Continuous Qualitative Data Collection of Canadians’ Views – July & August 2021

Final Report

Prepared for the Privy Council Office

Supplier name: The Strategic Counsel
Contract number: 35035-182346/001/CY
Contract value: $1,618,838.00
Award date: December 18, 2020
Delivery date: November 19, 2021

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
July & August 2021
This public opinion research report presents the results of a series of focus groups conducted by The Strategic Counsel on behalf of the Privy Council Office. The tenth and eleventh cycle of the second year of the study included a total of ten focus groups with Canadian adults (18 years of age and older) between July 7th and August 10th, 2021.
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Rapport final - Collecte continue de données qualitatives sur les opinions des canadiens – juillet et août 2021.
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 Office
Blackburn Building
85 Sparks Street, Room 228
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A3

Catalogue Number:

CP22-185/22-2021E-PDF

International Standard Book Number (ISBN):

978-0-660-41103-3

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

CP22-185/22-2021F-PDF (Final Report, French)
978-0-660-41104-0
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2021

Political Neutrality Certification

I hereby certify as a Senior Officer of The Strategic Counsel that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications – Appendix C – Mandatory Procedures for Public Opinion Research.
Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.
Signed: __________________________________
Date: November 19, 2021
Donna Nixon, Partner
The Strategic Counsel

Table of Contents

Executive Summary
1
Introduction
1
Methodology
2
Key Findings
4
Part I: COVID-19 Related Findings
4
Government of Canada in the News (All Locations)
4
COVID-19 Outlook/Vaccines (All Locations)
5
COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination (Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)
6
Part II: Other Issues
8
Indigenous Issues (Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)
8
Opioids (Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults)
9
Western Economic Diversification Canada Branding (Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)
10
Housing (Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)
11
Local Priorities (Nunavut)
12
Electric Vehicles (Trois-Rivières)
13
Detailed Findings – Part I: COVID-19
15
Timeline of July & August Announcements
15
Government of Canada in the News (All Locations)
18
Other Government of Canada Initiatives (Ontario-U.S. Border Towns Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)
19
Bill 96 (Quebec Anglophones)
21
High Frequency Rail Service (Trois-Rivières)
21
COVID-19 Outlook/Vaccines (All Locations)
22
COVID-19 Outlook (Ontario-U.S. Border Towns Men in their 30s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated)
22
Vaccinations (Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois Rivières)
23
Borders and Travel Restrictions (Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)
24
COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination (Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)
27
Opinions on a Domestic Proof of Vaccination Program
29
Detailed Findings – Part II: Other Issues
31
Indigenous Issues (Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)
31
Government of Canada Initiatives and Priorities
32
Opioids (Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults)
37
Western Economic Diversification (Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)
39
Reaction to Creative Concepts (British Columbia)
39
Reaction to Creative Concepts (Alberta and Saskatchewan)
42
Housing (Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)
46
Government of Canada Support to Home Buyers
47
Priorities for the Government of Canada (Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)
48
Local Priorities (Nunavut)
50
Food Availability and Cost
51
Housing
52
Resource Development
53
Local Languages
53
Electric Vehicles (Trois-Rivières)
53
Appendix A – Recruiting Scripts
55
English Recruiting Script
56
French Recruiting Script
73
Appendix B – Discussion Guides
90
English Moderators Guide
91
French Moderators Guide
107
Appendix C – Advertising Concepts
126
Western Economic Diversification Canada Branding (Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)
127
British Columbia Concept A (Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults)
127
British Columbia Concept B (Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults)
128
Prairies Concept A (Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)
129
Prairies Concept B (Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)
130

Executive Summary

Introduction

The Communications and Consultation Secretariat of the Privy Council Office (PCO) commissioned The Strategic Counsel (TSC) to conduct continuous cycles of focus group research across the country with members of the public on key national issues, events, and policy initiatives related to the Government of Canada.

The broad purpose of this ongoing qualitative research program is three-fold: to explore the dimensions and drivers of public opinion on the most important issues facing the country; to assess perceptions and expectations of the federal government’s actions and priorities, and; to inform the development of Government of Canada communications so that they continue to be aligned with the perspectives and information needs of Canadians, while remaining both clear and easy-to-understand.

The research is intended to be used by the Communications and Consultation Secretariat within PCO in order to fulfill its mandate of supporting the Prime Minister’s Office in coordinating government communications. Specifically, the research will ensure that PCO has an ongoing understanding of Canadians’ opinions on macro-level issues of interest to the government, as well as emerging trends.

This report includes findings from 10 online focus groups which were conducted between July 7th and August 10th, 2021 in multiple locations across the country including Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. Details concerning the locations, recruitment, and composition of the groups are shown in the section below.

The research for this cycle of focus groups focused primarily on COVID-19, as the pandemic continued in Canada. Related to COVID-19, topics explored included what Canadians were hearing about the Government of Canada in the news, their outlook on COVID-19, their views on the spread of the virus throughout the summer months, and COVID-19 vaccines. On the topic of COVID-19 vaccinations, the discussion included perspectives on how vaccination status was impacting Canada’s international travel requirements and regulations, participants own travel plans, and Canada’s current and upcoming changes to border restrictions. The research also explored views on proof of vaccination credentials and potential names for a Canada-wide vaccination document.

In addition to the pandemic, non-COVID-19 related discussions were undertaken on a range of topics including Indigenous issues, opioids, branding for Western Economic Diversification, housing, local priorities in Nunavut and electric vehicles.

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

Target audience

  • Canadian residents, 18 and older.
  • Groups were split primarily by location.
  • Some groups focused on specific subgroups of the population including men in their 30s, women aged 18-29, men aged 18-29 who were planning to travel abroad or domestically in the near future, those who were fully vaccinated, women in their 30s planning to travel abroad or domestically in the near future, Anglophones residing in Quebec and those who had travelled either domestically or internationally recently.

Detailed Approach

  • 10 focus groups across various regions in Canada.
  • Two groups were conducted with the general population in Nunavut and Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
  • The other eight groups were conducted with key subgroups including:
    • Men in their 30s residing in Ontario-U.S. border towns;
    • Women, aged 18-29, residing in mid-size and major centres in British Columbia;
    • Men, aged 18-29, who were planning to travel abroad or domestically in the near future residing in the Greater Montreal Area (GMA);
    • Those who were fully vaccinated residing in Atlantic Canada;
    • Women in their 30s who were planning to travel abroad or domestically in the near future residing in Alberta and Saskatchewan;
    • Those who were fully vaccinated residing in mid-size and major centres in Quebec;
    • Anglophones residing in Quebec; and
    • Those who travelled recently residing in Barrie, Ontario.
  • Groups in Quebec, with the exception of the group with Anglophones residing in Quebec were conducted in French, while all others were conducted in English.
  • All groups for this cycle were conducted online.
  • A total of 8 participants were recruited for each group, assuming 6 to 8 participants would attend.
  • Across all locations, 70 participants attended, in total. Details on attendance numbers by group can be found below.
  • Each participant received an honorarium. The incentive ranged from $100 to $125 per participant, depending on the location and the composition of the group.

Group Locations and Composition

LOCATION GROUP LANGUAGE DATE TIME (EST) GROUP COMPOSITION NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
Ontario-U.S. Border Towns 1 English July 7 6:00-8:00 pm Men in their 30s 7
Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. 2 English July 8 9:00-11:00 pm Women, aged 18-29 8
Greater Montreal Area (GMA) 3 French July 15 6:00-8:00 pm Men, aged 18-29 planning to travel abroad or domestically in the near future 6
Atlantic Canada 4 English July 20 5:00-7:00 pm Fully vaccinated 8
Alberta/Saskatchewan 5 English July 22 8:00-10:00 pm Women in their 30s planning to travel abroad or domestically in the near future 6
Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec 6 French July 27 6:00-8:00 pm Fully vaccinated 8
Nunavut 7 English July 29 6:00-8:00 pm Gen pop 5
Quebec 8 English Aug 4 6:00-8:00 pm Anglophones 8
Barrie 9 English Aug 5 6:00-8:00 pm Those who travelled recently 8
Trois-Rivières 10 English Aug 10 6:00-8:00 pm Gen pop 7
Total number of participants 70

Key Findings

Part I: COVID-19 Related Findings

Government of Canada in the News (All Locations)

Participants had seen, read or heard about a variety of issues and activities pertaining to the federal government, much of which they were picking up via various social media platforms, by word-of-mouth or through traditional channels (e.g., television and radio). Most commonly, participants mentioned having heard about aspects of the federal government’s ongoing management of and response to the pandemic as well as its response to the discovery of unmarked gravesites at residential schools. With respect to issues related to COVID-19, many were aware of the expected reopening of the Canada-U.S. land border to fully-vaccinated travelers and several made reference to the impending Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) strike and its potential impact on reopening. Participants also pointed to discussions regarding the introduction of a proof-of-vaccination system, also referred to as vaccine ‘passports,’ and this topic raised questions among some about the status of those who had received mixed doses of the vaccine. On the issue of the unmarked graves of Indigenous children at residential school sites, participants expressed shock and concern regarding the size and scale of these discoveries. In addition to these two topics, participants commented on the appointment of the new Governor General of Canada in a positive manner.

When asked to consider other issues beyond COVID-19 on which the Government of Canada had taken action within the last five years, participants mentioned various initiatives centering on child care, the environment and climate change, pipelines, Internet regulation, and the LGBTQ2 community.

Participants offered generally positive evaluations of the Government of Canada on its environmental initiatives, its focus on equity-seeking groups, and its handling of the pandemic, specifically procurement and distribution of the vaccines as well financial supports for individuals and businesses. They were somewhat more critical about other aspects of the federal government’s response to COVID-19, including what they perceived to be a slower rollout of vaccinations compared to some other developed countries, and concerns about Canada’s willingness to donate excess domestic vaccine doses to developing countries. Some also felt that the ongoing recovery benefits were becoming a disincentive to work and that the federal government could be more transparent in sharing information with the public about the state of the pandemic and the current status of public health measures. Beyond this, a perceived lack of progress on Indigenous issues such as clean drinking water, as well as general concerns about rising housing prices across Canada were raised by some participants.

Participants in the group comprised of Anglophones in Quebec were asked about Bill 96 (a proposed amendment to the Constitution to recognize Quebec as a nation and French as its only official and common language). Many were at least minimally familiar with the Bill and reaction to it was mixed – some felt it was important to protect the French language, while others believed that the legislation would pose greater difficulties for new immigrants to Quebec in terms of their ability to fully integrate into life in the province. While participants thought the federal government could do more to protect minority language rights in Canada, and specifically the rights of English-speaking Quebecers, some also commented on the need to protect and promote the French language as well as Indigenous languages.

In Trois-Rivières, participants discussed the Government of Canada’s announcement of a new high speed rail service passing through the city, of which several were aware. Reaction to this announcement was largely positive. Participants commented that the proposed dedicated rail corridor would establish stronger links between the major centres along the route. They also felt that connecting through Trois-Rivières would be beneficial to their community and that the rail service would provide a convenient alternative to traveling by vehicle.

COVID-19 Outlook/Vaccines (All Locations)

Participants were generally optimistic about Canada’s progress with respect to COVID-19, with many believing the situation would improve through the summer given what they perceived to be a rapid and reasonably widespread uptake of vaccinations combined with a drop in transmission rates and cases of COVID-19. Those who tended to be more pessimistic expressed concerns about the spread of the Delta variant, the potential for breakthrough cases among vaccinated Canadians, concerns about the unvaccinated population, and worries that reopening the border to international travelers would result in a surge of the virus.

Regardless of their outlook, many participants remained anxious about the possibility of a fourth wave. The sense was that general fatigue with restrictions, a likely uptick in travel, students returning to school and colder weather driving gatherings indoors would create the conditions for increased transmission. Despite this, most participants felt that high rates of vaccinations would preclude the need for another lockdown if cases did spike.

In a select number of groups (Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travellers, and Trois-Rivières) participants discussed efforts to increase vaccine uptake. The consensus view was that the approach taken by the federal government to encourage vaccinations had been adequate and many were concerned that an additional push could be viewed as coercive. While some suggestions were offered to encourage further uptake (e.g., continued communications emphasizing vaccine efficacy, targeted outreach to individuals who may have less access, and limitations on activities among the unvaccinated), most did not feel that a cash incentive was either necessary or appropriate.

In nine of the ten groups undertaken during July and August, participants discussed changes to existing quarantine requirements for returning Canadian travelers. Many recalled that the new rules would no longer require a mandatory hotel quarantine and that restrictions, in general, would be loosened for fully vaccinated Canadians, permanent residents, and essential travelers. Reaction was positive to these changes as participants felt that the quarantine had been costly for travelers and was difficult to enforce. They also believed that more latitude should be provided to fully-vaccinated Canadian travelers returning home. Nevertheless, a few participants were uneasy about relaxing existing travel restrictions expressing concerns about the transmission of the new variants among the traveling public. Still others advocated for full removal of restrictions on the basis that they perceived them to be overly strict, intrusive and discriminatory to those who are unable to be vaccinated for medical or other reasons.

Participants were informed that the joint border agreement between Canada and the United States, renewed on a month-by-month basis since March 2020, was once again up for renewal on July 21st. Asked if they believed the agreement should be renewed for another month, many urged the Government of Canada to be cautious and avoid rushing into reopening the border too quickly. Concerns focused on the level of vaccinations in Canada and a desire to increase uptake before reopening, as well as continued high rates of transmission of the COVID-19 in some areas of the United States. At the same time, participants felt that the federal government’s approach to reopening the border, and specifically it being dependent on reaching a target of 75% of Canadians being fully vaccinated, was reasonable and achievable within the next few months.

Several specific scenarios regarding reopening Canada-U.S. borders were discussed with participants. Of the five scenarios presented, only one was strongly favoured by participants. This involved the U.S. Government opening the border to non-essential Canadian travel, even if Canada kept its borders closed to non-essential U.S. travel into Canada. This scenario was deemed reasonable from both an economic and safety perspective given high vaccination rates in Canada and wide access to vaccines in the United States. Participants were less comfortable with the other scenarios discussed. Reactions were mixed to the announcement that the Government of Canada would begin allowing all fully vaccinated U.S. citizens into Canada as soon as August 9th, and then extending to fully vaccinated travellers from other countries by September 7th. Participants were concerned about the spread of the variants with increased international travel and lower vaccine uptake in the United States. Many also expressed concern about opening the border to all fully vaccinated Americans, rather than just essential travellers as well as the scenario of fully reopening to all travellers, in addition to those from the United States for the same reasons as noted earlier. Finally, most participants were opposed to any scenario which permitted unvaccinated travellers be allowed to enter Canada for non-essential travel. They did not see any urgent or compelling reason to open up Canada’s borders to unvaccinated, non-essential travelers.

COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination (Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)

Most participants had heard at least something about the introduction of proof of vaccination credentials, often referred to as vaccine ‘passports.’ In discussing their initial opinions on this matter, participants raised issues around privacy, concerns about other countries not recognizing those who received mixed doses, the possible extension of a vaccine ‘passport’ domestically for restaurants, bars, and other venues, and the fact that it was thought to be a controversial issue in the United States.

It was explained to participants that the Government of Canada was working with the provinces and territories to provide Canadians with a document that demonstrates their COVID-19 vaccination history and that a series of possible names for this program were being considered – Proof of vaccination status, Canadian proof of vaccination, Canadian vaccine certificate, Proof of vaccination credential, Canadian vaccine passport, and Vax Pass. Of the various options, participants tended to prefer Proof of vaccination status and Canadian vaccine certificate. There was a modest level of support for Canadian vaccine passport, Vax Pass, and Proof of vaccination credential while relatively few chose Canadian proof of vaccination.

General feedback from participants revealed that that many participants did not see the need to include ‘Canadian’ in the name, feeling it was self-explanatory and somewhat redundant. A few participants mentioned that the term ‘passport’ could be misleading or misinterpreted in that it gave the impression that the document was intended for use only by travelers when in all likelihood they felt it would be required for a wider array of activities. Many of the longer names (e.g., Proof of vaccination credential) were also pointed to as overly wordy. Ultimately, participants leaned more towards those names which they felt intuitively explained the purpose of the document. Several additional suggestions for names were generated from this discussion – Vaccine Certificate, Vaccine Record, and Record of Vaccination – based on a desire to link the proof of vaccination for COVID-19 to existing immunization records typically held by Canadians. Others suggested a more personalized option: My Vaccination Pass (or MVP as an acronym).

Participants were asked how they felt about employing a proof-of-vaccination system for various circumstances as follows:

  • Domestic air travel – Some participants reacted strongly in favour while others were opposed. The former group felt that it would be helpful in keeping Canadians safe and viewed it as a necessary step towards getting back to normal. The latter group felt it was unnecessary to be required to declare one’s vaccination status for short flights across the country and saw this as overreach on the part of the Government of Canada.
  • Large gatherings, such as concerts or sporting events – Reaction varied within and across groups. Those who favoured implementation of the proof of vaccination program for large gatherings felt it was necessary given the lack of social distancing possible at these types of events. Those who opposed the idea felt it was discriminatory and that the positive mental health impact of being able to attend concerts and sports events outweighed any risk of exposure.

On balance, however, participants generally felt that implementing this type of measure would likely encourage more Canadians to get vaccinated. They had few concerns about privacy issues, although some did express discomfort that a proof of vaccination program would create a two-tiered system in Canada of vaccinated and unvaccinated Canadians.

Part II: Other Issues

Indigenous Issues (Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)

In nine of the ten focus groups conducted through July and August, discussions were held regarding issues affecting Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. Overwhelmingly, participants felt Indigenous issues deserved significantly more attention and should be a high priority for the federal government. Several areas were identified as immediate priorities including housing, infrastructure, mental health and education. Other priorities included greater autonomy for Indigenous peoples and revisiting the Indian Act.

When presented with a list of specific initiatives targeted towards Indigenous peoples and communities, participants broadly pointed to the removal of long-term boil water advisories as the area in which the most immediate difference could be made. Many also felt that a commitment to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) could have a tangible impact, providing the foundation for improving a wide range of issues currently facing Indigenous communities.

While many felt that the Government of Canada had made some progress in addressing Indigenous issues, they also believed much more needed to be done and looked to the federal government for continued action.

In several groups participants were asked to consider five specific issues affecting Indigenous Canadians and provide their thoughts as to which one the Government of Canada should prioritize. These issues included ensuring clean drinking water on all reserves, getting more Indigenous Canadians into post-secondary education, helping survivors of residential schools cope with their trauma, improving the infrastructure gap on reserves, and improving the quality of primary and secondary education on Indigenous reserves. Overwhelmingly, most participants identified ensuring access to clean drinking as the top priority, describing it as an essential need and a basic human right. Many also viewed access to education as a fundamental right and, as such, improving the quality of primary and secondary education on Indigenous reserves was identified as necessary in order to provide Indigenous youth with the foundation to continue on to the post-secondary level and ensure they develop the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. The remaining three issues were seen as priorities by some participants, but did not resonate to the same extent.

Participants discussed the progress in terms of addressing access to clean water on reserves. While some saw the lifting of 108 boil water advisories as a positive step and evidence of some progress, many were disappointed at the extensive nature of the issue and felt the 32 reserves remaining was still too many. When asked whether they thought the Government of Canada was on the right or the wrong track when it comes to addressing this issue, reaction ranged from positive to neutral or unsure. While some acknowledged that progress had been made, others questioned how long it had taken to address the issue and whether the work done would provide a permanent solution.

Focusing on primary and secondary education on Indigenous reserves, participants were informed that the Government of Canada had provided funding for 66 new schools and renovations to 86 schools on Indigenous reserves and that, of the 66 new schools, 27 have been completed while the others are in progress. Most responded positively, seeing these investments as encouraging and as evidence of progress. At the same time, several participants thought that this funding needed to extend to recruiting qualified teaching staff as well as to developing a suitable curriculum for Indigenous students. On balance, most believed these initiatives reflected progress and were evidence that the Government of Canada was on the right track in terms of addressing education needs on Indigenous reserves.

Opioids (Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults)

Participants in the one group where the topic of opioids was discussed were generally familiar with the issue. For some, the topic was highly personal. Many were of the view that the opioid crisis impacted all segments of society, although they felt that the issue was frequently positioned as one which mainly affected marginalized groups, particularly those with mental health issues. While they felt that the victims of this crisis were predominantly from low income families, they remarked that those with higher household incomes were better able to access needed support services and treatment.

In further conversation, participants were shown a list outlining potentially what or who might be responsible for the current problem. Most pointed to physicians not prescribing properly and to drug companies making unsafe products as root causes. During the discussion participants also noted other issues which they felt contributed to the crisis, including inadequate treatment of those with opioid addictions within the health care system, aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies and a general stigma related to drug use which they felt resulted in a lack of public education about the risks. Other factors such as gangs, lack of policing, people making poor decisions, and poor border control were viewed as less consequential by comparison.

Recommendations as to what the Government of Canada should do to respond to the situation centered on increased investments in harm reduction facilities, a greater focus on destigmatizing and decriminalizing illegal drug use, redirecting funding from policing to rehabilitation and treatment for those with addictions, as well as more thorough regulation of the research and approvals processes for pharmaceutical companies.

Participants were mostly unaware of a plan by the City of Vancouver to gain Health Canada approval for the decriminalization of small amounts of illicit drugs. Regardless, many were supportive of the Government of Canada decriminalizing illicit drugs for personal use so that those with a substance use disorder are diverted from the criminal justice system towards a health care approach instead. Responses were mixed when asked if they believed a health care approach to substance use would aid in decreasing stigma and allow those struggling with addiction to more readily seek treatment. Several thought it would result in people seeking more help if they did not have to fear penalties in the form of charges or a conviction for a criminal offence. Others were less certain that a health care approach would make a significant difference. A few outright disagreed believing that decriminalization might result in increased levels of addiction.

Western Economic Diversification Canada Branding (Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)

In two groups held among those residing in western Canada, participants were shown two creative concepts developed by the Government of Canada. Two different sets of concepts, included in the Detailed Findings and Appendix, were shown to participants in each of the two groups who were told these were in draft format and that they would ultimately be displayed in brochures or signage, on websites or social media. Following exposure to each concept, participants were asked for their reaction and for feedback in terms of their visual appeal and overall impact, including the extent to which the concepts gave them a sense of what Western Economic Diversification does.

Among participants in British Columbia, most preferred Concept A (showing a woman smiling, with a blue and green backdrop and hexagonal shapes) over B (various workers shown, with a dark blue backdrop). The former was viewed as more eye-catching. Participants commented favourably on the colorful approach, attractive images (e.g., smiling woman prominently featured), and the uncluttered look. Overall, the creative technique was viewed as cohesive and appealing. At the same time, participants questioned the extensive use of hexagonal shapes and lines which they found to be distracting and confusing. By comparison, the color palette in Concept B was described as monochromatic. Although Concept B was less preferred, participants did comment positively on the inclusion of images of individuals who appeared to be employed in the skilled trades. They also liked the use of imagery which evoked references to Indigenous culture which they felt was important and somewhat unique to British Columbia.

Participants in Alberta and Saskatchewan were exposed to a different set of concepts. In this group, Concept B (images within a letter P shape, with ‘plus’ symbols and a muted colour tone) was preferred over Concept A (bright colours, including filtered images). The more muted tones employed in Concept B appealed to participants and the colour palette reminded them of a Prairie sunset. On a more critical note, participants felt the use of a ‘plus’ sign as a creative element throughout Concept B was typically something that was more associated with health care communications, rather than messaging about the economy. Otherwise, the images employed in this creative were thought to be suitable representations of the Prairie region.

None of the concepts were viewed as clearly relaying the mandate of Western Economic Diversification. That said, the images included in Concept B shown to participants in British Columbia more clearly evoked a sense of employment and economic growth, while the color tones and imagery employed in Concept B shown to those in Alberta and Saskatchewan were strongly associated with life on the Prairies.

