais elle a été prolongée de quatre autres semaines. À compter du 27 septembre 2020 :

Les nouveaux demandeurs d’assurance-emploi toucheront un taux de prestation minimum de 400 $ par semaine. Toute personne admissible à l’assurance-emploi devra avoir travaillé 120 heures pour y avoir droit, ce qui est bien inférieur aux critères actuels de l’assurance-emploi — puisqu’un grand nombre de Canadiennes et de Canadiens n’ont pas pu travailler en raison de la pandémie et accumuler le nombre d’heures requis.

Le gouvernement du Canada a également annoncé une série de trois nouvelles prestations de relance économique :

1. La nouvelle Prestation canadienne de la relance économique verserait un montant de 400 $ par semaine pour les travailleurs et travailleuses qui ne sont pas admissibles à l’assurance-emploi — principalement les travailleurs(-euses) autonomes, y compris ceux et celles qui font partie de l’économie à la demande (par exemple, les pigistes, les consultant(e)s, les entrepreneur(e)s indépendant(e)s, ceux et celles ayant un contrat temporaire, etc.)

2. La nouvelle Prestation canadienne de relance économique pour proches aidants verserait 500 $ par semaine à toute personne qui ne peut travailler parce qu’elle doit s’occuper d’enfants ou d’autres personnes à charge qui ont dû rester à la maison (par exemple, elle a dû arrêter de travailler en raison d’une fermeture d’école ou de garderie due à la COVID-19).

3. La nouvelle Prestation canadienne de maladie pour la relance économique verserait 500 $ par semaine pour une période maximale de deux semaines à toute personne qui n’a pas de congés de maladie payés et qui tombe malade ou doit s’isoler pour des raisons liées à la COVID-19.

Que pensez-vous de cette approche ? Est-ce que le taux de prestation minimum et les critères d’admissibilité sont sensés ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
Maintenant, si l’on pense à la transition pour les prestataires de la PCU vers ce nouveau système, quel est, selon vous, l’élément le plus important à considérer ? AFFICHER LES TROIS POINTS À L’ÉCRAN
- S’assurer qu’il n’y a pas de délai d’attente entre les versements effectués à la fin de la PCU et au début du nouveau système.
- S’assurer que toute personne qui reçoit la PCU sera également admissible à l’assurance-emploi ou aux nouvelles prestations
- Tenter de réduire le montant versé et le nombre de personnes qui y sont admissibles afin de réduire le déficit
Combien de temps pensez-vous que les prestations pour les personnes qui ne peuvent pas travailler en raison de la COVID-19 ou parce qu’elles doivent s’occuper de quelqu’un d’autre devront être en place ?

ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN
Le système d’assurance-emploi simplifié et les nouvelles prestations de relance économique seront en place pendant un an et donneront droit à un minimum de 26 semaines de prestations régulières (à l’exception de la Prestation canadienne de maladie pour la relance économique — qui est d’une durée maximale de deux semaines).

Est-ce que cela vous semble raisonnable de les maintenir en place pendant un an ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?

LES OPIOïDES (15 minutes) Parents de Vancouver, intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique

Maintenant, j’aimerais parler d’un tout autre sujet…

Avez-vous entendu quoi que ce soit sur les opioïdes récemment ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?
Pensez-vous qu’il y a une crise des opioïdes au Canada ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
- SI OUI : Quelles sont les raisons de cette crise ? Selon vous, qui est responsable du fait que ceci soit devenu une crise ?

ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN :
Les opioïdes, comme le fentanyl, la morphine, l’oxycodone et l’hydromorphone, sont des médicaments pouvant calmer la douleur. Ces médicaments agissent sur votre esprit, votre humeur et vos processus mentaux. Vous pouvez éprouver un sentiment d’euphorie ou avoir l’impression de « planer ». C’est pourquoi ils peuvent comporter un risque de mauvais usage.

