Attitudes towards Bias Sensitivity,

Diversity, and Identity in National Security and Law Enforcement

REPORT

Prepared for Public Safety Canada

Supplier Name: Environics Research Contract Number: 0D160-213591/001/CY Contract Value: $114,512.83 (including HST) Award Date: 2020-12-10

Delivery Date: 2021-03-31

POR Registration Number: POR 080-20

For more information on this report, please contact Public Safety Canada at: ps.communications- communications.sp@canada.ca

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en Français

Attitudes towards Bias Sensitivity, Diversity, and Identity in National Security and Law Enforcement

Prepared for Public Safety Canada by Environics Research Supplier name: Environics Research

March 2021

Permission to reproduce

This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Public Safety Canada. For more information on this report, please contact Public Safety Canada at: ps.communications-communications.sp@canada.ca

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2021.

Catalogue Number: PS4-278/2021E-PDF

International Standard Book Number (ISBN): 978-0-660-38223-4

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre Attitudes à l'égard de la sensibilité aux préjugés, de la diversité et de des identités dans le domaine de la sécurité nationale et des forces de l'ordre

Table of Contents

Executive Summary i

Background and Objectives i

Methodology ii

Contract value ii

Main Findings ii

Political Neutrality Statement and Contact Information vi

Detailed Findings 1

1. National Security in Canada – General Attitudes 1

2. Bias in National Security in Canada 7

3. Anti-Bias and Diversity Training 10

4. Interaction with National Security Agencies 12

5. Policing and Law Enforcement 14

Appendix A: Methodology 21

Appendix B: Quantitative research instrument 25

Executive Summary

Background and Objectives

A major function of government is to provide national security to its people and to oversee law enforcement. However, the need to provide these must be balanced with the need to be cognizant of human rights concerns and of issues around bias sensitivity, diversity, and identity (BSDI). Many sub- groups of the Canadian population (including non-citizens) may have had particular experiences and issues with national security and law enforcement activities. Public Safety Canada therefore needed to conduct a quantitative study that would provide data to better assess the Canadian public’s understanding of BSDI considerations in national security and law enforcement’s policies, programs, and operations and of the public’s perspectives on ways to enhance the application of BSDI considerations in the contexts of national security and law enforcement.

The public opinion research will serve as a means to understand the opinion and concerns of the general public across Canada on the current application, gaps, and opportunities for the enhancement of BSDI considerations in national security and law enforcement’s policies, programs, and operations. It is an opportunity to gather and analyze accessible public opinion data in national security and law enforcement to build organizational capacity and support the development of evidence-based policy. This study did not attempt to analyse the intersectional experiences of those with multiple identities.

This research project was commissioned to address the following key research objectives:

• Establish a baseline of the current state of public opinion in Canada on issues related to national security and law enforcement with a particular focus on bias sensitivity, diversity, and identity issues (BSDI). This includes topics such as:

  • Awareness and perceptions of the perceived threats to, and the current state of national security in Canada.

  • Concerns and perceptions of the government’s application of BSDI considerations in national security and law enforcement.

  • Awareness and perception of anti-bias and diversity training among national security personnel.

  • Interactions with national security agencies and perceptions of bias.

  • Attitudes towards bias sensitivity and diversity as they apply to local policing and law enforcement.

  • Perspectives on current national security and law enforcement policies to determine gaps and areas of improvements.

  • Provide data to identify gaps in knowledge to enhance national security and law enforcement policies, programs, and operations.

  • Identify how key sub-groups of the Canadian population view the issues around bias sensitivity and diversity in national security and law enforcement experience.

    Methodology

    
    

    This research project consisted of a 12-minute online quantitative survey of 2,590 Canadians aged 18 and over. The survey was completed between February 5 and 25, 2021. Survey respondents were selected from registered members of an online panel. Since the samples used in online panel surveys are based on self-selection and are not a random probability sample, no formal estimates of sampling error can be calculated. The online sample was sourced from Delvinia’s AskingCanadians panel and its French counterpart Qu’en pensez-vous, which is able to generate a large sample with representative coverage of all groups of interest. Although opt-in panels are not random probability samples, online surveys can be used for surveys of the general public and of sub-groups therein provided they are well designed and employ a large, well-maintained panel.