Housing (Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)

Participants in five groups discussed the topic of housing. In all groups, most participants were of the view that housing prices had increased over the past year, with some commenting that prices had risen quite dramatically. Several mentioned that increases in housing prices were similarly affecting the rental market in their region, and that rental rates were also rising. Some participants were more personally affected by this issue than others, specifically younger participants still paying off student loans and unable to save for a down payment. Other long-time homeowners also felt negatively affected by the trend of rising house prices, especially those selling a home and building or purchasing another. Conversely, property owners and landlords viewed themselves as benefiting from the current housing market.

Participants pointed to several factors which they felt were contributing to rising housing prices in Canada: speculators, low housing stock, low mortgage rates, migration from larger to smaller urban centres, and shifting priorities as a result of the pandemic. Many were of the view that provincial governments likely had the most agency or control to address this issue given their influence with respect to property taxes and rental markets. At the same time, several felt housing prices were almost entirely a factor of market forces while a few did feel that the federal government could exert some influence by using monetary policy to adjust the level of interest rates.

When asked what the Government of Canada had done to support individuals seeking to buy a home, many pointed to assistance for first time homebuyers. Participants mentioned specific aspects of the First Time Home Buyers Incentive such as 5% towards the purchase of a newly constructed or resale home. Others noted (referring to the Home Buyers Plan, though not explicitly by name) that the federal government had extended provisions to permit individuals to withdraw funds from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to put towards the purchase of a home, without being taxed on the withdrawal. Asked if there was anything else the Government of Canada should do to make home ownership more feasible, participants underscored the need to make home ownership more accessible for those who aspire to it, particularly renters. They suggested providing low interest loans or grants to assist prospective homebuyers with their initial down payment as well as permitting homeowners to deduct the interest on mortgages on their tax returns.

Homeowners were asked how they would feel if the Government of Canada took actions that resulted in lowering housing prices. Most acknowledged the need to address the issue of affordable housing, but indicated they would be disappointed and worried if the value of their own home declined. Long-time homeowners were less concerned believing they did not stand to lose much when considering the value they had amassed in their respective properties over the long-term.

Participants were shown a list of potential factors contributing to high housing prices and asked to select one or two issues they believed the Government of Canada should change. These included foreign buyers purchasing houses as investment properties and not utilizing them, zoning laws preventing new developments, the practice of house flipping, allowing blind bidding, and criteria for down payments being prohibitively high. Most focused on the issues of foreign buyers and the bidding process – identifying these as primary drivers of increasing housing prices and areas where the federal government could initiate positive change.

In select groups, participants discussed construction of additional co-op housing units as a potential solution to the issue of housing supply and affordability. They felt that adding to the supply of co-op housing in Canada would create more opportunities for younger homebuyers as a path to home ownership. Additionally, participants believed that federal action in this area was required, feeling that constructing co-op housing units was a less lucrative business line for developers and that, as such, they would be unlikely to invest in this type of housing without an incentive.

The idea of rent-to-own programs, where people could pay their rent on a house towards the down payment and eventually own the home, was generally popular. Many felt this reduced a key barrier to home ownership in terms of the need to save a considerable amount for a down payment, while allowing the renter to build equity in their home over time. Asked if they had any other specific suggestions for helping individuals who wished to buy a home, the need for greater education regarding the housing market was advanced by several participants in various groups. Many were of the view that younger people were generally unaware of how to navigate these types of more complex financial decisions.

Local Priorities (Nunavut)

Participants identified a number of issues impacting the region, including a lack of mental health treatment and support services, insufficient access to safe and affordable housing, food insecurity, poor accommodation of the needs of disabled persons, and poverty. When asked if they recalled anything that the Government of Canada had done in Nunavut recently, most were aware of funding commitments to housing and health care, specifically directed at expanding virtual health care services for residents of Nunavut.

There was limited awareness of any supports the Government of Canada had provided to Nunavut during the COVID-19 pandemic other than funding to Inuit organizations which had been intended to assist local food banks. Many felt the federal government could have done more for the region including addressing issues such as rising prices for food and housing, additional support for mental health services, funding for programming directed to youth and seniors, and investments to enhance accessibility.

Participants discussed the availability and cost of purchasing nutritious foods in Nunavut. The consensus view was that the quality of nutritious foods had declined in recent years, coincidental with an increase in the price of many items. Some also commented that the pandemic had adversely affected the supply of fresh foods to the region. When participants were asked if they would prefer to see continued investment in food subsidy programs like Nutrition North or more funds allocated to Inuit-led programs such as the Harvesters Support Grant, participants leaned towards a combination of both. They felt a hybrid approach offered optimal access to both store-bought items as well as traditional, country foods.

Relatively few participants felt the Government of Canada was taking adequate steps to ensure there was sufficient housing to meet the demand in Nunavut. They identified the key barriers which needed to be addressed as: the cost of housing, high occupancy rates by government employees resulting in lower availability of housing to others, and historical or systemic housing shortages among long-time residents of the North. Participants suggested four ways in which the Government of Canada could help to reduce these barriers, including asking residents of the region what kind of housing they need and want, building more houses across the region, releasing properties being held for use by government employees which are currently vacant, and instituting rent controls (e.g., lowering or capping the amount paid in rent).

On the topic of resource development in the North, many participants viewed the sector as critical to improving the standard of living in the region. They favoured an Inuit-led approach to resource development, believing that the sector held the promise of good paying jobs and economic benefits for the region. At the same time, some expressed concerns about environmental degradation. They supported a rigorous planning process and strong oversight.

This discussion briefly touched on participants’ fluency in Inuktitut which varied greatly within the group. Most believed the Government of Canada should play a role in protecting the Inuit language and that doing so was an important step towards reconciliation. They favoured Indigenous-led programs offered in schools, reflecting the fact that those participants who spoke Inuktitut had learned it at an early age. Others also suggested that the federal government collaborate with Inuit specialists and experts to develop programs for non-Indigenous people residing and working in Nunavut in order to assist them in learning more about Inuit culture and the language.

Electric Vehicles (Trois-Rivières)

Most participants were aware of the Government of Canada’s target for all new cars sold in Canada to be zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035. While some strongly supported this commitment, noting its positive impact on the environment, several worried about the cost to purchase a ZEV presuming it could be prohibitive for many consumers. Others opposed any government intervention in the marketplace especially if it resulted in reduced choice for consumers.

Participants also discussed a Government of Canada strategy to encourage mining in Canada for the materials used in the production of ZEV batteries, such as copper and nickel. Most were supportive of a strategy that would create jobs for Canadians and support domestic production of a key component of ZEVs. The discussion did generate additional questions about the impact of higher Canadian labour costs on the overall cost of ZEVs and the feasibility of manufacturing the vehicles in Canada. Some also underscored the importance of partnering with Indigenous groups and addressing land claims issues prior to commencing mining operations.

MORE INFORMATION

The Strategic Counsel

Contract number: 35035-182346/001/CY

Contract award date: December 18, 2020

Contract value: $1,618,838.00

Detailed Findings – Part I: COVID-19

Timeline of July & August Announcements

To help place the focus group discussions within the context of key events which occurred during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, below is a brief synopsis for the period beginning at the end of June and throughout the months of July and August 2021.

  • At the end of June
    • There had been 1,414,736 cases of COVID-19 in Canada with 26,273 deaths.
    • Daily case counts declined to 635 across Canada during the latest 7-day period in June, a 26% decrease from the previous week.
    • Over 36 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered across Canada.
  • July 1-9
    • July 6. The Prime Minister announced Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s approval of Canada’s next Governor General.
    • July 6. The Prime Minister announced that the first Coordination Agreement under the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families has been signed with Cowessess First Nation – Treaty 4 Territory – and the Province of Saskatchewan.
    • Focus groups were held with men in their 30’s in Ontario-U.S. border towns (July 7) and women, aged 18-29, in mid-size and major centres British Columbia (July 8).
    • July 8. The Prime Minister announced $3.2 billion in funding over the next five years to support regulated early learning and child care for children younger than 6 years of age in British Columbia. The agreement will create 30,000 new regulated early learning and child care spaces for children under 6 years of age within five years, and 40,000 within seven years.
    • July 9. The Prime Minister announced $1.3 billion in funding to support the Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension project.
  • July 10-16
    • July 13. The Prime Minister announced an investment of $605 million in a five-year period to improve regulated early learning and child care for children younger than 6 years of age in Nova Scotia.
    • Focus group was held with men, aged 18-29 planning to travel abroad or domestically in the near future in the Greater Montreal Area (GMA) (July 15).
  • July 17-23
    • July 19. The Prime Minister announced a $120 million investment to support the construction of a 26-storey multi-residential, energy-efficient building in Brampton, Ontario, a project which will help upwards of 300 local families find rental housing units.
    • July 19. The Government of Canada announced plans to ease border measures for fully vaccinated travelers.
    • Focus group was held with those who were fully vaccinated in Atlantic Canada (July 20).
    • July 20. The Prime Minister announced a $5 million investment, which will be delivered through the Affordable Housing Innovation fund, to help over 320 Ontario families and individuals by building 30,000 affordable housing units.
    • Focus group was held with women in their 30’s who were planning to travel abroad or domestically in the near future in Alberta and Saskatchewan (July 22).
  • July 24-31
    • July 26. The Government of Canada proposed new regulations to improve the protection of temporary foreign workers and prevent the mistreatment of temporary foreign workers in Canada.
    • Focus group was held with those who were fully vaccinated in mid-size and major centres Quebec (July 27).
    • July 27. The Prime Minister announced a significant vaccine campaign milestone that it has received over 66 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
    • July 27. The Minister of Health announced two projects that aim to encourage COVID-19 vaccination among youth which will be funded through the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF). The BGC (previously Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada) will receive up to $500,000 in funding to promote the importance and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination. The Canada Safety Council will receive up to $220,000 in funding to support the creation of a COVID-19 vaccine education and awareness program for schools to inform students and their parents on the importance of vaccinating against COVID-19.
    • July 28. The Minister of Transport announced approximately $24.7 million in funding to support the Edmonton International Airport in their recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • July 29. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance announced over $1.6 billion in support for Ontario municipalities through the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) for the 2021-22 fiscal year.
    • July 29. There had been 1,428,683 cases of COVID-19 in Canada with 26,570 deaths.
      • In the latest 7-day period, an average of 594 new cases were reported daily, a 39% increase from the previous week.
    • Focus group was held with the general population residing in Nunavut (July 29).
    • July 30. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance announced the extension of COVID-19 support measures to facilitate a stronger economic recovery. The measures that were extended include the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and Lockdown Support, the Canada Recovery Benefit, the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit, and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit.
  • August 1-9
    • August 3. The Government of Canada, as well as the Government of British Columbia, announced funding to upgrade two local health care centres located in the communities of Lil’wat Nation and N’Quatqua Nation.
    • August 4. The Government of Canada announced a contribution of 82,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Trinidad and Tobago via a bilateral agreement.
    • Focus groups were held with Anglophones residing in Quebec (August 4) and those who travelled recently residing in Barrie (August 5).
    • August 6. The Government of Canada announced a pilot project in partnership with the Government of Quebec to provide Quebec employers with more flexibility under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The project will continue until December 31, 2023 and will be used to inform the Government of Canada’s future decisions on the measures in the Program.
    • August 9. Transport Canada announced an extension of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) which restricts all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India until September 21, 2021. This does not include cargo-only operations, medical transfers or military flights.
  • August 10-16
    • August 10. The Government of Canada announced an agreement with vaccine developer Moderna, Inc. to build an mRNA vaccine production facility in Canada.
    • Focus group was held with the general population residing in Trois-Rivières (August 10).
    • August 11. The Government of Canada announced $7.76 million in funding, in addition to the $17.1 million from 2020, to the Government of Nunavut to support essential air services for remote communities in Nunavut.
    • August 12. The Prime Minister announced the new chair of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA).
    • August 12. The Government of Canada announced a new contribution goal to donate up to 10 million doses of the Janssen vaccine, bringing Canada’s total donations to the COVAX Facility to more than 40 million doses.
    • August 13. The Government of Canada announced $81.6 million in funding to support Canada’s major airports and support COVID-19 testing and screening infrastructure.
    • August 13. The Government of Canada established an agreement with the Government of Quebec to provide an additional $48.5 million in federal funding under the Reaching Home program to support Quebecers that are experiencing or at risk of homelessness to protect themselves from COVID-19.
    • August 13. The Minister of Health announced that over 2000 local pharmacies will distribute rapid antigen tests to small and medium-sized businesses and non-profit organizations.
    • August 13. The Government of Canada announced an agreement with Moderna which guarantees access to 40 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for 2022 and 2023, with access to up to 65 million more in 2024.
  • August 17-31
    • August 27. There had been 1,482,668 cases of COVID-19 and 26,864 deaths, with 26,885 active cases.
      • In the latest national 7-day period, an average of 2,848 new cases were reported daily, a 29% increase from the previous week.

Government of Canada in the News (All Locations)

At the outset of each discussion participants were asked what they had seen, read, or heard about the Government of Canada in the past few days. While responses touched upon various announcements and initiatives, the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the ongoing discoveries regarding residential schools were by far the most salient issues during this time period.

Among the other issues mentioned were topics such as the possibility of a fall election, the nomination of the new Governor General, immigration, and changes impacting those in the housing market such as the rules governing mortgage stress tests. On a local level, participants in specific focus groups mentioned hearing about new investments in green energy at Algoma Steel, increased funding for day care in Quebec, and recovery efforts in Barrie following a tornado which struck the city in mid-July.

A small number of participants remarked that they had not heard anything of note recently regarding the Government of Canada.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic remained a top-of-mind issue among participants with many focusing on the planned re-opening of the Canada-U.S. land border to fully vaccinated Americans for non-essential travel. Across all groups a large proportion of participants indicated they were aware of this development. The potential for a Canadian Border Services Agency strike and its impact on the border reopening was also mentioned as an issue some participants had heard about. Asked specifically how they heard about the plan to open the Canada-U.S. border to non-essential travellers, participants referred to reports on social media, digital news websites or communications from other sources (e.g., the university they were attending).

In addition to the border reopening, participants also pointed to the potential introduction of a proof-of- vaccination system, also commonly referred to by participants as vaccine passports. Some participants also mentioned their concern about a possible shortage of the Pfizer vaccine and what this would mean for those who have received two different doses (e.g., Pfizer and Moderna) and their ability to travel. A number of individuals echoed this concern, relaying that they had heard many countries would not accept travellers with mixed dosages. Related to vaccines, some participants had heard that Canada currently had a surplus of vaccines and questioned whether these additional doses would be shared with developing countries which have yet to acquire enough vaccines for their own citizens.

Other than issues related to the pandemic, the most commonly mentioned development was the ongoing discovery of gravesites at former residential school sites across the nation and what actions the federal government would be taking both in terms of reconciliation and accountability for those responsible. When prompted, most participants indicated they were aware of this issue. The prevailing sentiment was one of grief and disbelief regarding the size and scale of these discoveries.

In other news, participants were overwhelmingly positive regarding the news of the appointment of Mary Simon, Canada’s new Governor General and the first Indigenous person to hold the post. Participants in Nunavut in particular were especially pleased, indicating that this appointment would go a long way towards increased representation for Indigenous Peoples as well as those from the northern part of the country as a whole. When discussing the issue of fluency in both languages, participants in the Nunavut group felt it should not be a concern, pointing out that their own languages were rarely, if ever, represented by public officials and that the Governor General was in fact bilingual in English and Inuktitut.

Other Government of Canada Initiatives (Ontario-U.S. Border Towns Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)

In a select number of groups, participants were asked to name any actions not related to COVID-19 that the Government of Canada had initiated within the past five years. Participants pointed to several activities on which they commented positively, including:

  • Investments in solar farms and green energy projects;
  • Increased child care benefits for parents;
  • Funding support to the provinces and territories for early learning and child care programs;
  • A greater focus on LGBTQ2 issues;
  • A ban on single-use plastics;
  • The signing of the Canada-United States-Mexico (CUSMA) agreement; and
  • The provision of funding for excavating former residential school sites.

Other issues or developments on which participants offered more critical commentary included:

  • The growing national debt;
  • Pipeline controversies;
  • Concerns over the proposed Bill C-10, an Act to Amend the Broadcasting Act, and its impact on Internet regulation;
  • The perceived negative impact of new environmental and climate-related measures (e.g., the carbon pricing system); and
  • Unfulfilled commitments, specifically a perceived lack of action on removing the blood donation ban among men who engage or have engaged in sex with other males (MSM Canadians).

In further discussions, and when asked directly about what the Government of Canada is currently doing well, several participants referred to the federal government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the effective distribution of vaccines throughout the country as well as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) were pointed to as especially positive actions. In addition to its pandemic response, participants mentioned its clean energy initiatives as well as its increased focus on Canada’s minority populations.

Participants were also asked about areas where they felt the Government of Canada could improve. Related to the pandemic, participants voiced a number of concerns:

  • Frustration with the pace of vaccinations, with some feeling that other countries were well ahead of Canada in terms of the proportion of the population who were fully vaccinated;
  • A belief that Canada could be doing more in terms of sharing excess domestic supply of COVID-19 vaccines with developing nations;
  • Perceptions that the initial response to the pandemic in the early days had been slow, particularly in terms of imposing broad public health restrictions at the outset;
  • Views that prolonging the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and the subsequent Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) had acted as a disincentive to work; and
  • A general frustration with the communication and transparency of information from federal government officials.

In addition to COVID-related matters, participants also voiced criticisms regarding the treatment of Indigenous Peoples, particularly in terms of the legacy of residential schools in Canada and the ongoing lack of potable drinking water on some reserves. Participants also cited issues regarding rising housing costs, a lack of financial literacy among Canadians and the need for better support for low-income families.

To better understand media consumption patterns and habits, participants were asked about how they typically receive and consume news and information, including things the Government of Canada is planning or has done, as well as other kinds of news. By and large, participants across all groups indicated receiving much of their news via articles shared on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well as through word-of-mouth from friends, family, and colleagues. In addition, some participants also mentioned obtaining their news through traditional televised media, search engine news feeds such as those provided by Google or Yahoo!, curated daily newsletters, or news over the radio. Several participants mentioned they no longer have a cable/satellite TV subscription and rely more heavily on news from online sources. Many participants also remarked that they tended to consume news items by skimming headlines or scrolling through social media, investigating in greater detail those issues that were of interest to them.

Bill 96 (Quebec Anglophones)

Participants in the group held among Anglophones in Quebec were specifically asked whether they had heard anything recently about Bill 96, otherwise known as a proposed amendment to the Constitution to recognize Quebec as a nation and French as its only official and common language. Almost the entire group had heard at least something about this initiative and about the broader linguistic debate taking place within the province.

Overall, the reaction to the Bill was mixed. While some in the group mentioned that it was important to protect the French language in Quebec, they were unsure whether Bill 96 was the right approach. A number of participants mentioned that they had become exhausted with the ongoing language debates in the province and were becoming disinterested in the issue. Other participants voiced a feeling of not belonging due to their inability to speak French fluently, with some participants who self-identified as recent immigrants commenting that the language issue had negatively impacted their ability to effectively integrate into everyday life and Quebecois culture.

When asked whether the Government of Canada was doing enough to protect official language minority rights in Canada, several participants indicated they felt it had fallen short. Describing the difficulties and lack of support for non-French speakers in Quebec, participants felt that the Government of Canada could do more to protect the rights of English-speaking Quebeckers. At the same time, several participants in the group commented that protecting French language rights as well as encouraging greater representation for Indigenous languages were important initiatives, noting that both these language groups had faced past discrimination from the country’s English-speaking majority.

When prompted to describe the biggest challenges Anglophones face in the province, participants acknowledged the importance of learning French, but also emphasized the difficulties for new arrivals to the province who do not speak French. Others disagreed with this perspective, commenting that Anglophones did not suffer any inherent challenges and that it was their responsibility to learn French if they wished to reside in the province.

High Frequency Rail Service (Trois-Rivières)

Participants in the group held with participants located in Trois-Rivières were asked if they had heard any news regarding the Government of Canada’s announcement of a new high speed rail service passing through the city. Several participants indicated they had heard at least something about it.

The reaction to this news was quite positive. When asked to elaborate, participants mentioned that opening up to major centres such as Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto would be very useful to the residents of Trois-Rivières. In addition, they commented that high speed rail would make travel easier for those who did not own an automobile and it would remove the stress of having to drive on busy highways or in heavy traffic for those travelling to these larger centres.

COVID-19 Outlook/Vaccines (All Locations)

In various groups throughout July and August, participants discussed topics pertaining to the ongoing pandemic, including their outlook for the next few months, the vaccination effort to date, travel restrictions and issues related to the Canada-U.S. border.

COVID-19 Outlook (Ontario-U.S. Border Towns Men in their 30s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated)

Most participants felt the situation regarding COVID-19 would improve throughout the summer, while several thought that it would likely stay the same. Their optimism was associated with the rapid uptake of vaccinations across Canada in the months preceding these discussions. Participants were confident the vaccine was working and that it represented a major step on the pathway back to normalcy. Some also pointed to lower case counts at the time of the focus groups which underpinned their positive perspective on this issue.

Those who were more pessimistic in terms of their outlook expressed concerns about the impact of the following issues on the trajectory of the pandemic:

  • The spread of the Delta variant – Some participants were observing the situation in the United Kingdom and predicting similar course in Canada;
  • Issues of breakthrough cases amongst those who have been fully vaccinated;
  • The perception that a relatively high proportion of the population in Canada remained unvaccinated, including children under 12 years of age and concerns that it would be challenging to increase vaccine uptake among unvaccinated adults; and
  • A surge in cases occurring as borders are reopened – Several participants from Atlantic Canada were particularly concerned about American tourists entering the region given lower vaccination rates in some parts of the United States.

A few participants expected that the virus that causes COVID-19 would become endemic. They felt that while it might pose less danger over time, it would need to be managed in much the same way as the seasonal flu. And, a number of participants felt that it was simply too difficult to predict how things would go through the summer and into the fall. Although they assumed that the ability to gather outdoors in warmer temperatures would reduce the risk of exposure, some thought that increased numbers meeting at bars and on patios might serve to counter this.

Many participants were worried about the possibility of a fourth wave of the pandemic. They identified a series of contributing factors: changing weather patterns forcing people indoors, general fatigue with adhering to stay-at-home measures and other public health restrictions, increased travel, and students returning to class in the fall. At the same time, the continued vaccine rollout underpinned some degree of cautious optimism among several participants that a fourth wave could be effectively managed, if not completely avoided. There was a sense that vaccinated people who contracted the virus would be less likely to experience serious symptoms or consequences.

When asked more specifically about the possibility of another lockdown if the situation worsened, most participants were optimistic that this could be avoided. Again, continued uptake of vaccinations was seen as key. Some also commented that, at this point in the pandemic, the public had become habituated to the public health measures which are required to reduce transmission of the virus. While some participants supported targeted measures as necessary (e.g., travel restrictions), they felt that a wider and more severe lockdown would meet with some resistance given the challenges businesses have faced and the wider economic consequences. Participants from Atlantic Canada were somewhat more open to the possibility of another lockdown. The exception was those from New Brunswick who did not believe their provincial government would be willing to consider imposing strict measures which could be perceived as taking a step backwards.

Vaccinations (Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois Rivières)

Participants discussed current efforts to vaccinate Canadians and whether the Government of Canada should be doing more to encourage greater vaccination uptake. On balance, most believed the federal government was doing enough and, in fact, some commented that Canada’s approach to vaccinations was being looked upon favourably by other countries around the world. In their view, further efforts could be construed as coercion and some felt strongly that the decision to get vaccinated was a personal choice. They thought the Government of Canada had sufficiently articulated the rationale for vaccinations and did not want to see any additional incentives offered to those as yet unvaccinated. There was also a sense that, at this point, those who are unvaccinated are unlikely to change their minds.

A few participants in each group offered some suggestions to improve the rate of vaccinations, including:

  • Undertaking more targeted outreach to those Canadians who, due to physical or technological limitations, may have had difficulty making an appointment or accessing a vaccine centre;
  • Placing limits on the activities of those who are unvaccinated (e.g., vaccine passports which would require anyone wishing to travel to show proof that they have been vaccinated). Participants felt this would encourage an uptick in vaccinations; and
  • Continuing to provide Canadians with a clear explanation as to why the vaccine is safe and beneficial. Some felt the argument that the vaccine was about protecting others, in addition to protecting one’s self, could be presented in a more impactful way.