Maintenant, en ce qui concerne un mauvais usage des opioïdes, qui, selon vous, est le plus touché par cela ?
Pensez-vous que la situation des opioïdes (c’est-à-dire le mauvais usage des opioïdes) au Canada s’améliore ou se détériore ?
Que devrait faire le gouvernement du Canada, le cas échéant ?
Certains ont proposé que le gouvernement du Canada décriminalise la possession de drogues illicites pour usage personnel, afin que les personnes souffrant de troubles liés à l’utilisation de substances soient détournées du système de justice pénale et qu’elles soient plutôt orientées vers une approche de soins de santé. Que pensez-vous de cette approche ?

L’APPROCHE DU CANADA (10 minutes)Intérieur de la Colombie-Britannique

Je vais vous montrer une image qui met en évidence l’approche globale du gouvernement du Canada en ce qui concerne la COVID-19.

AFFICHER L’IMAGE À L’ÉCRAN :

En haut de cette image, il est écrit « Vivre avec la COVID ». Pensez-vous que c’est la bonne façon de présenter l’approche du gouvernement du Canada ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
Y a-t-il quelque chose qui a capté votre attention dans cette image, que ce soit dans un bon ou un mauvais sens ? De quelle façon ?

AUTRES ACTUALITÉS (5 minutes) JEUNES ADULTES DE L’EST DE L’ONTARIO

Nous avons beaucoup parlé de la COVID-19 aujourd’hui. Avant que nous nous quittions, avez-vous entendu autre chose dans l’actualité en ce qui concerne le gouvernement du Canada au cours des derniers mois ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?
- POUR CHAQUE SUJET D’ACTUALITÉ QUI EST MENTIONNÉ : Est-ce que d’autres d’entre vous en ont entendu parler ? Qu’en pensez-vous ?

CONCLUSION (5 minutes)

Appendix C – Advertising Concepts

COVID-19 Youth Ad Testing

Storyboard and Banners Concepts

Concept 1

Storyboard

The above storyboard consists of 9 different frames; the first five depict a story and the remaining three consist of text. In the first frame, a young man arrives at a friend’s house. We see that he has colourful glitter on him, especially on his face, but he doesn’t seem notice. In the next frame, the door opens, and we see that there’s a party going on in the next room (music, lighting, etc.) The young man walks in and waves to a couple of people already inside. The young woman whose house this is shows up in the entrance, and the two hug. In the following frame, the young man pulls away from his female friend, and we see that he’s left traces of glitter on her shirt and smears of glitter on her cheeks. Again, nobody seems to notice. In the next frame, the friend scratches her face and gets glitter on her fingers. Then we see her fill up a bowl of chips from a bag. In the next frame, she puts a chip in her mouth and licks her glittery fingers. In the final story frame, we see another hand reaching into the glittery bowl of chip, and the following black text appears on the screen, “Is going to a party really worth it?” The next frame is dark grey with white text reading “Putting yourself at risk puts everyone at risk.” This frame is followed by a similar frame that reads, “Help limit the spread.” The final frame is white with the Government of Canada wordmark in the middle.

Banner

The figure above consists of three frames, all of the same size, font, and colour theme. The left half of the first and top frame is light grey with black font reading, “Is going to a party really worth it?” The right half of the frame depicts a woman and man embracing in a friendly manner, presumably at a party since the female is holding a drink. The man has colourful glitter around his mouth and on his hands, but nobody seems to notice. The left half of the second and middle frame looks identical to the first, but reads, “Putting yourself at risk puts everyone at risk.” The image on the right half of the second frame depicts the same woman as in the first image, now, however, she has glitter on her cheek, shoulder, and in her drink with a group of three people behind her, none of whom notice the glitter. The third and final frame has text reading “Help limit the spread” on the left half of the image, and the right half has a dark grey with black text button reading “Learn how” with the Government of Canada logo and wordmark in white font against a black background at the bottom of the frame.