    
    

    In addition to the Canadian general public, there were specific segments of the population who were of particular interest for this survey. To ensure diversity, data collectors ensured that at least 200 surveys were completed by people self-identifying with each of these eight segments:

    • Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit etc.). n = 203

    • Racialized peoples including:

      • Blacks (African, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Canadian, etc.) n = 218

      • South Asians (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Indo-Caribbean) n = 233

      • East/Southeast Asians (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, etc.) n = 270

      • Middle East/West Asians (Arab, North African, Iranian, Afghan, Turkish, etc.) n = 221

    • Recent immigrants (arrived in Canada in the past 5 years). n = 208

    • People living with a disability. n = 286

    • Low-income Canadians (annual personal income of less than $30,000 if single or a household income of less than $40,000 if in a multi-person household). n = 323

      
      

      Contract value

      The contract value of this research project was $114,512.83 (including HST).

      
      

      Main Findings

      
      

      National Security in Canada

      
      

      In general, most Canadians do not feel well informed about the measures the Government of Canada is taking to protect national security, but a majority of Canadians believe the government is doing at least a fair job in protecting national security. The main findings were as follows:

      
      

      • Two in ten Canadians feel well informed about the measures the Government of Canada is taking to protect national security.

      • Four in ten Canadians feel the federal government does a good or excellent job of protecting our national security.

      • Four in ten Canadians consider Canada to be safe from threats to our national security.

      • Cyber-security threats, right-wing extremism and economic threats are Canadians’ biggest concerns when it comes to threats to Canada’s national security.

      • One quarter of Canadians are confident that the Government of Canada is taking steps that will be effective in preventing and countering radicalization to violence.

      • Canadians are most familiar with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police(RCMP), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Awareness of the other agencies dealing with national security is lower.

      • Four in ten Canadians have high levels of trust in Canada’s national security agencies when it comes to keeping Canadians safe from, and responding appropriately to, national security threats. Canadians have lower levels of trust in these agencies when it comes to the agencies reflecting Canada’s diversity within its senior ranks as well as being unbiased when engaging with people from a variety of backgrounds.

        
        

        National Security in Canada

        
        

        Bias among national security personnel is a concern to many Canadians. One third or more of Canadians express concern about biases towards specific groups, mistakes being made due to assumptions about different races, and/or stereotypes being a problem among Canada’s security agencies. The main findings were as follows:

        
        

      • Over one third of Canadians are concerned about each of the following: that national security staff may have biases and prejudices towards specific groups, that security measures may infringe on human rights or that national security policies may unfairly target people from certain communities.

      • Four in ten Canadians are concerned that national security staff may mistakenly miss or exaggerate potential security threats as a result of assumptions or stereotypes about race, nationality, or country of birth.

      • Two in ten Canadians feel that biases and stereotypes among people working in Canada’s national security agencies is a big problem another four in ten feel it is somewhat of a problem.

      • Over six in ten Canadians believe it is important that Canada’s national security agencies employ a diverse mix of people.

        
        

        Most Canadians are supportive of anti-bias training for national security personnel, and most have at least some confidence that it will succeed in reducing bias.

        
        

      • Two-thirds of Canadians assume that national security personnel in Canada undergo anti-bias, cultural awareness and or diversity training before they interact with people from different backgrounds and communities.

      • Over seven in ten Canadians believe it is important for Canada’s national security personnel to undergo anti-bias training.

      • Over seven in ten Canadians express at least some confidence that anti-bias and diversity training will succeed in reducing the impact of biases in national security work.

        
        

        Most Canadians have not personally interacted with any national security agencies. Those who have tend to report that the interaction was positive.

      • Just over two in ten Canadians report having had a national security related interaction. These interactions are most commonly with CBSA or the RCMP.

      • A majority of those who have interacted with a national security agent report that the interaction was positive.