When asked directly whether the Government of Canada should introduce a $100 cash incentive to everyone who gets vaccinated, the idea was met with more negative than positive feedback. Those in favour of the incentive believed that some Canadians would be motivated by a financial reward, pointing to younger people and those in lower income households in particular. By contrast, those who rejected this proposal voiced a range of concerns:

  • Some felt that any campaign in support of vaccinations should be based on safety and not on a monetary incentive;
  • Several felt that offering cash in exchange for agreement to be vaccinated was unethical and/or that taking this approach might feed into existing conspiracy theories about the motivations around vaccinations and more distrust of governments and pharmaceutical companies; and
  • Others noted that additional financial expenditures of this nature could be viewed negatively in the context of the increased debt the Government of Canada has taken on given costly financial supports to individuals and businesses throughout the pandemic.

Borders and Travel Restrictions (Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)

Participants next discussed changes to existing quarantine requirements for returning Canadians. To begin, participants were asked if they were aware of any changes to the quarantine requirements for Canadian travellers returning home. Across all groups, many participants had heard about the changes, recounting that the new rules would do away with the hotel quarantine, as well as loosen restrictions in general for fully vaccinated Canadians, permanent residents, and essential travelers.

Before continuing, participants were shown the following information explaining the recent changes to quarantine requirements:

The Government of Canada announced recently that as of Monday July 5th, fully vaccinated travelers who are eligible to enter Canada (i.e. Canadian citizens, permanent residents and essential travelers) will no longer need to spend 3 days in an authorized hotel, spend 14 days in COVID-19 quarantine upon arriving home, or complete the mandatory Day 8 COVID-19 test. Pre-departure and on-arrival COVID-19 testing will still apply. Fully vaccinated travelers must also be asymptomatic. To be considered fully vaccinated, a traveler must have received the full series of a vaccine, or a combination of vaccines, accepted by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Travelers must present a quarantine plan for use in case they are found not to the meet all of the relevant conditions. Travelers must use the ArriveCAN app or web portal prior to departure to log their vaccination details, as well as the results of a negative COVID-19 test that’s less than three days old.

It was further explained to participants that the change did not apply to fully vaccinated non-citizens who are looking to visit for non-essential reasons or to any Canadian traveler who is not fully-vaccinated. In these instances, the existing suite of travel restrictions would remain in effect, including the mandatory 3-day quarantine in an authorized hotel at their own cost and the remainder of the 14-day quarantine at home or in a facility of their choosing.

The view towards these changes was consistently positive in all groups. Participants cited the high cost, lack of safety, and perceived low effectiveness of the 3-day hotel quarantine. Those in favour of the changes also mentioned that they felt this was a way to reward people who were fully vaccinated by allowing them more latitude or freedom upon returning to Canada. There was a belief among some that the changes might encourage people to get vaccinated. Others commented that this change was a good and necessary first step towards full reopening, citing vaccinations and the continued requirement of a negative test as reasons to be optimistic.

Some, however, were not as enthusiastic about the changes. Several were anxious about further spread of the virus as a result of the new variants and the high rates of COVID-19 in many jurisdictions across the United States. A few expressed general unease about any relaxation of existing travel restrictions. Another group of participants held a somewhat different perspective, although were also unsupportive of the changes. They felt that the restrictions continued to be overly strict and intrusive, and they expressed concern about the unspecified length of time for which these restrictions would be in place as well as challenges in accessing COVID-19 tests three to four days prior to traveling. They also felt that the restrictions discriminated against those who could not be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons. Moreover, some questioned why there were separate rules in place for those crossing the border into Canada by air and by land.

As part of this discussion, participants from the group based in Barrie were asked about their recent travel and upcoming travel plans. Most of those who had traveled recently had restricted their travel within Canada, citing domestic destinations such as Quebec, Winnipeg, and Sudbury. Among this group, most indicated feeling relatively safe from the risk of COVID-19 while traveling, commenting that they were less concerned once they got outside of major urban hubs, such as Toronto. However, they also mentioned that when traveling outside of Ontario they noticed lower compliance with mask mandates in other regions.

Across other groups, a few mentioned that while they had previously planned to visit family and friends in countries like the United Kingdom and United States, they had chosen to hold off this year citing the new variants, and travel with unvaccinated children as factors affecting their original plans. Some were also waiting until travel restrictions were further reduced.

Many others said that they intended to carry out their planned travel. Several participants indicated they were planning on traveling internationally. Various destinations were mentioned, including Europe, Africa, the United States, and Mexico. When asked if changes to border measures and travel requirements would impact their travel plans, none of these participants expected they would.

Reopening the Canada-U.S. Border

In the groups prior to July 21st, participants were informed that the joint border agreement between Canada and the United States, renewed on a month-by-month basis since March 2020, was once again up for renewal on July 21st. Participants were asked if they believed the agreement should be renewed for another month. In response, many participants urged caution. They expressed a desire to take the time to in order to get things right rather than rushing to reopen too fast. Some participants preferred waiting until vaccination rates in Canada increased (above 75%) and expressed concern about the COVID-19 situation in the United States. It was also pointed out that given that many provinces were not fully open, it did not make sense to encourage tourism with so few public attractions being operational.

Those few who supported reopening the border sooner pointed to families and friends who had been separated for lengthy periods of time, and the need for people to be able to see loved ones again.

Participants were then informed that the Government of Canada had stated that reopening the border fully would be dependent on a few factors, including having over 75% of Canadians fully vaccinated. Almost all participants thought this was a reasonable approach. Participants were also generally optimistic that this was an achievable goal. Most believed this target would be met within the next few months or, at the latest, by the end of the fall or winter.

Several specific scenarios regarding reopening Canada-U.S. borders were discussed with participants:

  • The U.S. Government opening the border to Canadian travel, even if Canada keeps its border closed to U.S. travel into Canada – Most believed it made sense from an economic as well as safety standpoint. The wide availability of vaccines in the U.S. and the relatively high vaccination rate in Canada were both pointed to as reasons to be comfortable with such a development.
  • For groups held after July 19, 2021, a recent announcement by the Government of Canada to start allowing fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents as well as citizens of St.-Pierre-Miquelon (a French archipelago south of Newfoundland), into Canada as soon as August 9th and extending to fully vaccinated travelers from all countries by September 7th so long as current positive trends continue – Reactions to this were mixed. Those in favour of the policy identified the economic necessity, the need to revitalize the tourism industry, and confidence that fully vaccinated travelers would be able to travel safely. Those opposed pointed to concerns about the spread of the new variants, increased cases of COVID-19 and the lower rate of vaccinations in the United States, and general fears that it was still too early. Some also stated that once such a decision is taken, they expected the Government of Canada not to backtrack. If there was any chance of a return to more restrictive measures, the sense was that this policy should not be implemented at this time.
  • For groups held after July 19, 2021, opening the border to fully vaccinated Americans (not just essential travelers) as of August 2021 – Many participants expressed concerns about taking this step stating discomfort with a large influx of travelers creating the potential for a significant increase cases of COVID-19. Others were worried that some would present fake credentials with respect to proving their vaccination status, meaning that unvaccinated travelers could enter the country. Others believed that Canada should consider staggering reopening by taking a phase-based approach rather than reopening all at once. Those in favour of fully reopening the Canada-U.S. border cited the benefits to the economy, the safety of vaccines, and the need to take steps to get back to normal as motivating factors for doing so.
  • For groups held after July 19, 2021, allowing fully vaccinated travelers in general (not just Americans) into Canada by early September – This scenario prompted much the same reaction as the previous one with participants expressing concerns about the transmission of the virus via international travel and particularly the Delta variant, as well as a desire for a higher rate of vaccinations domestically prior to open the borders. Many participants continued to emphasize that it was too soon to take this sort of action and that they were uncomfortable moving at this pace. Several participants were in favour of the proposed action noting that once an individual was fully vaccinated they should be able to live as normal a life as possible, included being able to travel. Others did not differentiate between travelers from the U.S. and other countries as long as they were fully vaccinated. The economic benefits and positive impact on mental health were also pointed to as reasons to encourage further reopening.
  • Allowing those who are not fully vaccinated to come to Canada for non-essential travel – All participants opposed this scenario, questioning what urgency was attached to opening up the borders to unvaccinated, non-essential travelers.

COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination (Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)

Most participants had heard at least something about proof of vaccination credentials, or ‘vaccine passports’, being introduced. On a top-of-mind basis, the discussion generated comments and questions related to privacy concerns and access to personal records, the issue of some countries not recognizing those who are fully vaccinated but received mixed doses, the possibility that a vaccine passport might be implemented beyond its use for travel and extended for use by restaurants, bars and other venues, and general opposition to the idea among a large swath of Americans. Another common concern was the lack of a unified proof of vaccination document across all provinces as well as questions raised around the use of digital versus paper-based documentation. A number of participants emphasized the need for a cohesive system across jurisdictions, with some participants recommending a unified North American travel document which would apply to citizens of Canada, the United States and Mexico.

To clarify, it was explained to participants that the Government of Canada was working with the provinces and territories on providing Canadians with a document that demonstrates their COVID-19 vaccination history and that a series of possible names for this program were being considered, as follows:

  • Proof of vaccination status
  • Canadian proof of vaccination
  • Canadian vaccine certificate
  • Proof of vaccination credential
  • Canadian vaccine passport
  • Vax Pass

Participants were asked to consider the one name on the above list that they felt best represented the idea about showing proof of being fully vaccinated. Among the various options, participants tended to prefer Proof of vaccination status and Canadian vaccine certificate. There was a modest level of support for Canadian vaccine passport, Vax Pass, and Proof of vaccination credential while relatively few chose Canadian proof of vaccination.

General feedback from participants regarding these concepts revealed that that many participants did not see the need to include ‘Canadian’ in the title of these documents, feeling it was self-explanatory and unnecessary. Many of the longer names (e.g., Proof of vaccination credential) were also pointed to as overly wordy. Ultimately, participants leaned more towards those names which intuitively explained what the document was for. A few parti cipants mentioned that the term ‘passport’ could be misleading or misinterpreted in that it gave the impression that the document was intended for use only by travelers when in all likelihood it would be required for a wider array of activities.

Specific feedback on each of the naming options is outlined below:

Proof of vaccination status

Many participants preferred this option as it was felt to be clear, straightforward and did not make reference to ‘Canadian.’ Of the various options, participants found it was the most neutral and made the most sense with respect to its tone and interpretation. The only point of detraction was that the term ‘status’ was thought by some to have elitist connotations.

Canadian vaccination certificate

Those in favour of this option pointed to its simplicity, straightforwardness, and positivity regarding the word ‘certificate’. Participants were split on whether ‘Canadian’ should be included, with some commenting it was unnecessary, while others believed it was useful as a way of differentiating Canada’s program from the vaccine standards of other nations. It was also pointed out that the initials ‘CVC’ could provide a readily usable acronym.

Canadian vaccine passport

Responses to this option were more mixed. Some responded positively to the reference to ‘passport,’ noting that it connects the document to other travel documents which are familiar to many Canadians. Others also expressed a desire for one all-encompassing piece of travel verification held by Canadians.

Those who did not select this option were critical that the term ‘passport’ tended to invoke thoughts of traditional passports exclusively for travel. Since they felt the intention could be to use the documentation in a variety of circumstances, they found the term misleading.

Vax Pass

Reaction to this option was also mixed, with some preferring it for its brevity, and for its youthful and modern tone. These participants pointed out that it sounded and/or felt similar to the Nexus program, a voluntary program designed to speed up security screening lines and border crossings for low-risk, pre-approved travelers. There was a suggestion to personalize the name by adding ‘My” at the front and, in doing so, it could be known by the acronym MVP. More critical commentary centered on perceptions that this name came off as too casual or unserious in its tone and, as such, that it did not adequately convey the importance of the document. There was a sense among these participants that the name came across more as a marketing approach as opposed to an official government document.

Proof of vaccination credential

There was some division of opinion with respect to this option mostly centering around the term ‘credential.’ Some responded positively to it, noting that it implied a credit which in their minds equated to giving individuals permission to participate in various activities. Others viewed the term as all-encompassing and one which could be readily used in a variety of situations, as needed. Those who responded more negatively to the term commented that the document itself was, strictly speaking, not a credential. They also found that this name did not effectively explain the purpose of the document. Moreover, some participants found it overly wordy and difficult and not a phrase that would be particularly easy to recall.

Canadian proof of vaccination

Very few participants selected this option. The main criticism was that it was overly wordy, as with the previous option. Others did not see the need to include a reference to ‘Canadian’ in the title. Overall, this option was viewed as very basic and not as catchy as some of the other options.

When asked for further feedback or suggestions for names for this type of document, participants suggested a few other options: Vaccine Certificate, Vaccine Record, and Record of Vaccination. These recommendations were based on a perception that the COVID-19 proof of vaccination program should be linked to existing immunization records. Others suggested a more personalized option: My Vaccination Pass (or MVP as an acronym).

Opinions on a Domestic Proof of Vaccination Program

The question as to whether Canada should include domestic air travel under a proof of vaccination program evoked strong responses on both sides of the issue. Those in favour of this idea were adamant that it would be helpful in keeping Canadians safe and viewed it as a necessary step towards getting back to normal. These participants did not feel implementing proof-of-vaccination for domestic air travel would be an unfair infringement on privacy or civil rights. At the same time, they expressed a desire for a Canada-wide verification system rather than having each province implement a separate program. They believed there should be consistency across the country.

Others were more opposed to the idea, saying that Canadians should not be asked to declare their vaccination status and show proof they are fully vaccinated in order to take flights within the country. They commented that the Canadian public should be free to travel unimpeded throughout their country and that such a restriction would be seen as overstepping by the Government of Canada. Others believed that it was discriminatory towards those who cannot get vaccinated for medical or personal reasons and that in times of crisis (e.g., needing to fly for emergency purposes), travel on domestic flights should be considered essential.

Regionally, there were a few notable differences. While the group in Atlantic Canada indicated unanimous support for requiring proof of vaccination for domestic flights, the Alberta and Saskatchewan group was unanimous in opposing this idea. When asked if they had privacy concerns about this issue, participants from Atlantic Canada were unconcerned about this issue while the group of those located in Alberta or Saskatchewan felt that disclosure of vaccination status should be a personal decision. By contrast, mixed reaction was more apparent in the other groups in which this topic was discussed.

Additionally, participants were asked for their thoughts on requiring proof of vaccination at large gatherings such as concerts or sporting events. Reaction varied within and across groups and there was no strong consensus one way or another. Those in favour believed this was a required step due to the lack of social distancing possible at these types of events. They also pointed out that most people owned mobile phones and that digital scanning could be undertaken easily and quickly. Some added that they would have much greater peace of mind if this system were implemented as mask enforcement is often difficult in large crowds.

The main criticism from those who opposed the idea focused on a perceived discriminatory aspect of implementing this type of system, along with the view that one’s choice to be vaccinated or not was a private medical decision. These participants made the point that risk is inherent in attending these types of events, regardless of one’s vaccination status. Some noted that transmission occurs even among fully vaccinated gatherings and, on balance, they felt that the positive mental health impact of being able to attend concerts and sports events outweighed any risk of exposure due to the mixing of vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Some felt that instituting this type of system would be overreaching and overly controlling.

At the same time, when asked if implementing this type of measure would likely encourage more Canadians to get vaccinated, most participants thought this would be the case. Some expressed discomfort with employing this type of measure as a means of encouraging vaccine uptake and preferred a strong focus on underscoring the safety of the vaccine and the positive outcomes of higher vaccination rates. A final question regarding any lingering privacy concerns that participants might have prompted very few negative responses. Some participants were of the view that much more extensive personal information about Canadians is already online and shared digitally between institutions and companies. They did not see that a proof of vaccination system created any further privacy concerns. A few participants, however, worried about creating a two-tiered system of vaccinated and unvaccinated Canadians. Making one’s choice not to get vaccinated more public left some feeling uncomfortable, as they felt that the choice about getting vaccinated was a personal one and should remain so.

Detailed Findings – Part II: Other Issues

Indigenous Issues (Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)

In nine of the ten focus groups conducted through July and August, discussions were held regarding issues affecting Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. At the outset of these conversations, participants were queried about the importance of Indigenous issues relative to various other national priorities and their perception regarding the degree of attention the Government of Canada has given to these issues.

Overwhelmingly, participants felt that Indigenous issues were deserving of significantly more attention and should be a high priority for the federal government. The general perception was that too many commitments have not been fulfilled, are not being addressed promptly or are getting worse, citing issues such as the lack of potable drinking water on many reserves, the discovery of unmarked gravesites at former residential schools, and the lack of economic opportunities for Indigenous people. There was a sense that efforts towards reconciliation were becoming more challenging. And, while some acknowledged that the federal government appeared to be more active on these issues now than in previous years, they still felt that more could be done.

The discussion regarding participants’ awareness of specific actions the Government of Canada has recently taken to address Indigenous issues generated more thoughts on what needed to be addressed rather than on past successes. A few participants mentioned funding provided by the federal government to undertake excavations at former residential school sites. In general, however most participants felt there had been too much talk and relatively little action.

They identified several specific areas that they felt should be priorities for the federal government with respect to Indigenous issues, including:

  • Raising awareness of Indigenous issues and the history of Indigenous Peoples among the Canadian general public;
  • Improving education, housing, infrastructure, food security, the child welfare system, and overall living conditions for Indigenous people, specifically on-reserve living conditions and access to clean drinking water;
  • Changing hunting regulations to permit Indigenous people to hunt in parks and minimizing barriers to accessing traditional Indigenous foods;
  • Addressing issues pertaining to autonomy, including Indigenous land claims and their ownership rights with respect to natural resources;
  • Abolishing the Indian Act;
  • Providing greater opportunity for Indigenous people to participate in the Parliament of Canada;
  • Following up on the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls;
  • Ensuring full accountability for the impact of the residential school system on Indigenous communities;
  • Helping to preserve Indigenous languages; and
  • Providing mental health, suicide prevention and addictions support to Indigenous communities.

Government of Canada Initiatives and Priorities

Participants in all but one of the focus groups spent time discussing a series of Government of Canada initiatives and priorities related to addressing Indigenous issues.

Government of Canada Initiatives (Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated)

In the four focus groups which were undertaken at the beginning of July participants were given more information on several Government of Canada initiatives and asked to identify the one they felt would be most impactful:

  • Announced another $1.5 billion to finish the work of lifting all long-term drinking water advisories. This is in addition to the $2.19 billion already budgeted.
  • Implemented a series of actions in response to the findings of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, including increased health support and victim services supports, financial support to the RCMP’s National Investigative Standards and Practices Unit, and a crisis support line for those affected by missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
  • Introduced a bill to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). This bill will mandate the government to provide a framework for departments to give First Nations a shared role in decision-making in actions that affect their lives, lands, families and cultures.
  • Of the $33.8 million allocated in 2019 towards projects aimed at researching the children who died at residential schools, recently opened the remaining $27 million to Indigenous communities to fund searches at former residential school sites, as well as memorials and other commemorations to mark the graves.

While opinions varied, the general feeling was that additional funding to remove the long-term drinking water advisories would make the most difference. Several participants reiterated that clean drinking water was a basic human right. There was also a sense that this was the most pressing issue for the Indigenous population in Canada and the one which would most tangibly and significantly improve the health and overall quality of life for people in communities impacted by boil water advisories. Some considered it inconceivable that access to clean drinking water continued to be an issue in any Canadian community in this day and age.

Many also felt that the commitment to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) would have a crucial impact. Participants viewed UNDRIP as having broad implications for Indigenous Peoples, believing it would provide the foundation for Indigenous autonomy and self-governance, and opportunities to have a larger influence on issues of national interest. Some also saw UNDRIP as an overarching framework intended to give more decision-making power to Indigenous Peoples in Canada under which multiple pathways could be created so that they would have more control over their own affairs.

Fewer participants viewed the other two initiatives as being the most impactful. Those who focused on the actions in response to the findings form the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls were concerned that this issue remained unresolved. They focused in particular on the loss of life within Indigenous communities and felt that more could be done to demonstrate that the federal government was listening to their concerns. Several participants were of the view that opening the remaining funding for searches at former residential schools sites as well as for memorials and other commemorations would assist in the healing efforts they felt were needed for the families of residential school victims as well as the survivors. Some also believed that, of the four initiatives listed, this was perhaps the simplest to address both quickly and in an impactful way.

Following a review of the various initiatives, participants discussed how this affected their perception of the Government of Canada in terms of its progress in addressing Indigenous issues. Most participants acknowledged that these steps represented some measure of progress and viewed them positively. At the same time, they pressed for more action and wanted to see continued momentum toward implementing long-term solutions. Others remarked that Indigenous communities in Canada would continue to be at a disadvantage until they had access to the same resources and opportunities as non-Indigenous Canadians.

When asked to identify other actions that the federal government should take to address key Indigenous issues, participants reiterated some of their earlier issues and concerns:

  • The higher rate of incarceration of Indigenous people;
  • The need to implement a system of restorative justice for Indigenous people convicted of crimes;
  • Increased support for Indigenous entrepreneurs;
  • Resolution of ongoing land claims;
  • Mental health supports for Indigenous people; and
  • A pan-Canadian approach to educating the public on the issues faced by Indigenous communities.

Based on a sense that the Government of Canada mainly reacted to crises, participants generally hoped that the Government of Canada would adopt a more proactive approach to address these various issues.

Priorities for the Government of Canada (Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Nunavut, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)

In several other groups participants were asked to consider five specific issues affecting Indigenous people and provide their thoughts as to which one the Government of Canada should prioritize:

  • Ensuring clean drinking water on all reserves
  • Getting more Indigenous people to attend post-secondary education, so they attend at the same rate as other Canadians.
  • Helping survivors of residential schools cope with the trauma
  • Improving the infrastructure gap so that infrastructure on reserves is at the same level as the rest of the country
  • Improving the quality of primary and secondary education on Indigenous reserves so that it’s at the same level as the rest of the country
    •

Overwhelmingly, most participants in each focus group identified ensuring that all reserves have access to clean drinking as the top priority. This was described as an essential need and a basic human right. Generally poor conditions on reserves, specifically in terms of the ongoing boil water advisories on a number of reserves, was viewed through the lens of fairness. Some participants remarked that virtually every other Canadian is readily able to access clean water in their community. And, while it was acknowledged that other underdeveloped nations face challenges providing access to clean drinking water to their citizenry, participants considered Canada’s failure to ensure this fundamental right to Indigenous communities as an embarrassment and one which tarnished the country’s international reputation.

Many also viewed access to education as a fundamental right and, as such, improving the quality of primary and secondary education on Indigenous reserves was identified as right and necessary in order to provide Indigenous youth with the foundation to continue on to the post-secondary level and ensure they have the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. Several participants from Nunavut also commented on the variability in the quality of education within Indigenous communities across the region, remarking that more could be done to both raise the standard and ensure consistency for Indigenous students residing in smaller and larger centres. A number of Indigenous participants in several groups commented that coping with the generational trauma was important to them as a first step before being able to move forward.

The remaining three issues were seen as priorities by some participants, but did not resonate to the same extent as the two issues noted above. Those who prioritized assistance to residential school survivors did so as they felt it was at the heart of many wider issues and challenges facing Indigenous communities. There was a feeling among some participants that addressing the legacy of residential schools and its impact on Indigenous communities was a critical step in reconciliation and a necessary one prior to embarking on the other challenges facing Indigenous Peoples in Canada. With respect to improvements to the infrastructure gap on some reserves, several participants saw this as directly addressing the issue of access to clean water as well as the wider infrastructure deficit on reserves including schools and hospitals. Efforts to increase attendance among Indigenous people at the post-secondary level was thought to be important by some, but was seen as an issue that could be addressed after other more pressing priorities had been tackled. At the same time, the importance of post-secondary education was underscored by some participants who noted that higher education would correlate with increased earnings potential and overall financial security for Indigenous people.