Concept 1A

Storyboard

The above storyboard consists of 9 different frames; the first five depict a story and the remaining three consist of text. In the first frame, a young man arrives at a friend’s house. We see that he has colourful glitter on him, especially on his face, but he doesn’t seem to notice. In the next frame, the door opens, and we see that there’s a party going on in the next room (music, lighting, etc.) The young man walks in and waves to a couple of people already inside. The young woman whose house this is shows up in the entrance, and the two hug. In the following frame, the young man pulls away from his female friend, and we see that he’s left traces of glitter on her shirt and smears of glitter on her cheeks. Again, nobody seems to notice. In the next frame, the friend scratches her face and gets glitter on her fingers. Then we see her fill up a bowl of chips from a bag. In the next frame, she puts a chip in her mouth and licks her glittery fingers. In the final story frame, we see another hand reaching into the glittery bowl of chip, and the following black text appears on the screen, “Is going to a party really worth it?” The next frame is dark grey with white text reading “Putting yourself at risk puts everyone at risk.” This frame is followed by a similar frame that reads, “Help limit the spread of COVID-19.” The final frame is white with the Government of Canada logo in the middle.

Banner

The figure above consists of three frames, all of the same size, font, and colour theme. The left half of the first and top frame is light grey with black font reading, “Is going to a party really worth it?” The right half of the frame depicts a woman and man embracing in a friendly manner, presumably at a party since the female is holding a drink. The man has colourful glitter around his mouth and on his hands. The left half of the second and middle frame looks identical to the first, but reads, “Putting yourself at risk puts everyone at risk.” The image on the right half of the second frame depicts a hand reaching into a bowl of chips that are covered in glitter. The drink next to the bowl and the people in the image’s background are also covered in glitter, with nobody noticing. The third and final frame has text reading “Help limit the spread of COVID-19.” on the left half of the image, and the right half has a dark grey button reading “Learn how” in black font with the Government of Canada logo and wordmark in white font against a black background at the bottom of the frame.

Concept 1B

Script

Storyboard

Concept 2

Storyboard

Banner

Concept 2A

Storyboard

Banner

The figure above consists of 4 frames. The first frame is divided into two sections; the left section has a light grey background with black text reading “Miss a party?” and the right half of the image shows a cell phone, playing a video of people at a party. The second frame is similarly split in half, with the left side depicting a young man lying in a hospital bed and on a ventilator, looking very sick. The frame’s right half reads, “Or miss a whole month?” against a similar grey background. The third frame is all grey, and the black text in the middle reads, “It’s your call.” The final frame has text reading “Outsmart future outbreaks” on the left half of the image, and the right half has a dark grey button reading “Learn more” in black font with the Government of Canada logo and wordmark in white font against a black background at the bottom of the frame.

Concept 3

Storyboard

Banner

Video Concepts

Video 1

Video 2

Living With COVID Image

Please note: the background colour of the above figure was different during testing.

Continuous Qualitative Data Collection of Canadians’ Views – August 2020

Final Report

Prepared for the Privy Council Office

Supplier name: The Strategic Counsel

Contract number: 35035-182346/001/CY

Contract value: $808,684.50

Award date: June 27, 2019

Delivery date: October 7, 2020

Registration number: POR-005-19

For more information on this report, please email por-rop@pco-bcp.ca

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.

Continuous Qualitative Data Collection of Canadians’ Views

Final Report

Prepared for the Privy Council Office

Supplier Name: The Strategic Counsel

August 2020

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Rapport final - Collecte continue de données qualitatives sur les opinions des canadiens – août 2020.

This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from the Privy Council Office. For more information on this report, please contact the Privy Council Office at: por-rop@pco-bcp.ca or at:

Privy Council OfficeBlackburn Building 85 Sparks Street, Room 228 Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A3

Catalogue Number:

International Standard Book Number (ISBN):

Related publications (registration number: POR-005-19):

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2020

Political Neutrality Certification

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: __________________________________

Donna Nixon, Partner The Strategic Counsel

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

In addition to the pandemic, discussion broached other topics including youth employment, carbon pricing, immigration, contract policing, the opioid crisis and government activism.