Participants further discussed the progress that has been made on the issue of drinking water on Indigenous reserves and were informed that 108 boil water advisories have been lifted, while 32 remain. While some saw this as a positive step and evidence of some progress, many expressed disappointment on a number of fronts:

  • Participants were astounded by the total number of advisories that had been or were still in place;
  • Many felt that the 32 advisories still in place was too many and wondered why a higher priority was not being placed on addressing this issue immediately;
  • Others were perplexed as to why the water filtration systems that have been implemented in communities and municipalities across Canada could not readily be installed on Indigenous reserves. It struck them as somewhat odd that in 2021 these systems were not standard in every community in Canada; and
  • Some commented on the apparent contradiction between what they saw as a very positive contribution by Canada on an international scale to provide potable water to communities in developing countries around the world while being unable to deliver the same basic service domestically.

The discussion prompted a number of questions from participants regarding the length of time it has taken to address boil water advisories, why they have not all been lifted at this point and why this has been an issue for Indigenous communities in Canada for so long. There were concerns expressed that boil water advisories on reserves may continue to be an issue in the years to come.

When asked whether participants thought the Government of Canada was on the right or the wrong track when it comes to addressing boil water advisories, participants in two of the three groups held in Quebec were mostly positive. Reaction in the other groups was neutral or unsure to somewhat negative. A sense of having made some progress centered on the number of boil water advisories that had been lifted, although some questioned how long it had taken for the federal government to address the affected communities. Those who were more negative focused raised questions as to whether the issue had been addressed in a permanent or temporary way (e.g., expressing some concern that Indigenous communities might expect to face future boil water advisories) and the extent to which the federal government had put sufficient resources into dealing with this problem. Others were reluctant to provide a response, either positive or negative, without knowing how the problem of boil water advisories on Indigenous reserves compared with the extent to which the same issue exists and is being dealt with in other communities across Canada. Within this group, some also commented that, while it was clear some progress was being made, it might be an overstatement to suggest that the Government of Canada was ‘on the right track.’

The focus of the discussion then turned to the topic of primary and secondary education on Indigenous reserves. Participants were informed that the Government of Canada has provided funding for 66 new schools and renovations to 86 schools on Indigenous reserves and that, of the 66 new schools, 27 have been completed while the others are in progress. Most responded positively, seeing these investments as encouraging and as evidence of progress. At the same time, the discussion prompted a number of questions and concerns centered on:

  • Whether the funding extended beyond infrastructure requirements to staffing, specifically the recruiting and hiring of teaching staff;
  • Efforts to ensure a higher rate of student registrations and attendance;
  • The quality of the curriculum/education delivered to Indigenous students; and
  • Why the funding was not broadened to encompass improvements to housing in Indigenous communities.

On balance, most participants believed that these funding initiatives reflected progress and served as evidence that the Government of Canada was on the right track in terms of addressing education needs on Indigenous reserves. Those who were unsure felt they did not have sufficient information to come to any judgement or were concerned about whether the new schools would be negatively affected by some of the remaining boil water advisories in specific communities. On the latter issue, some participants remained adamant that the boil water advisories, along with other infrastructure issues, should be fixed first before building new schools which could place more pressure on existing, outdated infrastructure in these communities.

Opioids (Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults)

In the group held among younger women in British Columbia, participants discussed the topic of opioids, including their awareness and understanding of the issue as well as the Government of Canada’s response. All participants were generally familiar with the topic, some at a very personal level, while others had certainly seen or heard news reports about the issue of opioids and its impact in their community and nation-wide. The discussion about the current situation, prompted a range of comments, including:

  • Concerns about the stigma related to opioids and to addiction in general;
  • Associated mental health issues and homelessness that participants felt were often linked to substance use and addiction; and
  • The perceived requirement for more and better funded support services and treatment options delivered by both the public and private sector (e.g., rehabilitation programs, harm reduction tactics, education and support services for family members, trauma-informed care, and access to naloxone kits.)

When participants were asked to name opioids with which they were familiar, heroin, morphine, fentanyl, Dilaudid and OxyContin were commonly mentioned.

Participants were of the view that the opioid crisis has touched all segments of society, although they felt that it is frequently positioned as an issue principally affecting marginalized groups, specifically those with unresolved mental health issues or those suffering from intergenerational trauma. Some also commented on the impact of this issue on the first responders and medical professionals tasked with treating these individuals. In further discussions, participants voiced their belief that an addiction to opioids often begins post-surgery, when patients are prescribed potent long-acting opioid-based painkillers. It was thought that an addiction to opioids as a result of prescription medications following surgery would likely impact middle-aged people in particular. Others felt that teenagers and young adults were also more likely to fall victim to an overdose of opioids, being relatively unaware of the risks. Participants did not necessarily feel that the victims of this crisis were predominantly from low income families, but did believe that those with middle to higher incomes were better able to access support services and pay for treatment. There was also a sense that the news media tends to cover the issue more so from the perspective of its impact on more vulnerable segments of society, whereas the prevailing belief was that addiction to prescription and legal drugs, principally among higher income households, was a larger issue but one that was less well known to the public.

Before continuing, it was clarified that opioids are drugs that include prescribed pain relievers, such as fentanyl, and illegal drugs such as heroin and that misuse may lead to addiction, overdose and death. Participants were also told that the emergence of fentanyl and other powerful illicit opioid drugs has recently led to an unprecedented number of deaths. When asked who or what they thought was to blame for the current problem with opioids, participants identified the following:

  • Mental health issues which have been exacerbated as a result of COVID-19 and general isolation throughout the pandemic;
  • A lack of support within the health care system to treat opioid addictions – some felt it was not viewed as a serious medical issue by health care professionals;
  • The over-prescription of opioids by physicians;
  • Aggressive marketing by the pharmaceutical companies that profit from the manufacture and sale of these types of drugs; and
  • A general stigma related to drug use which some felt has resulted in a lack of education and public dialogue which would help inform people of the risks.

Participants were then shown a list of potential options regarding who or what is most responsible for the current problem, some of which overlapped with the suggestions they had generated in response to the earlier question about who was to blame. These included:

  • Doctors not prescribing properly
  • Drug companies making unsafe products
  • Gangs
  • Lack of policing
  • People making poor decisions
  • Poor border control
    •

Participants focused primarily on doctors not prescribing properly and drug companies making unsafe products. Many felt that individuals were often prescribed strong medications following minor surgeries, giving them access to painkillers they did not really need in order to recover. They believed a contributing factor to this was the high volume of patients that physicians see on a daily basis and the tendency to prescribe medications as a way to more expeditiously address patient needs. Others suggested that physicians required training that is more holistic and patient-centered rather than focusing on treatment via medications. A perceived lack of regulation and proper testing by drug companies regarding the addictive properties of some of their products was also pointed to by several as a factor and one which should be better regulated. All the other options shown in the list were viewed as having a very minor impact on the current opioid problem.

In terms of what the Government of Canada should do in response, participants’ suggestions mirrored some of their earlier comments. They recommended more investments in harm reduction facilities and trauma-informed care, a focus on destigmatizing and decriminalizing illegal drug use, redirecting funding from policing to rehabilitation and treatment for those with addictions, as well as more thorough auditing and better regulation of the research and approvals processes for pharmaceutical companies who make these types of medications.

Turning to the topic of decriminalization, a few participants had heard about a plan by the City of Vancouver to gain Health Canada approval for the decriminalization of small amounts of illicit drugs. Participants were generally familiar with this plan, although few were able to offer any details about the initiative. When asked if they believed the Government of Canada should decriminalize illicit drugs for personal use so that those with a substance use disorder are diverted from the criminal justice system towards a health-care approach instead, most were in favour. They commented that decriminalization would positively impact vulnerable groups, particularly those with lower socio-economic status and equity-deserving groups (e.g., Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC)) whom they felt were over-represented represented in Canada’s correctional system as a result of charges for drug possession and use. At the same time, participants wanted assurances that the diversion of funds would in fact expand health care services to those affected.

Finally, participants were asked if they believed a health-care approach to substance use would aid in decreasing stigma and allow those struggling with addiction to more readily seek treatment. Responses were mixed. Several participants believed this would be a useful approach, commenting that people requiring assistance would be more likely to seek help without fear of facing charges or being convicted of a crime. Others were uncertain mainly because they doubted whether a health-care approach would effectively address the stigma associated with addictions. A few disagreed with the proposal believing that decriminalization might encourage experimentation and increased levels of addiction.

Western Economic Diversification (Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)

In two groups held among those residing in western Canada, participants were shown two creative concepts that may be used by the Government of Canada and asked for their reactions to each. It was explained to participants that the concepts being shown were in draft format, but that ultimately they could be displayed in brochures or signage, on websites or on social media, such as Twitter and LinkedIn. It was also emphasized that the draft concepts were intended to provide participants with a visual sense of how the final text might look. Participants were asked to provide feedback on the general visual appeal and overall impact of each concept. Each group was shown two different sets of concepts labeled as Concept A and Concept B. As such, the comments from each group are discussed separately below.

Reaction to Creative Concepts (British Columbia)

Concept A

Most participants favoured Concept A over B, preferring the more colourful creative approach and more singular look of the former. The general view among participants was that Concept A would more successfully get their attention and that they would tend to linger on it longer, relative to Concept B. At the same time, neither concept was particularly effective in terms of giving participants a sense of what Western Economic Diversification does, although few participants were familiar with the organization’s mandate.

The above image has a white header, with black text reading ‘Government of Canada’ in English and ‘Gouvernement du Canada’ in French with the Government of Canada wordmark in the top right corner. Below, there is a blue and green ombre backdrop with diagonal white lines and navy blue and yellow hexagons on the left-hand side. In the largest hexagon, there is a tinted blue image of a woman smiling with her arms crossed, wearing a blazer and glasses. To the right of the image, there is a white arrow containing large bolded text reading ‘Lorem’. The rest of the text, unbolded, reads ‘ps’ and ‘Lorem ipsum dolor sit’. Below, there is a white banner with smaller capitalized text reading ‘WEB BANNER’. Underneath, there is another banner with the same blue and green ombre backdrop with diagonal white lines and navy blue and yellow hexagons on the left-hand side. The same tinted blue image of a woman smiling with her arms crossed wearing a blazer and glasses is included in the largest hexagon. This banner has more outlines of hexagons dispersed throughout, with hexagons on the right of the banner, unlike the top banner.

Participants reacted favourably to this concept, specifically noting the colours which they found to be eye-catching. They also commented on the general layout, remarking that it was relatively clean and uncluttered. Some felt it would stand out if they saw it in a brochure or on a website, mainly because of the colour palette used.

Particular elements which caught their attention, and which they liked, included:

  • The use of gold colouring and imagery;
  • The photo of the woman smiling which they felt lent a friendly and appealing tone to the creative. Some participants, however, found the image to be somewhat muted. They felt the overlay of the blue geometric design diluted the image and that removing this would make it stand out more; and
  • A generally cohesive approach to the overall look and feel of the creative.

The primary criticism of this concept centered on the use of geometric or hexagonal shapes and the incorporation of lines as a prominent aspect of the creative approach. They found these elements somewhat distracting and difficult to interpret. Some noted that the lines or streaks looked like rain, which contributed to some degree of confusion.

Concept B

Fewer participants preferred this concept, but those who did found the variety of images interesting.

The above image has one rectangular box with a dark blue backdrop and lighter blue diagonal stripes. The top left of the rectangle has a small logo for the Government of Canada containing a white Canada flag and white text reading ‘Government of Canada’ in English and ‘Gouvernement du Canada’ in French. In the top right, there is the Government of Canada wordmark. Below, there is large white font reading ‘LoremIps’ with smaller font underneath reading ‘Lorem ipsum dolor sit’. To the right of this text, there are several geometric shapes that are filled with images of various workers wearing protective eyewear or headwear. Along the perimeter of these shapes are white dots in diagonal lines and squares that run parallel to the shapes’ lines, Also at the bottom right is a white box with a small black logo for the Government of Canada containing a black Canada flag and black text reading ‘Government of Canada’ in English and ‘Gouvernment du Canada’ in French. The top right of this white box has the Government of Canada wordmark. In the center left of this box, there is large navy blue text reading ‘LoremIps’ with small black text underneath it reading ‘Building a strong, competitive and dynamic B.C. region by focusing on business development, innovation and community economic development.’ Next to this text is a picture of a woman smiling with short black hair with her arms crossed and wearing a navy blue blazer and a white top underneath. Surrounding the woman are geometric shapes that take up the bottom right corner of the box and are filled with blue and green hues, as well as dots forming the shape of a square. Underneath this, there is a white backdrop with capitalized text reading ‘WEB BANNER’. Below this is a footer with a dark blue backdrop and parallelograms that are white and blue in colour, or are filled with images of workers wearing protective eyewear or headwear. Dispersed through the footer is a diagonal white dotted line and square filled with white dots.

Participants felt this concept appeared to be promoting jobs in the trades. While commenting that the look and feel of the concept seemed very polished, it was also described as monochromatic with a number of participants noting the dominant use of blue in the colour palette. Participants thought that this concept would be unlikely to stand out on a website or in a brochure and that it would not necessarily draw their attention.

When asked for their feedback on those elements they liked most about the concept, participants felt the photos were appealing, reflected diversity, and exuded a sense of pride which struck a positive emotional chord with some. A few participants also remarked on some aspects of the visual approach which appeared to incorporate Indigenous artwork or elements. They also found this appealing and strongly associated this aspect of the creative with the Indigenous community in British Columbia.

Few participants noted any specific dislikes, but generally preferred Concept A over B.

Reaction to Creative Concepts (Alberta and Saskatchewan)

Concept A

While participants from the Prairies appreciated the colourful imagery employed in Concept A, they preferred Concept B which they felt was more reflective of the character of the region. Similar to comments provided by participants in B.C., participants from this group indicated that neither of the two concepts gave them a sense of the mandate or role of Western Economic Diversification. They felt more context was required to help bring this aspect forward.

The above concept has three parts. First, there is a ‘PPT slide’ which has a white banner across the top that features the Government of Canada wordmark on the right hand side and the Government of Canada logo on the left hand side. Below, there is a purple filter over an image of a wind farm. On the left-hand side of the image, there is white text that reads ‘Lorem | ps Building a strong, competitive and dynamic Prairie Region.’ Below the text, there are turquoise, yellow, pink, and dark purple arrows pointing to the right, and extending into a long, light purple arrow. Below the arrows, there is white text reading ‘CANADA.CA/PRAIRIES.’ While slightly covered by another concept, there is a circular symbol with pink, yellow and turquoise stripes overlaying one another and a white arrow slightly off center, to the left, pointing up and to the right.

Secondly, there is a ‘Shareable’ concept covering the bottom right hand corner of the ‘PPT slide.’ The shareable is white, with the Government of Canada wordmark and logo at the top. Below, in purple font, text reads ‘Lorem | ps.’ Below in smaller grey font, text reads ‘Building a strong, competitive and dynamic prairie region by focusing on business development, innovation and community economic development.’ Below the text, there are turquoise, yellow, pink, and dark purple arrows pointing to the right, and extending into a long, light grey arrow. Below the arrows, there is grey text reading ‘CANADA.CA/PRAIRIES.’ On the right-hand side of the image, there is a circular symbol composed of overlaid pink, yellow, purple and turquoise stripes with a white arrow slightly off center, to the left, pointing up and to the right.

Finally, there is a ‘Web banner’ that features images of a wind farm, a city street, and a bridge, covered in turquoise, yellow and pink filters respectively. On the right-hand side of the image, there is a small circular symbol composed of overlaid pink, yellow, purple and turquoise strips with a white arrow slightly off center and to the left pointing up and to the right. The symbol is contained within a larger white arrow pointing up and to the right.

This concept initially resonated with some participants for a number of reasons:

  • The very colourful palette, specifically the contrast of purple with white. However, some participants felt the ‘rainbow’ colours could be mistaken as advertising on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community;
  • The use of images in the web banner that were strongly associated with and reflective of the Prairies. In particular, some appreciated that the imagery did not focus on fields of wheat which they felt was commonplace and over-used in any Prairie advertising; and
  • The incorporation of an arrow, which connoted growth.

Any critiques focused on the following:

  • The concept was seen as somewhat generic in nature – something which participants thought they may have seen before;
  • Several found the colourful look overly busy; and
  • The colour palette was viewed as not necessarily reflective of the natural, more earth-like, tones found in the Prairie landscape.

Others noted that the bright colours lent the visuals a harsher look and, while eye-catching, they were not necessarily appealing or strongly associated with the Prairies. They preferred a softer palette.

Concept B

This concept was preferred by all participants as it more closely reflected the look and feel of the Prairie region.

The above concept has three parts. First, there is a ‘PPT slide’ which has a white banner across the top that features the Government of Canada wordmark in the right hand corner and the Government of Canada logo in the left hand corner. Below, there is a light grey pattern covering the rest of the slide. On the left-hand slide, there is a letter P shape that contains an image of the downtown Calgary skyline. There is also an orange + symbol on the top, right side of the image. To the right, there is text reading ‘Lorem | ps Building a strong, competitive and dynamic…’ in grey font, except the word ’Lorem’ is in dark green. Below there is an orange line, and below the line, there is grey font reading ‘Canada.ca/.’ The bottom right hand corner of the ‘PPT slide’ is obstructed by the image of the ‘Shareable’ concept.

Secondly, there is a ‘Shareable’ concept. The shareable is white, with the Government of Canada wordmark and logo at the top. On the left-hand slide, there is a letter P shape that contains an image of a woman sitting in a canoe. There is also an orange + symbol on the top, right side of the image. To the right, in grey font, text reads ‘Lorem | ps.’ Below in smaller grey font, text reads ‘Building a strong, competitive and dynamic prairie region by focusing on business development, innovation and community economic development’ although the word ‘Lorem’ is in dark green font. Below the text, there is an orange line. Below the line, there is grey text reading ‘Canada.ca/prairies.’

Finally, there is a ‘Web banner’ that features images of a wind farm, a city street, a bridge, and the downtown Calgary skyline, each image is rounded on the right-hand side. The far right-hand side of the web banner is white with a light grey pattern and four + symbols arranged in a circle, coloured orange, green, dark green and light green.

Participants favoured the more muted tones employed in this concept and found the circular shapes more pleasing to the eye. Overall, the colour palette evoked a Prairie sunset which many participants also liked.

When asked to highlight anything they particularly disliked about this concept, participants pointed to the use of the ‘plus’ sign throughout, feeling this was more commonly used in messaging related to health care, rather than the economy. The inclusion of this symbol side-by-side with the ‘P’ shape image evoked associations with the medical field, specifically leading some to think of pharmacies and prescriptions. Overall, however, the actual images employed in this creative were thought to be suitable representations of the Prairie region.

Housing (Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)

Participants in five of the groups held during the months of July and August discussed the topic of housing, specifically their views on housing prices and home ownership in Canada. In all groups, most participants were of the view that housing prices had increased over the past year, with some commenting that prices had risen quite dramatically. Participants from Newfoundland, however, held a contrary point of view. While acknowledging that housing prices in other regions were increasing and that Newfoundland had a tight rental market, they noted that the hollowing out of the oil and gas sector and collapsing oil markets had put downward pressure on housing prices in the province.

Several mentioned that increases in housing prices were similarly affecting the rental market in their region, and that rental rates were also rising. In some groups, participants remarked that homelessness was a growing issue in their communities and they attributed this, in part, to the increasing monthly cost of rental units. These participants spoke about access to shelter as a necessity and a basic human right.

Several participants expressed particular concern for single-parent families, young adults and low income households whom they felt were facing extreme challenges both in terms of getting into the housing market as well as allocating limited financial resources to rent or mortgage payments and other necessary household expenses (e.g., groceries). Some added that they knew of people who had simply abandoned their dream of home ownership altogether.

When asked what they thought was the cause of rising house prices, participants pointed to the following as contributing factors:

  • Speculators causing distortion in the Canadian housing market – Some noted that higher demand was being driven by those who believe housing prices will further increase;
  • Low inventory of housing stock – Several participants felt that low supply was driving up housing prices as prospective buyers attempt to outbid one another for a limited number of properties on the market. A few participants felt that this was caused, in part, by panic buying and many participants commented that the current market significantly favoured sellers over buyers;
  • Low interest rates which some felt was encouraging stronger demand;
  • Migration from larger to smaller urban centres – Participants were of the view that this was causing a spike in housing prices in suburban areas and smaller communities; and
  • Shifting consumer priorities – A few participants linked rising house prices with changing consumer priorities as a result of the pandemic. They felt that with many households now working and/or studying from home, people were increasingly interested in accommodation that was both more spacious and appropriately configured for the evolving needs of their family. Some felt that outdoor space and access to the outdoors was becoming more important, leading some to move from apartments into homes and to migrate from larger cities to smaller communities.

Some participants were more personally affected by this issue than others, specifically younger participants still paying off student loans and unable to save for a down payment. Other long-time homeowners also felt negatively affected by the trend of rising house prices, especially those selling a home and building or purchasing another. These participants felt that they were generally not any further ahead as the cost of building materials had also risen. Others noted that, unless one was dramatically downsizing, the cost to purchase a home of similar size was prohibitive even if it was enticing to consider selling one’s home in the current market. Participants who were looking for rental accommodation expressed disappointment at the high rental rates. Conversely, property owners and landlords viewed themselves as benefiting in the current housing market.

Government of Canada Support to Home Buyers

Participants discussed which level of government had the most ability to control housing prices. Many were of the view that governments at the provincial level likely had the most control given their influence with respect to property taxes and the rental market. At the same time, a number of participants felt housing prices were almost entirely a factor of market forces, specifically supply and demand. There was also a sense that extraordinary events such as the pandemic had significantly impacted the housing market in Canada.

Several participants did, however, believe that the federal government should play more of a role through monetary policy and the setting of interest rates. Some also spoke about the impact of immigration levels set by the federal government on the demand for housing.

When asked what the Government of Canada had done to support individuals who want to buy a home, many pointed to assistance for first time home buyers. Participants mentioned specific aspects of the First Time Home Buyers Incentive such as 5% towards the purchase of a newly constructed or resale home. Others noted that the federal government had extended provisions to permit individuals to withdraw funds from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to put towards the purchase of a home, without being taxed on the withdrawal. Without directly referring to the program by name, participants were describing the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) which allows Canadians to withdraw funds from their RRSP up to a limit, within which the withholding tax is not levied, and to pay back the withdrawn funds within a 15-year period. In the context of this discussion, a few participants also commented on rebates offered by federal and provincial governments for homeowners undertaking energy efficiency upgrades. Several also referred to programs offered by their provincial government to first time home buyers and current homeowners.

When asked if there was anything else the Government of Canada should do to make home ownership more feasible, participants put forward a few specific suggestions while underscoring the need to make home ownership more accessible for those who aspire to it, particularly renters:

  • Low interest loans or grants to assist prospective home buyers in coming up with the original down payment, which some felt was still prohibitively high for many young people and those with high monthly rental payments; and
  • Permitting homeowners to deduct the interest on mortgages on their tax returns.

Priorities for the Government of Canada (Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières)

Homeowners in the four groups listed above were asked how they would feel if the Government of Canada took actions that resulted in lowering housing prices. Most acknowledged the need to address the issue of affordable housing, but indicated they would be disappointed and worried if the value of their own home declined. A number of participants commented that their home represents their single largest asset and one which they rely on for income security as they age. Others felt that anything that would result in lowering housing prices would adversely affect the financial status of the middle class in Canada. Some of those who had purchased properties as investments indicated that lower housing prices could potentially be financially damaging for them, resulting in them being overleveraged.

Long-time homeowners were less concerned. Some were, in fact, supportive of any actions that would result in lower housing prices. They did not feel that they would lose a significant portion of the value or equity in their home that they had amassed over time. Moreover, some indicated that they were not at a point where they were ready to sell their home. However, they did note that those facing a drop in prices at the time they wished to sell would likely be very upset.

Participants then engaged in a short exercise in which they were shown a list of various factors that some say are reasons housing prices are high and asked to select one or two of these issues they believed the Government of Canada should change:

  • Foreign buyers are buying houses as investment properties and not renting them or living in them
  • Not enough houses are being built due to zoning laws
  • People are buying houses and then flipping them
  • The bidding process, including blind bidding (where homebuyers don’t know how much others are bidding) and bidding wars (where multiple buyers are competing for the same property)
  • The criteria for down payments are too high
    •

Participants focused in particular on two of the five issues listed – foreign buyers and the bidding process – identifying these as priority areas where the federal government could initiate positive change. Comments suggested that most participants felt these two issues were the primary contributing factors to increasing housing prices in Canada.

A number of participants felt strongly about the issue of foreign buyers purchasing houses as investment properties and not occupying or renting them based on personal experience. Several mentioned knowing individuals who were taking part in these kinds of activities. Others saw this as an issue mainly affecting major urban centres, particularly those in western Canada such as Vancouver, but agreed that government regulation was required to effectively address it. Most were of the view that there was little that sellers could do to address this issue. As such, they felt it was necessary for the Government of Canada to step in and regulate foreign investment in the Canadian housing market.

In the same vein, many participants believed that blind bidding practices generally favoured real estate investors over the typical prospective home buyer. They also felt that these practices fed into bidding wars and upward pressure on housing prices which often did not reflect the real value associated with the property for sale. Participants felt that the only group benefiting from bidding wars were the sellers. And, there was a sense that this type of process was particularly harmful to individuals trying to enter the housing market in Canada as first time homeowners, forcing them to pay exorbitant prices and, consequently, to carry larger mortgages.

By comparison to these two issues, the remaining items on the list generated less interest and discussion, and were identified as priority action areas for the Government of Canada by relatively few participants. Several participants concurred that buying and flipping homes had become a more common practice in recent years, mainly in larger centres. Moreover, they believed that this practice was motivated by market speculators and that it had contributed to rising housing prices. Some, however, questioned whether ‘house flippers’ would be subject to capital gains taxes and, if so, felt that the current tax regime would effectively moderate this practice. Few comments were offered in regards to the criteria for down payments and concerns that they may be too high. Some participants offered that the criteria can be prohibitively high, thereby keeping many prospective home buyers with average household incomes out of the market. At the same time, they also suggested that it was important to ensure home owners were required to come up with a reasonable down payment and thus avoid struggling to meet their mortgage payments in the future. Participants had very little to say about the impact of zoning laws on housing construction. While some had heard that this was an issue, others disputed the claim that zoning laws were limiting new housing builds.

Construction of Co-op Housing (Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers)

Most participants believed that constructing additional co-op housing units would be a potential solution to the issue of housing supply and affordability. They felt that adding to the supply of co-op housing in Canada would create more opportunities for younger home buyers as a path to home ownership. Some felt that supporting property ownership would support a stronger middle class in Canada. Additionally, participants believed that federal action in this area was required. Their perception was that constructing co-op housing units was a less lucrative business line for developers and that, as such, they would be unlikely to invest in this type of housing. As a side benefit, some also commented that cooperative housing tended to reinforce and build a stronger community spirit. Some participants equated co-op housing with social or low-income housing and questioned the success of efforts to integrate more affordable housing into middle class and upper middle class neighbourhoods.

Rent-to-Own Programs (Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers)

The idea of rent-to-own programs, where people could pay their rent on a house towards the down payment and eventually own the home, was popular. Participants felt this was one way of reducing the barrier of having to come up with a fairly significant down payment. Moreover, they supported the idea of having renters being able to put their monthly rental payments towards building equity in the home. Some participants expressed interest in rent-to-own programs, seeking more information on the details. A few participants responded more negatively, viewing rent-to-own programs as difficult to implement. Others saw this as no different from making mortgage payments and questioned the benefit to prospective home buyers.

When asked if they had any other specific suggestions for helping individuals who want to buy a home, the need for greater education regarding the housing market was put forward by several participants in various groups. Many commented that younger generations could benefit from more information and education pertaining to saving for a down payment and the buying process, in addition to general advice on investing. Others mentioned that Canada’s current inheritance tax laws were favourable to those who inherit their parents’ principal house, but not those who inherit a secondary place of residence. They felt more could be done to reduce the barriers to individuals taking on a secondary property. Additionally, some participants took this opportunity to reiterate their support for co-op housing developments as a cost effective way to enter the housing market.

Local Priorities (Nunavut)

Participants identified a number of issues impacting their community, including:

  • Mental health treatment and support services – A number of participants identified mental health as one of the most critical issues facing their community. Specifically, they mentioned concerns about lengthy wait times and a lack of access to counsellors, both in general and specifically those who have received cultural awareness training. The point was made that mental health services in Nunavut were primarily staffed by professionals from outside the region who are not necessarily cognizant of the history of the Inuit people or the intergenerational trauma affecting some families. It was also mentioned that counsellors tend to be transient, making it challenging for those seeking mental health services to establish an ongoing, trusting relationship;
  • Access to safe and affordable housing – Several participants spoke about the challenges related to finding adequate, safe, clean and affordable housing in Nunavut. Examples were shared of large families having to share accommodation which, in some cases, meant sharing a hotel room. Comments suggested that this created difficulties for those wishing to maintain physical distance or isolate as a result of contracting COVID-19;
  • Food insecurity – A number of participants commented on the price of groceries in the region and lack of access to fresh foods, making it challenging for parents to provide their children with nutritious meals;
  • Lack of planning, design and building for disabled persons – Some participants mentioned the challenges confronting people with disabilities residing in the region, commenting that many areas and businesses were not accessible (e.g., limited use of ramps, ramps that were built too steep, signage not available in Braille, etc.); and
  • Poverty – A few participants remarked that widespread poverty was a contributing factor resulting in overcrowded accommodation and poor dietary habits, among other issues.

Participants were subsequently asked if they recalled anything that the Government of Canada had done in Nunavut recently. Most were generally aware of funding commitments, either promised or made, by the federal government in the region as well as to other Territories. Some indicated that the Government of Canada had made a significant investment to expand virtual health care services for residents of Nunavut. Others mentioned funding by the Government of Canada for housing, although the perception was that this investment had not resulted in much new building or increased occupancy rates. A few participants also commented that newly built dwellings remained vacant despite the demand for housing among residents. Several participants felt that the Government of Nunavut, more so than the federal government, should address the issues of poor housing conditions and the lack of available and affordable housing in the region.

Participants were also questioned about any supports the Government of Canada had provided to Nunavut during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was limited awareness of any supports offered, other than funding to Inuit organizations which had flowed through to local food banks. Reaction to this was generally positive, although participants also felt that the Government of Canada could have done more for the region over the course of the pandemic. They mentioned the following areas which generally aligned with issues identified earlier in the discussion:

  • Addressing rising prices, in particular for food and housing;
  • Providing additional support for mental health services;
  • Funding for programming directed to youth and seniors; and
  • Investments to improve accessibility in their communities.

Food Availability and Cost

Participants discussed the availability and cost of purchasing nutritious foods in Nunavut. Many remarked on the challenges of accessing fresh foods, specifically fresh fruits and vegetables. Some commented that fresh, nutritious foods are often close to or past their ‘best before’ dates upon their arrival in Nunavut. They commented that by the time these items reach the Territory’s more remote communities, they are past their expiration date and, in some cases, showing signs of rot.

Affordability was also a key concern as several participants commented on fluctuating prices for food and groceries in Nunavut. The consensus view was that the quality of nutritious foods had declined in recent years, coincidental with an increase in the price of many items. Some also commented that the pandemic had adversely affected the supply of fresh foods available to residents of Nunavut. This was attributed to widespread interruptions in the supply chain resulting from the pandemic.

When participants were asked if they would prefer to see continued investment in food subsidy programs like Nutrition North or more funds allocated to Inuit-led programs such as the Harvesters Support Grant, participants leaned towards a combination of both. This approach was supported as it was felt it offered access to both store-bought items as well as traditional, country foods. The discussion prompted further recommendations regarding investments in infrastructure across Nunavut that would permit residents to harvest their own food and create jobs that could be filled locally. Some expressed interest in federal government funding to construct, maintain and operate greenhouses, believing that this represented an opportunity to improve the supply of fresh fruits and vegetables to the population of Nunavut while also creating good paying jobs. They felt that construction of Arctic plant production facilities would assist in creating a thriving and sustainable agricultural sector in the North.

Housing

Echoing their earlier remarks, relatively few participants felt the Government of Canada was taking adequate steps to ensure sufficient housing in Nunavut. The view was that federal government employees had access to better quality housing at a reasonable cost, leaving others to compete for the remaining available accommodation which was typically seen as expensive and of lower quality.

When asked about the barriers to accessing adequate housing, participants cited the following in response:

  • Cost – Participants commented that it was expensive to buy or rent a home.
  • Staff housing provided to government employees – Some participants expressed concerns that the allocation of housing to federal government and Government of Nunavut term and indeterminate employees was exacerbating the housing shortage in the region. A few also commented that subsidized housing for these employees was also scarce, contributing further to the housing crisis.
  • Historical and systemic housing shortages – Several participants commented that inadequate housing in the North has been an ongoing issue and that original proposals to provide housing, along with free education and health care, had gone unfulfilled. They viewed this issue in the same vein as others discussed and reported on by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Moreover, some participants suggested that inadequate housing in the North for many generations had adversely impacted the ability of residents of the region to build wealth through home ownership in contrast to the situation in other areas of the country.

Participants suggested four ways in which the Government of Canada could help to reduce these barriers, including: asking communities what kind of housing they need and want, building more houses in the region, releasing properties being held for use by federal employees which are currently vacant, and instituting rent controls (e.g., lowering or capping the amount paid in rent).

Resource Development

Participants viewed the resource sector as critical to improving the standard of living for residents of Nunavut. Most favoured an Inuit-led approach to resource development, believing that the sector held the promise of good paying jobs and economic benefits for the region. At the same time, some expressed concerns about environmental degradation. They supported a rigorous planning process to resource development and strong oversight of the companies involved.

Local Languages

Some participants were partially or fully fluent in Inuktitut. Others had a rudimentary grasp of the language, sufficient to ask a few simple questions or converse at a very basic level. Those who had learned Inuktitut typically had learned the language in the home or while in daycare or at school. For some participants, Inuktitut was their first language and they frequently spoke it at home and among friends. Other participants mentioned that their fluency in Inuktitut had lapsed after moving away for a period of time and that they had needed to relearn the language upon their return.

When participants were asked to consider what role, if any, the Government of Canada should play to help protect the Inuit language, most believed it had a responsibility to preserve Inuktitut and the various dialects as well as the culture. They felt that doing so was a step in the right direction towards reconciliation and that this was best undertaken by funding Indigenous-led programs in schools. Specifically, they agreed that a number of classes should be taught exclusively in Inuktitut. Additionally, participants recommended that the federal government collaborate with Inuit specialists and experts to develop programs for non-Indigenous people residing and working in Nunavut in order to assist them in learning more about Inuit culture and the language.

Electric Vehicles (Trois-Rivières)

Most participants were aware of the Government of Canada’s target to make all new cars sold in Canada be zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035. While some strongly supported this commitment in terms of its impact on the environment, several were concerned about what they presumed would be the prohibitive cost to purchase a ZEV. Others were opposed to any federal intervention in the marketplace, specifically if it would reduce choices for consumers.

Participants were provided additional information about ZEVs, including that they require batteries that are made using copper and nickel, among other materials, which are mined in many parts of Canada. When asked how they would feel about a Government of Canada strategy that encouraged this mining, the construction of batteries, and then the construction of zero emission vehicles, most were supportive for the following reasons:

  • It would create jobs in Canada; and
  • It would ensure self-sufficiency in terms of the production of a key component of ZEVs.

At the same time, some thought that high labour costs in Canada would likely preclude vehicle manufacture domestically, but that mining the material required for ZEV batteries would be a good compromise solution to ensure the production of vehicles at a reasonable cost to consumers.

As a final comment, some expressed concerns about extracting resources prior to addressing Indigenous land claims issues and doing so without partnering or in collaboration with Indigenous groups. They felt that working with Indigenous groups was important as was resolution of urgent issues affecting Indigenous communities, specifically access to clean water on reserves.

Appendix A – Recruiting Scripts

English Recruiting Script

Privy Council Office

Recruiting Script – July 2021

English Groups

Recruitment Specifications Summary

  • Groups conducted online
  • Each group is expected to last for two hours
  • Recruit 8 participants
  • Incentives will be $100 per person and will be sent to participants via e-transfer following the group
  • Incentive will be $125 per person for those participating in the Nunavut group and will be sent to participants via e-transfer following the group

Specifications for the focus groups are as follows:

GROUP DATE TIME (EDT) TIME (LOCAL) LOCATION COMPOSITION MODERATOR
1 Wed., July 7th 6:00-8:00 6:00-8:00 (EDT) Ontario-U.S. Border Towns Men in their 30’s DN
2 Thurs., July 8th 9:00-11:00 6:00-8:00 (PDT) Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Women, aged 18-29 TBW
4 Tues., July 20th 5:00-7:00 6:00-8:00 (ADT) 6:30-8:30 (NDT) Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated DN
5 Thurs., July 22nd 8:00-10:00 6:00-8:00 (MDT) 6:00-8:00 (CST) Alberta/Saskatchewan Women in their 30’s planning to travel abroad or domestically in the near future TBW
7 Thurs., July 29th 6:00-8:00 6:00-8:00 (EDT) Nunavut 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

English CONTINUE

French THANK 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-U.S. Border Towns Cities could include: Sault Ste. Marie, Fort Frances, Prescott, Kingston-Brockville-Ganonoque, Cornwall, Fort Erie, Niagara, Sarnia, Windsor

ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. 		CONTINUE - GROUP 1
Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Cities could include: Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond, Victoria, Kelowna, Abbotsford, White Rock, Nanaimo, Kamloops, Chilliwack, Prince George, Vernon, Courtenay, Campbell River, Penticton, Mission

MAX 2 PARTICIPANTS FROM MAJOR CITIES (VANCOUVER/VICTORIA). ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.		 CONTINUE - GROUP 2
Atlantic Canada Cities could include (but are not limited to):
NS: Halifax, Dartmouth, Cape Breton-Sydney
NB: Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton, Dieppe, Miramichi, Edmundston
PEI: Charlottetown, Summerside
N&L: St. John’s, Conception Bay, Mount Pearl, Corner Brook

ENSURE 2 PARTICIPANTS FROM EACH PROVINCE. ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES WITHIN EACH PROVINCE. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES. NO MORE THAN 1 PER CITY.		 CONTINUE - GROUP 4
Alberta/Saskatchewan Cities could include (but are not limited to):
Alberta: Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, Airdrie
Saskatchewan: Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Alberta, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Yorkton, North Battleford, Lloydminster, Estevan, Warman, Weyburn, Martensville, Melfort, Humboldt, Meadow Lake.

ENSURE 4 FROM EACH PROVICE. MAX 2 PARTICIPANTS FROM MAJOR CITIES (CALGARY/EDMONTON SASKATOON/REGINA). ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES. 		CONTINUE - GROUP 5
Nunavut Cities could include (but are not limited to): Iqaluit, Arviat, Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake

MAXIMUM 4 FROM IQALUIT. ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE REGION. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES.		 CONTINUE - GROUP 7
Other THANK AND END
VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer - THANK AND END

2a. How long have you lived in [INSERT CITY]? RECORD NUMBER OF YEARS.

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 4 Which of the following statements best describes your current COVID-19 vaccination status?

I have not received any doses of a COVID-19 vaccine yet THANK AND END

I have received my first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine THANK AND END

I have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine CONTINUE

Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

4. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 5 Do you have any plans to travel between now and the end of the year?

Yes CONTINUE TO Q4A

NoTHANK AND END

4a. Are you planning to travel …

Somewhere in Canada/out of province CONTINUE

To the U.S. CONTINUE

Internationally (outside of North America) CONTINUE

ENSURE GOOD MIX OF THOSE PLANNING TO TRAVEL DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, WITH SKEW TO INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL. ENSURE GOOD MIX OF THOSE TRAVELLING WITHIN NORTH AMERICA AND OUTSIDE OF NORTH AMERICA.

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

Under 18 years of age IF POSSIBLE, ASK FOR SOMEONE OVER 18 AND REINTRODUCE. OTHERWISE THANK AND END.
18-29 IF MID-SIZE AND MAJOR CENTRES B.C. = GROUP 2 IF ONTARIO-U.S. BORDER TOWNS OR ALBERTA/SASKATCHEWAN = THANK AND END OTHER LOCATIONS = CONTINUE
30-39 IF ONTARIO-U.S. BORDER TOWNS OR ALBERTA/SASKATCHEWAN = GROUP 1 OR 5 IF MID-SIZE AND MAJOR CENTRES B.C. = THANK AND END OTHER LOCATIONS = CONTINUE
40-54 IF ONTARIO-U.S. BORDER TOWNS OR MID-SIZE AND MAJOR CENTRES B.C. OR ALBERTA/SASKATCHEWAN = THANK AND END OTHER LOCATIONS = CONTINUE
55+
VOLUNTEERED
Prefer not to answer		 THANK AND END

WHERE APPLICABLE, ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF AGES WITHIN EACH GROUP.

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

Male IF MID-SIZE AND MAJOR CENTRES B.C. OR ALBERTA/SASKATCHEWAN = THANK AND END
OTHER LOCATIONS, CONTINUE
Female IF ONTARIO-U.S. BORDER TOWNS = THANK AND END
OTHER LOCATIONS, CONTINUE

WHERE APPLICABLE, ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY GENDER IN EACH GROUP.

7. Which of the following best describes the industry sector in which you are currently employed?

Accommodation and Food Services

Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

Construction

Educational Services

Finance and Insurance

Health Care and Social Assistance

Information and Cultural Industries

Management of Companies and Enterprises

Manufacturing

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

Other Services (except Public Administration)

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services

Public Administration

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

Retail Trade

Transportation and Warehousing

Utilities

Wholesale Trade

Unemployed

Full Time Student

Retired

Other, please specify: ______________

CONTINUE FOR ALL. ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR EACH GROUP. NO MORE THAN TWO PER SECTOR.

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

YesCONTINUE

No EXPLAIN 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.”

9. As part of the focus group, you will be asked to actively participate in a conversation. Thinking of how you engage in group discussions, how would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 means ‘you tend to sit back and listen to others’ and 5 means ‘you are usually one of the first people to speak’?

1-2THANK AND END

3-5CONTINUE

10. 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

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

YesCONTINUE

NoCONTINUE

12. How skilled would you say you are at using online meeting platforms on your own, using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means you are not at all skilled, and 5 means you are very skilled?

1-2THANK AND END

3-5CONTINUE

13. 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.

14. 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?

Yes CONTINUE

No SKIP TO Q.18

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

Less than 6 months ago THANK AND END

More than 6 months ago CONTINUE

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

0-4 groups CONTINUE

5 or more groups THANK AND END

17. On what topics were they and do you recall who or what organization the groups were being undertaken for?
TERMINATE IF ANY ON SIMILAR/SAME TOPIC OR GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IDENTIFIED AS ORGANIZATION

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.

18. 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.

19. Which of the following categories best describes your total household income in 2020? 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.

20. 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 $100 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. We also ask that you restart your computer prior to joining the group.

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: ____________________

Privy Council Office

Recruiting Script – August 2021

English Groups

Recruitment Specifications Summary

  • Groups conducted online
  • Each group is expected to last for two hours
  • Recruit 8 participants
  • Incentives will be $100 per person and will be sent to participants via e-transfer following the group
  • Incentive will be $125 per person for those participating in the Quebec group and will be sent to participants via e-transfer following the group

Specifications for the focus groups are as follows:

GROUP DATE TIME (EDT) TIME (LOCAL) LOCATION COMPOSITION MODERATOR
1 Wed., August 4th 6:00-8:00 6:00-8:00 (EDT) Quebec Anglophones – General Population DN
2 Thurs., August 5th 6:00-8:00 6:00-8:00 (EDT) Barrie Region Those who have travelled recently and/or plan to travel between now and end of year TBW

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

English CONTINUE

French THANK 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
Quebec Cities could include (but are not limited to): Montreal, Gatineau, Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Chicoutimi, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Laval, Longueuil, Terrebonne, Brossard, Saint-Jérôme, Chateauguary, Drummondville, Granby, Blainville, Mirabel, Dollard-des-Ormeaux

MAY SKEW TO MONTREAL, GATINEAU AND EASTERN TOWNSHIPS, AIM FOR NO MORE THAN FOUR FROM THESE AREAS. ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF CITIES ACROSS THE PROVINCE. INCLUDE THOSE RESIDING IN LARGER AND SMALLER COMMUNITIES. 		CONTINUE - GROUP 1
Barrie Region Cities include: Barrie, Orillia, Midhurst, Shanty Bay, Oro Station, Hawkestone, and Forest Home

PARTICIPANTS SHOULD RESIDE IN THE ABOVE-NOTED CENTRES PROPER.		 CONTINUE - GROUP 2
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 Have you travelled outside of Ontario in the past six months?

Yes CONTINUE TO Q3A

NoCONTINUE TO Q4

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

3a. Did you travel to…

Somewhere in Canada/out of province CONTINUE

To the U.S. CONTINUE

Internationally (outside of North America) CONTINUE

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

ENSURE GOOD MIX OF THOSE WHO HAVE TRAVELLED DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. ENSURE GOOD MIX OF THOSE TRAVELLING WITHIN NORTH AMERICA AND OUTSIDE OF NORTH AMERICA.

4. ASK ONLY IF GROUP 2 Do you have any plans to travel between now and the end of the year?

Yes CONTINUE TO Q4A

NoTHANK AND END

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

4a. Are you planning to travel …

Somewhere in Canada/out of province CONTINUE

To the U.S. CONTINUE

Internationally (outside of North America) CONTINUE

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer THANK AND END

ENSURE GOOD MIX OF THOSE PLANNING TO TRAVEL DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, WITH SKEW TO INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL.

FOR GROUP 2, ENSURE A MIX OF THOSE WHO HAVE TRAVELLED RECENTLY (AT Q.3) AND/OR PLANNING TO TRAVEL (AT Q.4) WITH SLIGHT SKEW TO THE LATTER

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

Under 18 years of age IF POSSIBLE, ASK FOR SOMEONE OVER 18 AND REINTRODUCE. OTHERWISE THANK AND END.
18-24 CONTINUE
ENSURE A GOOD MIX OF AGES WITHIN EACH GROUP.
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+
VOLUNTEERED
Prefer not to answer		 THANK AND END

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

Male CONTINUE
Female CONTINUE

ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY GENDER IN EACH GROUP.

7. Which of the following best describes the industry sector in which you are currently employed in?

Accommodation and Food Services

Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

Construction

Educational Services

Finance and Insurance

Health Care and Social Assistance

Information and Cultural Industries

Management of Companies and Enterprises

Manufacturing

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

Other Services (except Public Administration)

Professional, Scientific and Technical Services

Public Administration

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

Retail Trade

Transportation and Warehousing

Utilities

Wholesale Trade

Unemployed

Full Time Student NO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Retired ASK ‘WHAT SECTOR WERE YOU PREVIOUSLY EMPLOYED IN’ AND RECORD

Other, please specify: ______________

ENSURE A GOOD MIX BY TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR EACH GROUP. NO MORE THAN TWO PER SECTOR.

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

YesCONTINUE

No EXPLAIN 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.”

9. As part of the focus group, you will be asked to actively participate in a conversation. Thinking of how you engage in group discussions, how would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 means ‘you tend to sit back and listen to others’ and 5 means ‘you are usually one of the first people to speak’?

1-2THANK AND END

3-5CONTINUE

10. 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

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

YesCONTINUE

NoCONTINUE

12. How skilled would you say you are at using online meeting platforms on your own, using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means you are not at all skilled, and 5 means you are very skilled?