As a note of caution when interpreting the results from this study, findings of qualitative research are directional in nature only and cannot be attributed quantitatively to the overall population under study with any degree of confidence.

Methodology

Overview of Groups

Detailed Approach

Group Locations and Composition

Key Findings

Part I: COVID-19 Related Findings

Perceptions on Government of Canada’s Response to COVID-19 (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants, Quebec Eastern Townships)

Awareness of COVID Alert App (U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents)

Canada-U.S. Issues (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, GMA Immigrants, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Eastern Townships Quebec)

Overall

Some expressed that their recreational activities had changed. More people were taking up outdoor pursuits and there were comments made by a number of individuals about developing new pastimes and hobbies such as sewing and other creative outlets.

The level of commitment to personal precautions varied from group to group, and there were some who did not believe in the utility of masks at all, while others commented that masking should have been instituted at a much earlier phase in the pandemic.

Seniors (Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors)

Parents (Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

Gender (Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Eastern Townships Quebec)

Economy (Quebec Young Adults, GMA Immigrants, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

Participants in three of the focus groups held through the month of August were shown seven possible options for describing the type of economy that Canada could be aiming for and asked to select up to two:

Financial Support: Transition from CERB to EI and Recovery Benefits (Eastern Townships Quebec, Vancouver Parents, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

Participants were generally aware of the ending of the Canada Emergency Recovery Benefit (CERB) and the transition to Employment Insurance (EI), in addition to a range of new recovery benefits. Awareness was noticeably higher among participants in groups that were held towards the end of the month.

Re-opening Schools (Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents, Vancouver Parents, Mid-size and Small Town Quebec Parents)

When prompted to think of ways to make schools safer, participants generated the following ideas (from most to least mentioned):

Long-Term Care Homes (Eastern Townships Quebec)

COVID-19 Youth Ad Testing (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents)

Storyboard and Banner Concepts (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults)

Video Concepts (Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors, Small, Rural, and Northern Towns Ontario Parents)

Canada’s Approach (Interior B.C.)

Part II: Other Issues

Government Objective (Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, GMA Immigrants)

Youth Employment (Quebec Young Adults, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario)

Participants across the five groups noted above, four of which were comprised exclusively of young adults, were provided with some information explaining the European Union’s Youth Guarantee.

At the same time, participants did have some questions and concerns with the approach, including how the program would be funded, program set up and eligibility criteria. Some also cautioned about the loss of lower-paid, less desired jobs that are currently filled by this demographic.

Carbon Pricing (U.S. Border Towns, GMA Immigrants, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors)

Immigration (Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants, Interior B.C.)

Contract Policing (Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, Interior B.C. Young Adults, Calgary Young Adults, B.C. Young Adults, U.S. Border Towns Ontario, Mid-size and Small Town Prairies Seniors)

Opioids (Vancouver Parents, Interior B.C.)

Additionally, participants generated a number of potential solutions with regards to how the Government of Canada could help support the crisis that included:

Other Federal Government News and Issues (Eastern Ontario Young Adults)

MORE INFORMATION

The Strategic Counsel

Contract number: 35035-182346/001/CY

Contract award date: June 27, 2019

Contract value: $808,684.50

Detailed Findings – Part I: COVID-19

Timeline of August Announcements

In order to help place the focus group discussions within the context of key events which occurred during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic period, below is a quick reminder of the timeline in Canada at the end of July and throughout the month of August.

COVID-19 Related News

Perceptions of the Government of Canada’s Response to COVID-19 (Eastern Ontario Young Adults, Golden Horseshoe Ontario Immigrants, GMA Immigrants, Quebec Eastern Townships)

When participants were prompted with the question about the Government of Canada’s response to the pandemic, most participants were positive and felt that the actions it had taken had been appropriate given the situation they faced.

Privy Council Office
Blackburn Building
85 Sparks Street, Room 228
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A3

Donna Nixon, Partner
The Strategic Counsel