1-2THANK AND END

3-5CONTINUE

13. 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.

14. 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?

Yes CONTINUE

No SKIP TO Q.18

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

Less than 6 months ago THANK AND END

More than 6 months ago CONTINUE

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

0-4 groups CONTINUE

5 or more groups THANK AND END

17. On what topics were they and do you recall who or what organization the groups were being undertaken for?
TERMINATE IF ANY ON SIMILAR/SAME TOPIC OR GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IDENTIFIED AS ORGANIZATION

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.

18. 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.

19. Which of the following categories best describes your total household income in 2020? 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.

20. 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 $100 (for Barrie and Vanvouver Island)/$125 (for Quebec) 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. We also ask that you restart your computer prior to joining the group.

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 – juillet 2021

Groupes en français

Résumé des consignes de recrutement

  • Groupes tenus en ligne.
  • Durée prévue de chaque rencontre : deux heures.
  • Recrutement de huit participants.
  • Incitatifs de 125 $ 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 15 juillet 18 h-20 h Grande région de Montréal – y compris la ville de Montréal Hommes âgés de 18 à 29 ans qui prévoient voyager à l’étranger ou au Canada dans un proche avenir M. Proulx
6 27 juillet 18 h-20 h Grandes villes et villes de taille moyenne du Québec Personnes entièrement vaccinées 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

Anglais REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Français CONTINUER

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 ?

Anglais REMERCIER 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
Grande région de Montréal (GRM) – y compris la ville de Montréal Les villes de la GRM peuvent notamment comprendre : Montréal, Laval, Longueuil, Terrebonne, Brossard, Saint-Jérôme, Blainville, Mirabel, Dollard-des-Ormeaux

PAS PLUS DE DEUX PARTICIPANTS DE LA VILLE DE MONTRÉAL. ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES VILLES DANS CHAQUE LIEU. 		CONTINUER - GROUPE 3
Grandes villes et villes de taille moyenne du Québec Ces villes peuvent notamment comprendre :
Pour les grandes villes : Montréal, Gatineau, Québec, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Chicoutimi – Jonquière
Pour les villes de taille moyenne : Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Jérôme, Chateauguay, Drummondville, Granby, Beloeil, Saint-Hyacinthe

RECRUTER QUATRE PERSONNES POUR LES GRANDES VILLES ET QUATRE PERSONNES POUR LES VILLES DE TAILLE MOYENNE. ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES VILLES DE LA RÉGION. PAS PLUS DE DEUX PARTICIPANTS PAR VILLE.		 CONTINUER - GROUPE 6
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]? NOTER LE NOMBRE D’ANNÉES.

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 UNIQUEMENT AU GROUPE 3 Prévoyez-vous voyager d’ici la fin de l’année?

Oui PASSER À LA Q4A

Non REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

4a. Planifiez-vous un voyage…?

Quelque part au Canada/à l’extérieur de la province CONTINUER

Aux États-Unis CONTINUER

À l’international (ailleurs qu’en Amérique du Nord) CONTINUER

BIEN REPRÉSENTER LES RÉPONDANTS QUI PRÉVOIENT VOYAGER AU CANADA ET CEUX QUI PRÉVOIENT VOYAGER À L’INTERNATIONAL, EN PRIVILÉGIANT CES DERNIERS. ASSURER UN BON ÉQUILIBRE ENTRE LES RÉPONDANTS QUI COMPTENT VOYAGER EN AMÉRIQUE DU NORD ET CEUX QUI VOYAGERONT À L’EXTÉRIEUR DE L’AMÉRIQUE DU NORD.

5. DEMANDER UNIQUEMENT AU GROUPE 6 Lequel des énoncés suivants décrit le mieux votre statut de vaccination contre la COVID-19?

Je n’ai encore reçu aucune dose d’un vaccin contre la COVID-19 REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

J’ai reçu ma première dose d’un vaccin contre la COVID-19 REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

J’ai reçu deux doses d’un vaccin contre la COVID-19 CONTINUER

Je préfère ne pas répondre REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

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

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 29 SI GRM = GROUPE 3

AUTRES LIEUX = CONTINUER
30 à 39 SI GRM = REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

AUTRES LIEUX = CONTINUER
40 à 54
55 ans ou plus
RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE Je préfère ne pas répondre REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES ÂGES DANS CHAQUE SOUS-GROUPE.

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

Homme CONTINUER
Femme SI GRM = REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

AUTRES LIEUX = CONTINUER

LORSQUE C’EST PERTINENT, VISER UNE PROPORTION ÉGALE DES SEXES DANS CHAQUE GROUPE.

8. Parmi les choix suivants, lequel décrit le mieux le secteur d’activité dans lequel vous travaillez ?

Administrations publiques

Agriculture, foresterie, pêche et chasse

Arts, spectacle et loisirs

Autres services, sauf les administrations publiques

Commerce de détail

Commerce de gros

Construction

Extraction minière, exploitation en carrière, et extraction de pétrole et de gaz

Fabrication

Finance et assurances

Gestion de sociétés et d'entreprises

Hébergement et services de restauration

Industrie de l'information et industrie culturelle

Services administratifs, services de soutien, services de gestion des déchets et services

d'assainissement

Services d'enseignement

Services immobiliers et services de location et de location à bail

Services professionnels, scientifiques et techniques

Services publics

Soins de santé et assistance sociale

Transport et entreposage

Sans emploi

Aux études à temps plein PAS D’ÉTUDIANTS ÉTRANGERS

À la retraite – DEMANDER : « DANS QUEL SECTEUR TRAVAILLIEZ-VOUS AVANT? » ET NOTER LA RÉPONSE

Autre situation ou autre secteur ; veuillez préciser : ______________

CONTINUER POUR TOUS LES RÉPONDANTS. ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES TYPES D’EMPLOI DANS CHAQUE GROUPE. PAS PLUS DE DEUX RÉPONDANTS PAR SECTEUR D’ACTIVITÉ.

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 participer activement à une conversation. En pensant à la manière dont vous interagissez lors de discussions en groupe, quelle note vous donneriez-vous sur une échelle de 1 à 5 si 1 signifie « j’ai tendance à ne pas intervenir et à écouter les autres parler » et 5, « je suis habituellement une des premières personnes à parler » ?

1-2REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

3-5CONTINUER

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. Sur une échelle de 1 à 5 où 1 signifie que vous n’êtes pas du tout habile et 5 que vous êtes très habile, comment évaluez-vous votre capacité à utiliser seul(e) les plateformes de réunion en ligne ?

1-2REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

3-5CONTINUER

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?

Oui CONTINUER

Non PASSER À LA Q.19

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. Quel était leur sujet, et vous rappelez-vous pour qui ou pour quelle organisation ces groupes étaient organisés?
TERMINER SI LE SUJET EST SEMBLABLE OU IDENTIQUE, OU SI L’ORGANISATION NOMMÉE EST LE GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA

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 en 2020— 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 125 $ 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. Veuillez également redémarrer votre ordinateur avant de vous joindre au groupe.

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 : __________________

Bureau du Conseil privé

Questionnaire de recrutement — août 2021

Groupes en français

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 125 $ par personne, versés par transfert électronique après la rencontre, pour les participants du groupe du Québec.
  • Incitatifs de 100 $ par personne, versés par transfert électronique après la rencontre, pour les participants du groupe du Nouveau-Brunswick.

Caractéristiques des groupes de discussion :

GROUPE DATE HEURE (DE L’EST) HEURE (LOCALE) LIEU COMPOSITION DU GROUPE MODÉRATEUR
2 10 août 18 h-20 h 18 h-20 h (HAE) Trois-Rivières Population générale M. Proulx

Questionnaire de recrutement

INTRODUCTION

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

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

NOTER LA LANGUE ET CONTINUER

Anglais REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Français CONTINUER

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 ?

Anglais REMERCIER 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
Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières

LES PARTICIPANTS DOIVENT RÉSIDER DANS LES DITS CENTRES. 		CONTINUER - GROUPE 2
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. Seriez-vous prêt/prête à m’indiquer votre tranche d’âge dans la liste suivante?

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 CONTINUER

ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES ÂGES DANS CHAQUE GROUPE.
25 à 34
35 à 44
45 à 54
55 ans ou plus
RÉPONSE SPONTANÉE Je préfère ne pas répondre REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

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

Homme CONTINUER
Femme SI GRM = REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

AUTRES LIEUX = CONTINUER

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

6. Parmi les choix suivants, lequel décrit le mieux le secteur d’activité dans lequel vous travaillez ?

Administrations publiques

Agriculture, foresterie, pêche et chasse

Arts, spectacle et loisirs

Autres services, sauf les administrations publiques

Commerce de détail

Commerce de gros

Construction

Extraction minière, exploitation en carrière, et extraction de pétrole et de gaz

Fabrication

Finance et assurances

Gestion de sociétés et d'entreprises

Hébergement et services de restauration

Industrie de l'information et industrie culturelle

Services administratifs, services de soutien, services de gestion des déchets et services

d'assainissement

Services d'enseignement

Services immobiliers et services de location et de location à bail

Services professionnels, scientifiques et techniques

Services publics

Soins de santé et assistance sociale

Transport et entreposage

Sans emploi

Aux études à temps plein

À la retraite

Autre situation ou autre secteur ; veuillez préciser : ______________

ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES TYPES D’EMPLOI DANS CHAQUE GROUPE. PAS PLUS DE DEUX RÉPONDANTS PAR SECTEUR D’ACTIVITÉ.

7. 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 ».

8. Dans le cadre du groupe de discussion, on vous demandera de participer activement à une conversation. En pensant à la manière dont vous interagissez lors de discussions en groupe, quelle note vous donneriez-vous sur une échelle de 1 à 5 si 1 signifie « j’ai tendance à ne pas intervenir et à écouter les autres parler » et 5, « je suis habituellement une des premières personnes à parler » ?

1-2REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

3-5CONTINUER

9. 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

10. 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

11. Sur une échelle de 1 à 5 où 1 signifie que vous n’êtes pas du tout habile et 5 que vous êtes très habile, comment évaluez-vous votre capacité à utiliser seul(e) les plateformes de réunion en ligne ?

1-2REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

3-5CONTINUER

12. 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.

13. 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?

Oui CONTINUER

Non PASSER À LA Q.17

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. Laquelle des catégories suivantes décrit le mieux le revenu annuel total de votre ménage en 2020— 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.

19. 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 125 $ 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. Veuillez également redémarrer votre ordinateur avant de vous joindre au groupe.

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Appendix B – Discussion Guides

English Moderators Guide

MODERATOR’S GUIDE – July/August 2021

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.

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IN THE NEWS (5-20 minutes) All locations

  • What have you seen, read or heard about the Government of Canada in the last few days?
  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut If not mentioned: Have any of you seen, read or heard anything about Canada’s new Governor General? What have you heard?
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s How do you normally learn about things that the Government of Canada is planning or has done? PROBE FOR: In the news (print, TV, radio, online), on social media, from friends/family, etc.
    • And, is this also how you would typically hear about any other kind of news – for example, other news items that are not necessarily about the federal government, its plans and activities?
      • IF NO: What other sources do you rely on for other news (not related to what the federal government is planning/doing?)
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s Apart from actions related to COVID-19, are you aware of anything the Government of Canada has done over the past 5 years? For example, any new programs or services or legislation?
    • IF NOTHING MENTIONED, PROMPT: it could be related to the environment, taxes, international trade, measures targeted to specific groups of Canadians, etc.
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s What is the Government of Canada doing well? Please provide examples.
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s What is the Government of Canada doing poorly? What could they improve on?
  • Quebec Anglophones Has anyone seen, read or heard anything recently about Bill 96, or as some may know as the amendment of the Constitution to recognize Quebec as a nation and French as its only official and common language.
    • IF YES, what did you hear?
      • What has the Government of Canada’s response to it been?
  • Quebec Anglophones Do you think the Government of Canada is doing enough to protect official minority language rights in Canada?
  • Quebec Anglophones What do you see as the biggest challenges facing Anglophones in Quebec?
  • Trois-Rivières Have you seen, read or heard anything about the Government of Canada’s announcement of a new high frequency rail service passing through Trois-Rivières?

Trois-Rivières CLARIFY AS NECESSARY: On July 6, 2021, the Government of Canada declared its commitment to modernizing intercity passenger rail service to meet the needs of travellers, while also creating jobs and economic growth. By doing so, it plans to build its first high-speed high frequency rail service connecting Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. According to VIA Rail, a high frequency rail line operating on dedicated tracks would cut travel times by 25% and improve on-time performance by 95%.

  • Trois-Rivières What do you think about this initiative?

COVID-19 OUTLOOK/VACCINES (10-40 minutes) Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières
Let’s talk about COVID-19…

  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s Looking forward at the COVID-19 situation across Ontario and Canada more broadly, do you think that the spread of COVID-19 is going to get better, worse, or stay the same throughout the summer?
  • Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults Looking forward at the COVID-19 situation across British Columbia and Canada more broadly, do you think that the spread of COVID-19 is going to get better, worse, or stay the same throughout the summer?
  • GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults Looking forward at the COVID-19 situation across Quebec and Canada more broadly, do you think that the spread of COVID-19 is going to get better, worse, or stay the same throughout the summer?
  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated Looking forward at the COVID-19 situation across Atlantic Canada and Canada more broadly, do you think that the spread of COVID-19 is going to get better, worse, or stay the same throughout the summer?
    • How about the fall? Are you worried about a possible fourth wave?
    • In your opinion, do you think we could enter another lockdown should the situation worsen? Or, do you think we’re out of the woods?
  • Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Do you think the Government of Canada needs to be doing more to encourage Canadians to get vaccinated against COVID-19? What makes you say that?
  • Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Let’s imagine the Government of Canada gave $100 to everyone who gets vaccinated or has already been vaccinated. Do you think this would be effective at encouraging more people to get vaccinated? What makes you say that?
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Has anyone heard about any changes to the requirement to quarantine for Canadian travelers returning home? What have you heard?

Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières SHOW ON SCREEN/CLARIFY:
The Government of Canada announced recently that as of Monday July 5th, fully vaccinated travelers who are eligible to enter Canada (i.e. Canadian citizens, permanent residents and essential travelers) will no longer need to spend 3 days in an authorized hotel, spend 14 days in COVID-19 quarantine upon arriving home, or complete the mandatory Day 8 COVID-19 test.

  • Pre-departure and on-arrival COVID-19 testing will still apply.
  • Fully vaccinated travelers must also be asymptomatic.
  • To be considered fully vaccinated, a traveler must have received the full series of a vaccine, or a combination of vaccines, accepted by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada.
  • Travelers must present a quarantine plan for use in case they are found not to the meet all of the relevant conditions.
  • Travelers must use the ArriveCAN app or web portal prior to departure to log their vaccination details, as well as the results of a negative COVID-19 test that’s less than three days old.

MODERATOR NOTE: This change does not apply to fully vaccinated non-citizens who are looking to visit for non-essential reasons, and for any Canadian traveler who is not fully-vaccinated. In these instances, the existing suite of travel restrictions remain in effect, including the mandatory 3 day quarantine in an authorized hotel at their own cost and the remainder of the 14-day quarantine at home or in a facility of their choosing.

  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers What do you think about this?
  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated Do any of you have plans to travel between now and the end of the year?
    • Do you plan to travel internationally? PROMPT: How about in the US? Outside of North America?
    • Do you plan to travel domestically, such as somewhere in Canada or out of province?
  • GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s When you were recruited for this focus group, you had indicated that you had plans to travel between now and the end of the year. Is this still true for you?
    • Do you plan to travel internationally? PROMPT: How about in the US? Outside of North America?
    • Do you plan to travel domestically, such as somewhere in Canada or out of province?
  • Barrie Recent Travelers When you were recruited for this focus group, you had indicated that you had recently traveled. Is this true for you?
    • Did you travel internationally? PROMPT: To the US? Outside of North America?
    • Did you travel domestically, such as somewhere in Canada or out of the province?
    • Were you more compelled to travel following the change in restrictions for Canadian citizens who are fully vaccinated?
    • Did the current measures and restrictions in place make you feel safe from the risks of COVID-19 while traveling?
  • GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s Do the changes to the travel requirements and border measures have an impact on your travel plans?

Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults Through a joint agreement with the U.S., Canada implemented border restrictions in response to the coronavirus outbreak in March 2020. This agreement has been renewed on a month-to-month basis, with the most recent renewal in effect until July 21st.

  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults What do you think should happen after July 21st ? Should the agreement be renewed for another month? What makes you say that?
  • GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults Would the renewal of these border restrictions have an impact on your current travel plans?
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults PROMPT AS NEEDED IF THEY SAY RENEW: should restrictions be kept as is, or should they be loosened further? What makes you say that?

Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults The Government of Canada has said that reopening the border fully depends on a few things, including having over 75% of Canadians fully vaccinated.

  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults What do you think about this?

Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s Currently, 37% of Canadians are fully vaccinated.

GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults Currently, 46% of Canadians are fully vaccinated.

  • Do you think we will hit the target of having at least 75% of Canadians fully vaccinated? What makes you say that?
    • IF YES: When do you think we’ll hit that target?
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults There has been some commentary in the U.S. that the U.S. government should move ahead and open the U.S. border to Canadian travel, even if Canada keeps its border closed to U.S. travel into Canada. What do you think about this?

Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières The Government of Canada has also recently announced that Canada could start allowing fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and St-Pierre-Miquelon citizens (a French archipelago south of Newfoundland), into Canada for non-essential travel as of August 9th, and extend this to fully vaccinated travelers from all countries by September 7th if the current positive path of vaccination rate and public health conditions continues.

  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières What do you think about this?
  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Do you have any concerns about opening the Canadian border to fully-vaccinated Americans (not just essential travelers) next month?
  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières What about allowing fully-vaccinated travelers in general (not just Americans) into Canada by early September?
  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated What about those who want to come to Canada for non-essential travel but are not fully vaccinated? Should they be allowed into Canada as well? What makes you say that?
    • IF YES: Should there be any restrictions in place – for example, keeping the current measures for non-vaccinated travelers (getting tested upon arrival to Canada; a mandatory 3-day quarantine in an authorized hotel at their own expense; a total 14-day quarantine period overall)? What makes you say that?

INDIGENOUS ISSUES (20-30 minutes) Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières
Let’s shift our focus a little bit.

  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults How important are Indigenous issues compared to other Government of Canada priorities at the moment?
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults Do you think the Government of Canada is focusing about the right amount of attention on Indigenous Issues, not enough or too much? What makes you say that?
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults Are you aware of any specific things the Government of Canada has done recently to address Indigenous issues?
    • IF YES: what have they done?
  • What do you think are the most important Indigenous issues the Government of Canada should focus on?
  • I’m going to show you some things the Government has done and then I’m going to get your thoughts

Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated SHOW ON SCREEN/CLARIFY

  • Announced another $1.5 billion to finish the work of lifting all long-term drinking water advisories. This is in addition to the $2.19 billion already budgeted.
  • Implemented a series of actions in response to the findings of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, including increased health support and victim services supports, financial support to the RCMP’s National Investigative Standards and Practices Unit, and a crisis support line for those affected by missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
  • Introduced a bill to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). This bill will mandate the government to provide a framework for departments to give First Nations a shared role in decision-making in actions that affect their lives, lands, families and cultures.
  • Of the $33.8 million allocated in 2019 towards projects aimed at researching the children who died at residential schools, recently opened the remaining $27 million to Indigenous communities to fund searches at former residential school sites, as well as memorials and other commemorations to mark the graves.

Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated POLL: Now I’d like you to choose which one of these initiatives is the most impactful:

  • Announcing additional funding to end all long-term drinking water advisories
  • Implementing actions to address the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls
  • Implementing UNDRIP
  • Opening funding to Indigenous communities to fund searches at residential school sites, memorials and other commemorations to mark the graves

Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated Moderator to go through poll results and find reasons for selections

  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières I’m going to show you some Indigenous issues and then I’m going to get your thoughts

Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières SHOW ON SCREEN/CLARIFY

  • Ensuring clean drinking water on all reserves
  • Getting more Indigenous people to attend post-secondary education so they attend at the same rate as other Canadians
  • Helping survivors of residential schools cope with the trauma
  • Improving the infrastructure gap so that infrastructure on reserves is at same level as in rest of country
  • Improving the infrastructure gap so that infrastructure on reserves is at same level as in rest of country

Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières POLL: Now I’d like you to choose which one of these should be the biggest priority for the Government of Canada when it comes to Indigenous issue. You can select up to two.

  • Ensuring clean drinking water on all reserves
  • Getting more Indigenous people to attend post-secondary education
  • Helping survivors of residential schools cope with the trauma
  • Improving the infrastructure gap
  • Improving the quality of primary and secondary education on Indigenous reserves
  • Moderator to go through poll results and find reasons for selections
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults Now that I’ve shown you some of the initiatives the Government of Canada has undertaken, does this change how you feel about how the federal government is addressing Indigenous issues?
    • IF YES: how so?
  • Ontario-U.S. Border Town Men in their 30’s, Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, GMA Planning to Travel Men Young Adults, Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated Are there other specific actions you think the Government of Canada needs to take to address key Indigenous issues?

Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Now I’d like to focus on drinking water for a bit…

  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières In total, 108 boil water advisories on reserves have been lifted, and 32 remain. What do you think when you hear that? Do you have a positive or negative reaction?
  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Do you feel that the Government of Canada is on the right or wrong track when it comes to addressing boil water advisories? What makes you say that?

Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Now I’d like to focus on primary and secondary education for a bit…

  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières The Government of Canada has provided funding for 66 new schools and renovations to 86 schools on Indigenous reserves. Of the 66 new schools, 27 have been completed, while the others are in progress. What do you think when you hear that? Do you have a positive or negative reaction?
  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Do you feel that the Government of Canada is on the right or wrong track when it comes to addressing education needs on Indigenous reserves? What makes you say that?

OPIOIDS (25 minutes) Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults

  • Has anyone heard anything about opioids in the news? Can you explain to me what is going on in your own words?
    • Can you name any opioids? (PROBE on familiarity with “Fentanyl” if no one mentions it)
  • What type of people do you think are most affected by this?
    • If vague answers, PROBE them to rank who they think most falls victim to overdoses on opioids – seniors vs. middle age vs. teenagers, homeless vs. low income vs. middle income vs. high income, those who frequently use illegal drugs versus people who don’t use many illegal drugs

CLARIFY AS NEEDED:
Opioids are drugs that include prescribed pain relievers, such as fentanyl, and illegal drugs such as heroin. Misuse may lead to addiction, overdose and death. Recently, the emergence of fentanyl and other powerful illicit opioid drugs has led to an unprecedented number of deaths.

  • What do you think has led to the current problem with opioids? Who or what is to blame?

POLL: Now I’d like you to think about who or what is most responsible for the current problem (NOTE TO MODERATOR: Even if they don’t know much about the problem, ask them to try the exercise based on their perceptions). You can select up to 3:

    • Doctors not prescribing properly
    • Drug companies making unsafe products
    • Gangs
    • Lack of policing
    • People making poor decisions
    • Poor border control

Moderator to go through poll results and find reasons for selections

  • What should the Government of Canada do in response?
  • Have you seen, read or heard anything in the news about a plan by the City of Vancouver to gain Health Canada approval of the decriminalization of small amounts of illicit drugs? What have you heard?
  • 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?
  • Do you think that a health-care approach to substance use would allow users to avoid stigma and more easily seek help for addiction treatment or other services?

WESTERN ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION CANADA BRANDING (25 minutes) Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s

Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults We are now going to review two creative concepts that may be used by the Government of Canada to inform Canadians about things related to British Columbia…

Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s We are now going to review two creative concepts that may be used by the Government of Canada to inform Canadians about things related to western Canada…

Let’s take a look at the first concept. This could be displayed in brochures or signage, on websites, or on social media, such as Twitter and LinkedIn. Note that these are still in draft format, so some of the text (e.g. Lorem|ps) is just a placeholder for the moment. It’s just meant to give you a visual sense of how the text would look.

Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults order: Concept B, Concept A

Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s order: Concept B, Concept A

SHOW CONCEPT A/B ON SCREEN

  • Overall, what do you think of the look of this concept?
  • Does it resonate with you? Why or why not?
  • Would this stand out if you saw it on a website, in a brochure, etc.?
  • What do you like most about it? What do you like least?
  • Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s Prior to seeing this concept, how many of you were familiar with Western Economic Diversification Canada (show of hands)?
  • Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s Does this concept give you a sense of what Western Economic Diversification Canada does? How so?
  • Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s Do you have any other thoughts about what could make this concept more effective?

Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults Now I’m going to show you a different concept. This one has 2 examples (not 3 like the first concept we looked at).

Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s Now I’m going to show you a different concept.

SHOW CONCEPT A/B ON SCREEN

  • Overall, what do you think of the look of this concept?
  • Does it resonate with you? Why or why not?
  • Would this stand out if you saw it on a website, in a brochure, etc.?
  • What do you like most about it? What do you like least?
  • Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s Does this concept give you a sense of what Western Economic Diversification Canada does? How so?
  • Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s Do you have any other thoughts about what could make this concept more effective?

COMPARISON:

POLL: Now I’d like you to choose which of the two images you prefer

  • CONCEPT A
  • CONCEPT B

Moderator to go through poll results and find reasons for selections

COVID-19 PROOF OF VACCINATION (20 minutes) Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières

I’d like to now gauge your opinion about proof of vaccination credentials (PVCs), which are sometimes referred to as vaccine passports.

  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated Have you read, heard or seen anything recently about PVCs or vaccine passports? What are they?
  • Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Have you read, heard or seen anything recently about vaccination status documents or vaccine passports? What are they?

Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated CLARIFY AS NECESSARY:
Some countries have implemented measures where you must show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to enter the country. In Canada, fully vaccinated travelers eligible to enter Canada who want to be exempt from current quarantine restrictions must provide proof that they have been fully vaccinated with one of the accepted vaccines in Canada. The proof of vaccination must be in English or French or a certified translation. So this kind of system could be applied to all travelers wanting to enter Canada (if, for example, Canada opens up the border to any fully vaccinated traveler).

Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers CLARIFY AS NECESSARY:
Some countries have implemented measures where you must show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to enter the country.
The Government of Canada is working with the provinces and territories on providing Canadians with a document that demonstrates their COVID-19 vaccination history for use when it is safe to travel outside the country, and is considering different names for this program.

Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers POLL: I’m going to show you some potential program names and I’d like you to choose the one that best represents the idea that this is about showing proof of being fully vaccinated.

  • Proof of vaccination status
  • Canadian proof of vaccination
  • Canadian vaccine certificate
  • Proof of vaccination credential
  • Canadian vaccine passport
  • Vax Pass

Moderator to go through poll results and find reasons for selections

  • Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers Are there any names in this list that you do not think should be used? What makes you say that?
  • Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Nunavut, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers Is there anything you would add or change to any of the names? Could any of the names be improved?

Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s Now I’d like to talk about requirements for travelers entering Canada…
In Canada, fully vaccinated travelers eligible to enter Canada who want to be exempt from current quarantine restrictions must provide proof that they have been fully vaccinated with one of the accepted vaccines in Canada. The proof of vaccination must be in English or French or a certified translation. So this kind of system could be applied to all travelers wanting to enter Canada (if, for example, Canada opens up the border to any fully vaccinated traveler).

  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Should Canada have some kind of proof-of-vaccination system for domestic air travel? For example, the proof could be certification provided by the province where an individual received their COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières How about requiring proof of vaccination to be able to attend things like concerts or sporting events?
    • Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières PROMPT AS NEEDED: Do you think this would be effective at encouraging more people to get vaccinated?
  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s Do you have any concerns about your privacy when it comes to proof of vaccination systems?
    • PROMPT AS NECESSARY: A proof-of-vaccination system would require some sort of sharing of vaccination records between levels of government. Do you have any concerns about that?

HOUSING (15-35 minutes) Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated, Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Let’s shift our focus a little bit

Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated I’d like to talk to you about housing in Atlantic Canada…
Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières I’d like to talk to you about housing in your region…

  • Have the housing prices gone up over the past year?
    • IF YES: Why do you think they have gone up?
  • Does this affect you personally?
    • In a good way? In a bad way? How so?
  • In your opinion, what level of government do you think has the most ability to control housing prices? Or do you think it’s not possible for any level of government to control this (e.g. it’s all market based)?
  • Has the Government of Canada done anything to support individuals who want to buy a home?
  • Atlantic Canada Fully Vaccinated Is there anything else the Government of Canada should do (or not do) to make home ownership more feasible?
  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières For those of you who own your home, how would you feel if the Government did something that resulted in lowering housing prices?
  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières I’m going to show you some issues that some say are reasons housing prices are high, and then I’m going to get your thoughts

Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières SHOW ON SCREEN/CLARIFY

  • Foreign buyers are buying houses as investment properties and not renting them or living in them
  • Not enough houses are being built due to zoning laws
  • People are buying houses and then flipping them
  • The bidding process, including blind bidding (where homebuyers don’t know how much others are bidding) and bidding wars (where multiple buyers are competing for the same property)
  • The criteria for down payments are too high

Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières POLL: Now I’d like you to choose which one of these you would like to see the Government of Canada change. You can select up to two. If you don’t think the federal government should change any, do not select any.

Moderator to go through poll results and find reasons for selections

  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières How would you feel about more co-op housing being built? Would that be a solution to the problem? What makes you say that?
  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières What about a rent-to-own program where people could pay their rent on a house towards the down payment, so that they eventually own that home?
  • Mid-size and Major Centres Quebec Fully Vaccinated, Quebec Anglophones, Barrie Recent Travelers, Trois-Rivières Do you have any other suggestions to help individuals who want to buy a home?

LOCAL PRIORITIES (30 minutes) Nunavut

Now I’d like to shift topics, and focus on issues specific to Nunavut…

  • What is the most important local issue impacting your community?
  • Can anyone recall anything the Government of Canada has done in Nunavut recently?
  • How would you describe the availability of nutritious foods in Nunavut?
    • Have you noticed any differences in the availability or cost of nutritious foods over the past few years?
    • Would you prefer to see continued investment in food subsidy programs like Nutrition North, more funds allocated to Inuit-led programs such as the Harvesters Support Grant, or a combination of both?
  • Do you feel the Government of Canada is doing enough to ensure there is adequate housing in Nunavut?
    • Are there any barriers to accessing adequate housing?
      • What could the Government of Canada do to help remove these barriers?
  • Does anyone here speak Inuktitut?
    • IF YES: how did you learn to speak Inuktitut?
      • PROMPT AS NEEDED: For example, via family, school, professional setting, community, online, TV, etc.
    • What role, if any, should the federal government play to help protect Inuktitut?
  • Can anyone remember any supports the Government of Canada provided for Nunavut during the COVID-19 pandemic?
    • What are your impressions of these supports? What makes you say that?
    • Did the Government of Canada do enough to support Nunavut during the pandemic? What makes you say that?
    • Is there anything else the Government should do?
  • How important is the resource development sector in Nunavut?
  • Would you like to see the resource development sector in Nunavut grow? Why/why not?
    • PROBE: Are you concerned that a growing resources sector could negatively impact the environment in your community?

ELECTRIC VEHICLES (10 minutes) Trois-Rivières

Shifting topics again…

  • Have you heard about the Government of Canada’s target to make all new cars sold in Canada be zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035? (CLARIFY AS NEEDED: an electric vehicle is a type of ZEV)
    • How do you feel about this?
  • ZEVs require batteries that are made using copper and nickel, among other materials. These can be mined in many parts of Canada. How would you feel about a Government of Canada strategy that encouraged this mining, the construction of batteries, and then the construction of zero emission vehicles?

CONCLUSION (5 minutes)

French Moderators Guide

GUIDE DU MODÉRATEUR – JUILLET/AOÛT 2021

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.

LE GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA DANS L’ACTUALITÉ (5-20 minutes) Tous les lieux

  • Qu’avez-vous vu, lu ou entendu au sujet du gouvernement du Canada au cours des derniers jours ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut Si ce n’est pas mentionné : Avez-vous vu, lu ou entendu quoi que ce soit au sujet de la nouvelle gouverneure générale du Canada ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Comment entendez-vous parler normalement des choses que le gouvernement du Canada a faites ou planifie de faire ? SONDER POUR : dans les actualités (imprimé, télé, radio, en ligne), sur les médias sociaux, par l’entremise d’amis et de la famille, etc.
    • Et, est-ce aussi de cette façon que vous entendez généralement parler d’autres types de nouvelles — par exemple, les informations qui ne concernent pas nécessairement le gouvernement fédéral, ses plans et ses activités ?
      • SI NON : Quelles sont les autres sources sur lesquelles vous comptez pour obtenir d’autres informations (qui n’ont rien à voir avec les plans ou les actions du gouvernement fédéral) ?
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Outre les actions relatives à la COVID-19, êtes-vous au courant de quoi que ce soit que le gouvernement du Canada a fait au cours des 5 dernières années ? Par exemple, de nouveaux programmes ou services, ou de nouveaux projets de loi ?
    • SI AUCUNE RÉPONSE, MENTIONNER : Il peut s’agir de l’environnement, des taxes, du commerce international, de mesures destinées à des groupes précis de Canadiens, etc.
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Qu’est-ce que le gouvernement du Canada fait de bien ? Veuillez donner des exemples.
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Qu’est-ce que le gouvernement du Canada fait de moins bien ? Que pourraient-ils améliorer ?
  • Anglophones du Québec Est-ce que quelqu’un a vu, lu ou entendu quoi que ce soit récemment au sujet du projet de loi 96, ou ce que certaines personnes connaissent comme étant l’amendement de la Constitution pour reconnaître le Québec comme une nation et le français comme sa seule langue officielle et commune ?
    • SI OUI, qu’avez-vous entendu ?
      • Quelle a été la réponse du gouvernement du Canada à cela ?
  • Anglophones du Québec Selon vous, le gouvernement du Canada en fait-il assez en matière de protection des droits linguistiques des minorités de langue officielle ?
  • Anglophones du Québec Quels sont, selon vous, les plus grands défis auxquels sont confrontés les anglophones du Québec ?
  • Trois-Rivières Avez-vous vu, lu ou entendu quoi que ce soit par rapport à l’annonce du gouvernement du Canada selon laquelle un nouveau service ferroviaire à grande fréquence passera par Trois-Rivières ?

Trois-Rivières ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN : Le 6 juillet 2021, le gouvernement du Canada a déclaré qu’il était résolu à moderniser les services ferroviaires interurbains pour les voyageurs afin de mieux répondre à leurs besoins de transport tout en favorisant la création d’emplois et la croissance économique. Ce faisant, il prévoit de construire son premier service ferroviaire à haute fréquence reliant Québec, Trois-Rivières, Montréal, Ottawa et Toronto. Selon VIA Rail, une ligne ferroviaire à grande fréquence qui opère sur des voies dédiées réduirait la durée des trajets de 25 % et améliorerait la ponctualité de 95 %.

  • Trois-Rivières Que pensez-vous de cette initiative ?

PERSPECTIVES LIÉES À LA COVID-19 ET AUX VACCINS (10-40 minutes) Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières

Parlons de la COVID-19…

  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis Si l’on se tourne vers l’avenir et la situation liées à la COVID-19 en Ontario et plus largement au Canada, pensez-vous que la propagation de la COVID-19 va s’améliorer, s’aggraver ou rester la même tout au long de l’été ?
  • Jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B. Si l’on se tourne vers l’avenir et la situation liées à la COVID-19 en Colombie-Britannique et plus largement au Canada, pensez-vous que la propagation de la COVID-19 va s’améliorer, s’aggraver ou rester la même tout au long de l’été ?
  • Jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Si l’on se tourne vers l’avenir et la situation relative à la COVID-19 au Québec et plus largement au Canada, pensez-vous que la propagation de la COVID-19 va s’améliorer, s’aggraver ou rester la même tout au long de l’été ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique Si l’on se tourne vers l’avenir et la situation liées à la COVID-19 au Canada atlantique et plus largement au Canada, pensez-vous que la propagation de la COVID-19 va s’améliorer, s’aggraver ou rester la même tout au long de l’été ?
    • Qu’en est-il de l’automne ? Craignez-vous une possible quatrième vague ?
    • À votre avis, croyez-vous que nous pourrions nous retrouver de nouveau en confinement si la situation se détériorait ? Ou bien, pensez-vous que nous sommes sortis du bois ?
  • Anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Selon vous, le gouvernement du Canada doit-il en faire davantage pour encourager la population Canadienne à se faire vacciner contre la COVID-19 ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
  • Anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Imaginons que le gouvernement du Canada remettait 100 $ à toutes personnes qui se font vacciner ou qui se sont déjà fait vacciner. Pensez-vous que cela serait efficace quant à encourager plus de gens à se faire vacciner ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Y a-t-il quelqu’un qui a entendu parler de quelconques changements quant à l’obligation de se mettre en quarantaine pour les voyageurs canadiens qui rentrent au pays ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?

    • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN/ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT :

Le gouvernement du Canada a récemment annoncé qu’à partir du 5 juillet, les voyageurs entièrement vaccinés qui sont autorisés à entrer au Canada (c’est-à-dire les citoyens canadiens, les résidents permanents et les voyageurs essentiels) ne seront plus tenus de passer trois jours dans un hôtel autorisé, ni de passer quatorze jours en quarantaine de COVID-19 à leur retour au pays, ni d’effectuer le test COVID-19 obligatoire du jour 8.

  • Les tests de dépistage de la COVID-19 avant le départ et à l’arrivée sont maintenus.
  • Les voyageurs entièrement vaccinés doivent également être asymptomatiques.
  • Pour être considérés comme entièrement vaccinés, les voyageurs doivent avoir reçu toutes les doses d’une série d’un vaccin ou d’une combinaison de vaccins contre la COVID-19 autorisée par le gouvernement du Canada au moins quatorze jours avant leur arrivée au Canada.
  • Les voyageurs doivent présenter un plan de quarantaine à utiliser au cas où il serait déterminé qu’ils ne remplissent pas toutes les conditions requises.
  • Les voyageurs doivent utiliser l’application ArriveCAN ou le portail en ligne avant le départ pour enregistrer les détails de leur vaccination, ainsi que les résultats d’un test de COVID-19 négatif datant de moins de trois jours.

NOTE AU MODÉRATEUR : Ce changement ne s’applique pas aux non-citoyens entièrement vaccinés qui souhaitent venir au pays pour des raisons non essentielles ni aux voyageurs canadiens qui ne sont pas entièrement vaccinés. Dans ces cas, l’ensemble des restrictions de voyage existantes restent en vigueur, y compris la quarantaine obligatoire de trois jours dans un hôtel autorisé, à leurs frais, et le reste de la quarantaine de quatorze jours à leur domicile ou dans un établissement de leur choix.

  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie Qu’en pensez-vous ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique Y en a-t-il parmi vous qui prévoyez de voyager d’ici la fin de l’année ?
    • Prévoyez-vous de voyager à l’étranger ? Demander : Aux États-Unis ? À l’extérieur de l’Amérique du Nord ?
    • Prévoyez-vous de voyager à l’intérieur du pays, c’est-à-dire quelque part au Canada ou à l’extérieur de la province ?
  • Jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Lorsque vous avez été recruté pour ce groupe de discussion, vous aviez indiqué que vous prévoyiez de voyager d’ici la fin de l’année. Est-ce toujours le cas ?
    • Prévoyez-vous de voyager à l’étranger ? Demander : Aux États-Unis ? À l’extérieur de l’Amérique du Nord ?
    • Prévoyez-vous de voyager à l’intérieur du pays, c’est-à-dire quelque part au Canada ou à l’extérieur de la province ?
  • Récents voyageurs de Barrie Lorsque vous avez été recruté pour ce groupe de discussion, vous aviez indiqué que vous aviez récemment voyagé. Est-ce exact en ce qui vous concerne ?
    • Avez-vous voyagé à l’étranger ? DEMANDER : Aux États-Unis ? À l’extérieur de l’Amérique du Nord ?
    • Avez-vous voyagé à l’intérieur du pays, c’est-à-dire quelque part au Canada ou à l’extérieur de la province ?
    • Aviez-vous plus envie de voyager à la suite des changements apportés aux restrictions pour les citoyens canadiens qui sont entièrement vaccinés ?
    • Avec les mesures et les restrictions en vigueur, vous sentiez-vous protégé contre les risques liés à la COVID-19 lors de vos voyages ?
  • Jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Est-ce que les changements apportés aux exigences de voyage et aux mesures frontalières ont une incidence sur vos projets de voyage ?

Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Grâce à un accord conjoint avec les États-Unis, le Canada a mis en place des restrictions frontalières en réponse à l’éclosion de la maladie à coronavirus en mars 2020. L’accord fut renouvelé sur une base mensuelle, le plus récent renouvellement étant en vigueur jusqu’au 21 juillet.

  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Selon vous, que devrait-il se passer après le 21 juillet ? Devrait-on renouveler l’accord pour un autre mois ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
  • Jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Est-ce qu’un renouvellement de ces restrictions frontalières aurait un impact sur vos projets de voyage actuels ?
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager SI L’ON RÉPOND « RENOUVELER », AU BESOIN, DEMANDER : Devrait-on maintenir les restrictions telles quelles ou les assouplir davantage ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Le gouvernement du Canada a déclaré que la réouverture complète de la frontière dépendait de plusieurs facteurs, y compris d’avoir plus de 75 % de la population canadienne entièrement vaccinée.

  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Qu’en pensez-vous ?

Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis Actuellement, 37 % des Canadiennes et des Canadiens sont entièrement vaccinés.

Jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Actuellement, 46 % des Canadiennes et des Canadiens sont entièrement vaccinés.

  • Pensez-vous que nous atteindrons l’objectif d’avoir au moins 75 % de la population canadienne entièrement vaccinée ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
    • SI OUI : Quand pensez-vous que nous atteindrons cet objectif ?
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Certains commentaires circulent aux États-Unis selon lesquels le gouvernement américain devrait aller de l’avant et ouvrir la frontière américaine aux voyageurs canadiens, même si le Canada maintient sa frontière fermée aux voyages en provenance des États-Unis vers le Canada. Que pensez-vous de cette idée ?

Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Le gouvernement du Canada a également annoncé récemment que le Canada pourrait commencer à autoriser les citoyens américains et les résidents permanents des États-Unis ainsi que les citoyens de Saint-Pierre-Miquelon (un archipel français au sud de Terre-Neuve) qui sont entièrement vaccinés à entrer au Canada pour les voyages non essentiels à partir du 9 août, et étendre cette autorisation aux voyageurs entièrement vaccinés de tous les pays d’ici le 7 septembre si la tendance positive actuelle du taux de vaccination et des conditions de santé publique se maintient.

  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Qu’en pensez-vous ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Avez-vous quelque préoccupation que ce soit quant à l’ouverture de la frontière canadienne aux Américains entièrement vaccinés (pas uniquement aux voyageurs essentiels) le mois prochain ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Que pensez-vous d’autoriser de manière générale les voyageurs entièrement vaccinés (pas seulement que les Américains) à entrer au Canada d’ici le début du mois de septembre ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique Qu’en est-il des personnes qui veulent venir au Canada pour un voyage non essentiel, mais qui ne sont pas entièrement vaccinées ? Devraient-elles également être autorisées à entrer au Canada ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
    • SI OUI : Devrait-il y avoir des restrictions en place — par exemple, conserver les mesures actuelles pour les voyageurs non vaccinés (passer un test de dépistage à l’arrivée au Canada ; une quarantaine obligatoire de 3 jours dans un hôtel autorisé à leurs propres frais ; une quarantaine complète de 14 jours) ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

QUESTIONS AUTOCHTONES (20-30 minutes) Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières

Changeons un peu de sujet.

  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Quelle est l’importance des questions autochtones par rapport aux autres priorités du gouvernement du Canada en ce moment ?
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager En ce qui concerne les questions autochtones, pensez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada leur accorde l’attention qu’elles méritent, pas assez ou trop ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Êtes-vous au courant de quoi que ce soit de précis que le gouvernement du Canada a fait récemment pour traiter des questions autochtones ?
    • SI OUI, qu’a-t-il fait ?
  • À votre avis, quelles sont les questions autochtones les plus importantes sur lesquelles le gouvernement du Canada devrait se concentrer ?
  • Je vais vous montrer certaines choses que le gouvernement a faites et ensuite je vais vous demander ce que vous en pensez.

Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN

  • L’annonce de 1,5 milliard de dollars supplémentaires pour terminer le travail visant à lever tous les avis à long terme sur la qualité de l’eau potable. Ce montant s’ajoute aux 2,19 milliards de dollars déjà prévus au budget. Depuis l’automne 2015, 108 avis ont été levés, et il y en a 51 actuellement en vigueur.
  • La mise en œuvre d’une série d’actions en réponse aux conclusions de l’Enquête nationale sur les femmes et les filles autochtones disparues et assassinées, y compris un soutien accru en matière de santé et de services aux victimes, un soutien financier au Bureau national des normes et pratiques d’enquête de la GRC, et une ligne de soutien en cas de crise pour les personnes touchées par la disparition et l’assassinat de femmes et de filles autochtones.
  • Le dépôt d’un projet de loi visant à mettre en œuvre la Déclaration des Nations Unies sur les droits des peuples autochtones (DNUDPA). Ce projet de loi obligera le gouvernement à fournir un cadre aux ministères pour donner aux Premières Nations un rôle conjoint dans la prise de décisions sur les actions qui affectent leurs vies, leurs terres, leurs familles et leurs cultures.
  • Sur les 33,8 millions de dollars affectés en 2019 à des projets destinés à la recherche des enfants décédés dans les pensionnats, les 27 millions de dollars restants ont récemment été débloqués pour les communautés autochtones afin qu’elles puissent financer des fouilles sur les sites d’anciens pensionnats, des monuments commémoratifs, et d’autres formes de commémoration permettant de marquer les tombes.

Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique SONDAGE : J’aimerais maintenant que vous choisissiez parmi ces initiatives celle qui a le plus d’impact :

  • L’annonce d’un financement supplémentaire pour mettre fin à tous les avis à long terme sur la qualité de l’eau potable
  • La mise en œuvre d’actions visant à s’attaquer à la question des femmes et des filles autochtones disparues et assassinées
  • La mise en œuvre de la DNUDPA
  • Donner aux communautés autochtones l’accès à des fonds pour financer des fouilles sur les sites de pensionnats, des monuments commémoratifs, et d’autres formes de commémoration permettant de marquer les tombes

Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique Le modérateur passera en revue les résultats du sondage et examinera ce qui a motivé leurs choix.

  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Je vais vous montrer quelques enjeux qui touchent les autochtones et ensuite je vais vous demander ce que vous en pensez.

Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN

  • Assurer un approvisionnement en eau potable dans toutes les réserves
  • Faire en sorte qu’un plus grand nombre d’autochtones accèdent à l’enseignement postsecondaire pour que le taux de fréquentation soit le même que celui des autres Canadiens
  • Aider les survivants des pensionnats à surmonter leur traumatisme
  • Combler le déficit d’infrastructures afin que les infrastructures dans les réserves soient comparables à celles dans le reste du pays
  • Améliorer la qualité de l’enseignement primaire et secondaire dans les réserves autochtones afin qu’elle soit au même niveau que dans le reste du pays

Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières SONDAGE : J’aimerais maintenant que vous choisissiez parmi celles-ci celle qui devrait être la plus grande priorité du gouvernement du Canada quant aux enjeux autochtones. Vous pouvez en choisir jusqu’à deux.

  • Assurer un approvisionnement en eau potable dans toutes les réserves
  • Faire en sorte qu’un plus grand nombre d’autochtones accèdent à l’enseignement postsecondaire
  • Aider les survivants des pensionnats à surmonter leur traumatisme
  • Combler le déficit d’infrastructures
  • Améliorer la qualité de l’enseignement primaire et secondaire dans les réserves autochtones
  • Le modérateur passera en revue les résultats du sondage et examinera ce qui a motivé leurs choix
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager Maintenant que je vous ai montré certaines des initiatives prises par le gouvernement du Canada, cela change-t-il votre impression sur la façon dont le gouvernement fédéral traite des questions autochtones ?
    • SI OUI : Comment ?
  • Hommes dans la trentaine de villes frontalières Ontario–États-Unis, jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., jeunes hommes adultes de la RGM qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada Atlantique Y a-t-il d’autres actions spécifiques que vous pensez que le gouvernement du Canada doit prendre pour traiter des principales questions autochtones ?

Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Maintenant, j’aimerais me pencher sur la question de l’eau potable pour un petit moment…

  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Au total, 108 avis d’ébullition de l’eau dans les réserves ont été levés, et il en reste 32. Que pensez-vous lorsque vous entendez cela ? Avez-vous une réaction positive ou négative ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Pensez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada est sur la bonne ou la mauvaise voie pour ce qui est de remédier aux avis d’ébullition de l’eau ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Maintenant, j’aimerais me pencher sur la question de l’enseignement primaire et secondaire pour un petit moment…

  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Le gouvernement du Canada a accordé un financement pour la construction de 66 nouvelles écoles et la rénovation de 86 écoles dans les réserves autochtones. Sur les 66 nouvelles écoles, 27 ont été achevées, tandis que les autres sont en cours de réalisation. Que pensez-vous lorsque vous entendez cela ? Avez-vous une réaction positive ou négative ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Pensez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada est sur la bonne ou la mauvaise voie lorsqu’il s’agit de combler les besoins en éducation dans les réserves autochtones ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?

LES OPIOÏDES (25 minutes) Jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B.

  • Est-ce que quelqu’un a entendu dans les nouvelles quoi que ce soit au sujet des opioïdes ? Dans vos propres mots, pouvez-vous m’expliquer ce qui se passe ?
    • Pouvez-vous nommer des opioïdes ? (SONDER, si personne ne le mentionne, à quel point elles sont familières avec le « fentanyl ».)
  • Quel type de personnes, selon vous, sont les plus touchées par cette question ?
    • Si l’on offre des réponses vagues, les SONDER en leur demandant de classer parmi chacun des groupes celles qui, selon eux, sont les personnes les plus susceptibles d’être victimes d’une surdose — les ainé(e)s, les personnes d’âge mûr, ou les adolescent(e)s ; les personnes en situation d’itinérance, à faible revenu, à revenu moyen, ou à revenu élevé ; les personnes qui consomment fréquemment les drogues illicites ou celles qui consomment peu de drogues illicites ?

ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN :

Les opioïdes sont des médicaments qui comprennent des analgésiques sur ordonnance comme le fentanyl de même que des drogues illicites comme l’héroïne. Une mauvaise utilisation peut mener à la dépendance, à une surdose et à la mort. Récemment, la montée du fentanyl et d’autres puissants opioïdes illicites a entraîné un nombre de décès sans précédent.

  • Qu’est-ce qui, selon vous, a mené au problème actuel des opioïdes ? Qui ou quoi est à blâmer ?

SONDAGE : J’aimerais maintenant que vous réfléchissiez à qui ou à quoi l’on peut attribuer la plus grande part de responsabilité pour le problème actuel. (NOTE AU MODÉRATEUR : Même s’ils en savent peu au sujet du problème, demandez-leur de tenter l’exercice en fonction de leurs perceptions.) Vous pouvez en choisir jusqu’à trois :

    • Les médecins qui ne prescrivent pas correctement
    • Les compagnies pharmaceutiques qui fabriquent des produits dangereux
    • Les gangs
    • Une surveillance policière insuffisante
    • Les gens qui prennent de mauvaises décisions
    • Un mauvais contrôle aux frontières

Le modérateur passera en revue les résultats du sondage et examinera ce qui a motivé leurs choix

  • Que devrait être la réponse du gouvernement du Canada ?
  • Avez-vous vu, lu ou entendu dans les nouvelles quoi que ce soit au sujet du plan de la ville de Vancouver visant à obtenir l’approbation de Santé Canada pour la décriminalisation de petites quantités de drogues illicites ? Qu’avez-vous entendu ?
  • 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 ?
  • Pensez-vous qu’une approche de soins de santé à l’égard de la consommation de substances permettrait aux utilisateurs d’éviter la stigmatisation et d’aller plus facilement chercher de l’aide pour traiter leur dépendance ou pour obtenir d’autres services ?

L’IDENTITÉ DE MARQUE DE DIVERSIFICATION DE L’ÉCONOMIE DE L’OUEST CANADA (25 minutes)
Jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B., femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager

Jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B. Nous allons maintenant passer en revue deux concepts créatifs qui pourraient être utilisés par le gouvernement du Canada pour informer les Canadiennes et les Canadiens sur des sujets concernant la Colombie-Britannique…

Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Nous allons maintenant passer en revue deux concepts créatifs qui pourraient être utilisés par le gouvernement du Canada pour informer les Canadiennes et les Canadiens sur des sujets concernant l’Ouest canadien…

Regardons le premier concept. Celui-ci pourrait figurer dans des dépliants ou sur la signalisation, sur des sites Web ou dans les médias sociaux, tels que Twitter et LinkedIn. Notez qu’il s’agit encore d’une ébauche et que le texte en haut (Lorem Ipsum) n’est qu’un espace réservé pour le moment. Il sert simplement à vous donner une idée visuelle de ce à quoi ressemblerait le texte.

Jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B. Ordre de présentation : Concept B, Concept A

Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Ordre de présentation : Concept A, Concept B

AFFICHER CONCEPT A/B À L’ÉCRAN

  • Dans l’ensemble, que pensez-vous de l’aspect visuel de ce concept ?
  • Est-ce qu’il vous interpelle ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
  • Ce concept se démarquerait-il si vous le voyiez sur un site Web, dans une brochure, etc. ?
  • Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le plus dans ce concept ? Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le moins ?
  • Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Avant de voir ce concept, combien d’entre vous connaissaient Diversification de l’économie de l’Ouest Canada ? (À main levée)
  • Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Ce concept vous donne-t-il une idée de ce que fait Diversification de l’économie de l’Ouest Canada ? De quelle façon ?
  • Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Avez-vous d’autres idées sur ce qui pourrait rendre ce concept plus efficace ?

Jeunes femmes adultes de centres de moyenne et de grande taille de la C.-B. Maintenant, je vais vous montrer un autre concept. Celui-ci a deux exemples (et non trois comme c’était le cas avec le premier que nous avons vu).

Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Maintenant, je vais vous montrer un autre concept.

AFFICHER CONCEPT A/B À L’ÉCRAN

  • Dans l’ensemble, que pensez-vous de l’aspect visuel de ce concept ?
  • Est-ce qu’il vous interpelle ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
  • Ce concept se démarquerait-il si vous le voyiez sur un site Web, dans une brochure, etc. ?
  • Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le plus dans ce concept ? Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le moins ?
  • Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Ce concept vous donne-t-il une idée de ce que fait Diversification de l’économie de l’Ouest Canada ? De quelle façon ?
  • Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Avez-vous d’autres idées sur ce qui pourrait rendre ce concept plus efficace ?

COMPARAISON :

SONDAGE : Maintenant, j’aimerais que vous choisissiez celle des deux images que vous préférez.

  • CONCEPT A
  • CONCEPT B
    •

Le modérateur passera en revue les résultats du sondage et identifiera les raisons qui ont motivé les choix.

PREUVE DE VACCINATION CONTRE LA COVID-19 (20 minutes) Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières

J’aimerais maintenant jauger votre opinion au sujet des documents relatifs au statut vaccinal, que l’on appelle parfois des passeports vaccinaux.

  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique Avez-vous lu, entendu ou vu quoi que ce soit au sujet des preuves de vaccination ou des passeports vaccinaux ? Que sont-ils ?
  • Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Avez-vous lu, vu ou entendu quoi que ce soit récemment au sujet de documents concernant le statut vaccinal ou de passeports vaccinaux ? Que sont-ils ?

Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN : Certains pays ont mis en place des mesures selon lesquelles vous devez fournir une preuve que vous êtes entièrement vacciné contre la COVID-19 pour être admis dans le pays. Au Canada, les voyageurs entièrement vaccinés admissibles à l’entrée au Canada qui veulent être exemptés des restrictions de quarantaine actuelles doivent fournir la preuve qu’ils ont été entièrement vaccinés avec l’un des vaccins acceptés au Canada. La preuve de vaccination doit être en anglais ou en français, ou être une traduction certifiée. Ce type de système pourrait donc être mis en place pour tous les voyageurs qui souhaiteraient entrer au Canada (si, par exemple, le Canada rouvrait la frontière à tout voyageur entièrement vacciné).

Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT AU BESOIN :

Certains pays ont mis en place des mesures selon lesquelles vous devez fournir une preuve que vous êtes entièrement vacciné contre la COVID-19 pour être admis dans le pays.

Le gouvernement du Canada collabore avec les provinces et les territoires pour doter les Canadiens d’un document qui atteste de leurs antécédents de vaccination contre la COVID-19 qui pourra être utilisé lorsqu’il sera sécuritaire de voyager à l’extérieur du pays, et il envisage différents noms pour ce programme.

Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie SONDAGE : Je vais vous montrer de potentiels noms de programmes et j’aimerais que vous choisissiez celui qui représente le mieux l’idée qu’il s’agit de fournir une preuve de vaccination complète.

  • Preuve du statut de vaccination
  • Preuve de vaccination canadienne
  • Certificat de vaccination canadien
  • Preuve de vaccination sécurisée
  • Passeport de vaccination canadien
  • Carnet de vaccination

Le modérateur passera en revue les résultats du sondage et examinera ce qui a motivé leurs choix

  • Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie Y a-t-il des noms qui figurent dans cette liste et qui, selon vous, ne devraient pas être utilisés ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
  • Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, le Nunavut, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie Y a-t-il quelque chose que vous ajouteriez ou changeriez à l’un ou l’autre de ces noms ? Est-ce que certains de ces noms pourraient être améliorés ?

Femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager J’aimerais maintenant parler des exigences pour les voyageurs entrant au Canada…
Au Canada, les voyageurs entièrement vaccinés admissibles à l’entrée au Canada qui veulent être exemptés des restrictions de quarantaine actuelles doivent fournir la preuve qu’ils ont été entièrement vaccinés avec l’un des vaccins acceptés au Canada. La preuve de vaccination doit être en anglais ou en français, ou être une traduction certifiée. Ce type de système pourrait donc être mis en place pour tous les voyageurs qui souhaiteraient entrer au Canada (si, par exemple, le Canada rouvrait la frontière à tout voyageur entièrement vacciné).

  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Est-ce que le Canada devrait avoir un quelconque système de preuve de vaccination pour les voyages intérieurs en avion ou en train ? Par exemple, la preuve pourrait être une attestation fournie par la province où une personne a reçu ses vaccins contre la COVID-19.
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Qu’en est-il d’exiger une preuve de vaccination afin de pouvoir assister à des choses telles que des concerts ou des évènements sportifs ?
    • Anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières DEMANDER AU BESOIN : Pensez-vous que cela serait efficace quant à encourager plus de gens à se faire vacciner ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, femmes dans la trentaine de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan qui prévoient de voyager Avez-vous de quelconques préoccupations concernant votre vie privée lorsqu’il s’agit des systèmes de preuve de vaccination ?
    • DEMANDER AU BESOIN : Un système de preuve de vaccination nécessiterait une sorte de partage des dossiers de vaccination entre les différents paliers de gouvernement. Avez-vous de quelconques préoccupations par rapport à cela ?

LOGEMENT (15-35 minutes) Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique, personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières

Changeons un peu de sujet…

Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique J’aimerais vous parlez de logement au Canada atlantique…

Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières J’aimerais discuter avec vous de la question du logement dans votre région…

  • Est-ce que les prix des logements ont augmenté au cours de la dernière année ?
    • SI OUI : Pourquoi pensez-vous qu’ils ont augmenté ?
  • Cela vous affecte-t-il personnellement ?
    • De façon positive ? De façon négative ? De quelle manière plus précisément ?
  • Selon vous, quel palier de gouvernement est le plus en mesure de contrôler les prix des maisons ? Ou bien, pensez-vous qu’aucun palier de gouvernement ne peut contrôler cela (par exemple, tout est en fonction du marché) ?
  • Est-ce que le gouvernement du Canada a fait quoi que ce soit pour venir en aide aux personnes qui souhaitent accéder à la propriété ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées du Canada atlantique Y a-t-il autre chose que le gouvernement du Canada devrait faire (ou ne pas faire) pour rendre l’accession à la propriété plus réalisable ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Pour ceux et celles d’entre vous qui sont propriétaires de votre propre résidence, comment vous sentiriez-vous si le gouvernement faisait quelque chose qui entraînait une baisse du prix des maisons ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Je vais vous montrer quelques facteurs qui, selon certaines personnes, expliquent pourquoi le prix des maisons est élevé, et je vous demanderai ensuite votre avis.

Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières AFFICHER À L’ÉCRAN

  • Les acheteurs étrangers achètent des maisons en tant qu’immeubles de placement sans les louer ni y habiter
  • Il n’y a pas assez de maisons de construites en raison des lois sur le zonage
  • Les gens achètent des maisons et font des reventes précipitées
  • Le processus d’enchères, y compris les enchères à l’aveugle (lorsque les acheteurs ne connaissent pas le montant des offres faites par les autres) et les guerres d’enchères (lorsque plusieurs acheteurs sont en concurrence pour la même propriété)
  • Les critères liés à la mise de fonds sont trop sévères

Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières SONDAGE :J’aimerais maintenant que vous choisissiez parmi ceux-ci celui que vous souhaiteriez voir le gouvernement du Canada changer. Vous pouvez en choisir jusqu’à deux. Si vous ne pensez pas qu’il y ait lieu que le gouvernement fédéral change quoi que ce soit, n’en choisissez aucun.

Le modérateur passera en revue les résultats du sondage et examinera ce qui a motivé leurs choix

  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Que penseriez-vous de construire plus de coopératives d’habitation ? Serait-ce une solution au problème ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Que penseriez-vous d’un programme de location avec option d’achat, selon lequel le loyer que paient les gens pour une maison serait affecté à la mise de fonds, de sorte à éventuellement devenir propriétaire de cette maison ?
  • Personnes entièrement vaccinées des centres de moyenne et de grande taille du Québec, anglophones du Québec, récents voyageurs de Barrie, Trois-Rivières Avez-vous d’autres suggestions pour aider les personnes qui veulent s’acheter une maison ?

PRIORITÉS LOCALES (30 minutes) Le Nunavut

J’aimerais maintenant changer de sujet et me pencher sur des enjeux propres au Nunavut…

  • Quel est l’enjeu local le plus important ayant un impact sur votre collectivité ?
  • Est-ce que quelqu’un se souvient de quoi que ce soit qu’a fait le gouvernement du Canada au Nunavut récemment ?
  • Comment décririez-vous la disponibilité d’aliments nutritifs au Nunavut ?
    • Avez-vous remarqué des différences dans la disponibilité ou le coût des aliments nutritifs au cours des quelques dernières années ?
    • Préféreriez-vous que l’on continue d’investir dans les programmes de contribution alimentaire comme Nutrition Nord, que l’on alloue plus de fonds aux programmes dirigés par les Inuits, comme la Subvention pour le soutien aux chasseurs-cueilleurs, ou encore une combinaison des deux ?
  • Croyez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada en fait assez pour assurer la disponibilité de logements adéquats au Nunavut ?
    • Y a-t-il des obstacles qui empêchent l’accès à un logement adéquat ?
      • Que pourrait faire le gouvernement du Canada pour aider à éliminer ces obstacles ?
  • Y a-t-il quelqu’un dans le groupe qui parle inuktitut
    • SI OUI : Comment avez-vous appris à parler inuktitut ?
      • DEMANDER AU BESOIN : Par exemple, en famille, à l’école, dans un cadre professionnel, dans la collectivité, en ligne, à la télévision, etc.
    • Quel rôle, le cas échéant, le gouvernement fédéral devrait-il jouer pour aider à protéger l’inuktitut ?
  • Y a-t-il quelqu’un qui se souvient de soutiens qu’a apportés le gouvernement du Canada au Nunavut pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 ?
    • Que pensez-vous de ces soutiens ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
    • Le gouvernement du Canada en a-t-il fait assez pour soutenir le Nunavut pendant la pandémie ? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire cela ?
    • Y a-t-il quoi que ce soit d’autre que le gouvernement devrait faire ?
  • Dans quelle mesure le secteur du développement des ressources est-il important au Nunavut ?
  • Est-ce que vous aimeriez voir le secteur du développement des ressources au Nunavut prendre de l’expansion ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?
    • SONDER : Est-ce que la croissance du secteur des ressources naturelles et l’impact négatif qu’elle pourrait avoir sur l’environnement dans votre collectivité vous préoccupent ?

VÉHICULES ÉLECTRIQUES (10 minutes) Trois-Rivières

Changeons de sujet encore une fois…

  • Avez-vous entendu parler de l’objectif du gouvernement du Canada voulant que tous les nouveaux véhicules vendus au Canada soient des véhicules zéro émission (VZE) d’ici 2035 ? (ÉCLAIRCIR AU BESOIN : un véhicule électrique est un genre de VZE)
    • Qu’en pensez-vous ?
  • Les VZE nécessitent des batteries fabriquées à partir de cuivre et de nickel, entre autres matériaux. Ces matériaux peuvent être extraits dans de nombreuses régions du Canada. Que penseriez-vous d’une stratégie du gouvernement du Canada qui encouragerait cette exploitation minière, la fabrication de batteries, puis la construction de véhicules zéro émission ?

CONCLUSION (5 minutes)

Appendix C – Advertising Concepts

Western Economic Diversification Canada Branding (Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults, Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)

British Columbia Concept A (Mid-Size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults)

The above image has a white header, with black text reading ‘Government of Canada’ in English and ‘Gouvernement du Canada’ in French with the Government of Canada wordmark in the top right corner. Below, there is a blue and green ombre backdrop with diagonal white lines and navy blue and yellow hexagons on the left-hand side. In the largest hexagon, there is a tinted blue image of a woman smiling with her arms crossed, wearing a blazer and glasses. To the right of the image, there is a white arrow containing large bolded text reading ‘Lorem’. The rest of the text, unbolded, reads ‘ps’ and ‘Lorem ipsum dolor sit’. Below, there is a white banner with smaller capitalized text reading ‘WEB BANNER’. Underneath, there is another banner with the same blue and green ombre backdrop with diagonal white lines and navy blue and yellow hexagons on the left-hand side. The same tinted blue image of a woman smiling with her arms crossed wearing a blazer and glasses is included in the largest hexagon. This banner has more outlines of hexagons dispersed throughout, with hexagons on the right of the banner, unlike the top banner.

British Columbia Concept B (Mid-size and Major Centres B.C. Women Young Adults)

The above image has one rectangular box with a dark blue backdrop and lighter blue diagonal stripes. The top left of the rectangle has a small logo for the Government of Canada containing a white Canada flag and white text reading ‘Government of Canada’ in English and ‘Gouvernement du Canada’ in French. In the top right, there is the Government of Canada wordmark. Below, there is large white font reading ‘LoremIps’ with smaller font underneath reading ‘Lorem ipsum dolor sit’. To the right of this text, there are several geometric shapes that are filled with images of various workers wearing protective eyewear or headwear. Along the perimeter of these shapes are white dots in diagonal lines and squares that run parallel to the shapes’ lines, Also at the bottom right is a white box with a small black logo for the Government of Canada containing a black Canada flag and black text reading ‘Government of Canada’ in English and ‘Gouvernment du Canada’ in French. The top right of this white box has the Government of Canada wordmark. In the center left of this box, there is large navy blue text reading ‘LoremIps’ with small black text underneath it reading ‘Building a strong, competitive and dynamic B.C. region by focusing on business development, innovation and community economic development.’ Next to this text is a picture of a woman smiling with short black hair with her arms crossed and wearing a navy blue blazer and a white top underneath. Surrounding the woman are geometric shapes that take up the bottom right corner of the box and are filled with blue and green hues, as well as dots forming the shape of a square. Underneath this, there is a white backdrop with capitalized text reading ‘WEB BANNER’. Below this is a footer with a dark blue backdrop and parallelograms that are white and blue in colour, or are filled with images of workers wearing protective eyewear or headwear. Dispersed through the footer is a diagonal white dotted line and square filled with white dots.

Prairies Concept A (Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)

The above concept has three parts. First, there is a ‘PPT slide’ which has a white banner across the top that features the Government of Canada wordmark on the right hand side and the Government of Canada logo on the left hand side. Below, there is a purple filter over an image of a wind farm. On the left-hand side of the image, there is white text that reads ‘Lorem | ps Building a strong, competitive and dynamic Prairie Region.’ Below the text, there are turquoise, yellow, pink, and dark purple arrows pointing to the right, and extending into a long, light purple arrow. Below the arrows, there is white text reading ‘CANADA.CA/PRAIRIES.’ While slightly covered by another concept, there is a circular symbol with pink, yellow and turquoise stripes overlaying one another and a white arrow slightly off center, to the left, pointing up and to the right.

Secondly, there is a ‘Shareable’ concept covering the bottom right hand corner of the ‘PPT slide.’ The shareable is white, with the Government of Canada wordmark and logo at the top. Below, in purple font, text reads ‘Lorem | ps.’ Below in smaller grey font, text reads ‘Building a strong, competitive and dynamic prairie region by focusing on business development, innovation and community economic development.’ Below the text, there are turquoise, yellow, pink, and dark purple arrows pointing to the right, and extending into a long, light grey arrow. Below the arrows, there is grey text reading ‘CANADA.CA/PRAIRIES.’ On the right-hand side of the image, there is a circular symbol composed of overlaid pink, yellow, purple and turquoise stripes with a white arrow slightly off center, to the left, pointing up and to the right.

Finally, there is a ‘Web banner’ that features images of a wind farm, a city street, and a bridge, covered in turquoise, yellow and pink filters respectively. On the right-hand side of the image, there is a small circular symbol composed of overlaid pink, yellow, purple and turquoise strips with a white arrow slightly off center and to the left pointing up and to the right. The symbol is contained within a larger white arrow pointing up and to the right.

Prairies Concept B (Alberta and Saskatchewan Planning to Travel Women in their 30’s)

The above concept has three parts. First, there is a ‘PPT slide’ which has a white banner across the top that features the Government of Canada wordmark in the right hand corner and the Government of Canada logo in the left hand corner. Below, there is a light grey pattern covering the rest of the slide. On the left-hand slide, there is a letter P shape that contains an image of the downtown Calgary skyline. There is also an orange + symbol on the top, right side of the image. To the right, there is text reading ‘Lorem | ps Building a strong, competitive and dynamic…’ in grey font, except the word ’Lorem’ is in dark green. Below there is an orange line, and below the line, there is grey font reading ‘Canada.ca/.’ The bottom right hand corner of the ‘PPT slide’ is obstructed by the image of the ‘Shareable’ concept.

Secondly, there is a ‘Shareable’ concept. The shareable is white, with the Government of Canada wordmark and logo at the top. On the left-hand slide, there is a letter P shape that contains an image of a woman sitting in a canoe. There is also an orange + symbol on the top, right side of the image. To the right, in grey font, text reads ‘Lorem | ps.’ Below in smaller grey font, text reads ‘Building a strong, competitive and dynamic prairie region by focusing on business development, innovation and community economic development’ although the word ‘Lorem’ is in dark green font. Below the text, there is an orange line. Below the line, there is grey text reading ‘Canada.ca/prairies.’

Finally, there is a ‘Web banner’ that features images of a wind farm, a city street, a bridge, and the downtown Calgary skyline, each image is rounded on the right-hand side. The far right-hand side of the web banner is white with a light grey pattern and four + symbols arranged in a circle, coloured orange, green, dark green and light green.