      • Eight percent of those who interacted with a national security agency feel they were treated differently or discriminated against in their last interaction because of their personal characteristics.

        
        

        Policing and Law Enforcement in Canada

        
        

        Canadians have mixed views on their local police, with high ratings for keeping communities safe, but less certainty across all other areas. Most see bias in policing as at least somewhat of a problem, but most also feel that police budgets should at least be maintained. Findings were as follows:

        
        

      • Over six in ten Canadians give their local police a good rating for keeping their communities safe. Just under half feel they do a good job on using force only when necessary, treating people of different genders and sexual orientations equally and being respectful of different cultures.

      • Ratings of local police are lower when it comes to treating people equally regardless of race and employing enough officers from diverse backgrounds.

      • Canadians are divided in their preferences for police funding models. In nearly equal parts, Canadians feel that police budgets and staffing should either be increased; maintained at current levels; or reduced with the money reallocated to social services.

      • Three in ten Canadians believe that bias in policing and law enforcement is a big problem and another four in ten consider it somewhat of a problem.

      • Three in ten Canadians have interacted with the police in the last five years and most report that their interaction with the police was a positive experience. Just under two in ten of those who had a police interaction had a negative experience and feel they were treated differently because of their personal characteristics.

      • A third of Canadians are confident that anti-bias and diversity training will succeed in reducing the impact of biases in police work and another four in ten are somewhat confident about this.

      • Over a third of Canadians feel that incorporating mandatory body-worn cameras should be highest priority in an effort to reduce bias across local police forces. Another three in ten feel the highest priority should be either more anti-bias training or by hiring more officers from diverse communities.

        
        

        Attitudes of racialized and Indigenous peoples

        
        

      • Those who identify as Black or Middle Eastern/West Asian are more likely to see themselves as well informed about government national security measures, more likely to give the federal government a good rating on protecting our national security, and more likely to consider Canada to be safe from threats to national security. Those who have arrived in Canada in the last five years and those from other racialized groups also have a greater tendency to regard Canada as safe from these threats.

      • When it comes to specific threats to Canada’s national security, right-wing extremism is of particular concern to those who identify as Black, South Asian, or Middle Eastern/West Asian.

• Those identifying as South Asian or as Middle Eastern/West Asian and those who arrived in Canada within the last five years have significantly higher levels of trust in Canada’s national security agencies on all attributes. In contrast, those who identify as Indigenous have lower levels of trust across all attributes. Those who identify as Black have particularly low levels of trust in national security agencies when it comes to being unbiased when engaging with people from a variety of backgrounds, as well as reflecting Canada’s diversity by employing diverse senior staff.

• Those who identify as Black are much more concerned that people working in national security may be prejudiced or that national security policies may unfairly target certain communities. They are also much more likely to feel that biases and stereotypes among national security staff are a big problem.

• Those born outside of Canada and those who identify as Black, South Asian, or Middle Eastern/West Asian place a particularly high importance on Canada’s national security agency staff undergoing anti- bias training.

• Those who identify as South Asian or Black, those who speak a language other than English or French at home, and those born outside of Canada are more confident that anti-bias training will succeed in reducing the impact of bias in national security work.

• Those who identify as Black, South Asian, Middle Eastern/West Asian, or Indigenous who had an interaction with national security agencies were more likely to feel they were treated differently or discriminated against.

• Those who identify as Black, Middle Eastern/West Asian, or Indigenous are more likely to have interacted with the police in recent years. Black people were much more likely to report that their interaction with the police was negative and that they were discriminated against.

• Those who identify as Black or Indigenous are more likely to rate their local police poorly when it comes to treating people equally regardless of their race or ethnic origin and for reflecting the community by employing enough officers of diverse backgrounds.

• The perception that police bias is a big problem is particularly high among those who identify as Black. It is also high among those who identify as Indigenous or South Asian. Those who identify as Black are also more likely than others to want to see police budgets reduced.

Political Neutrality Statement and Contact Information

I hereby certify as senior officer of Environics that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.

Derek Leebosh

Vice President, Public Affairs Environics Research Group derek.leebosh@environics.ca (416) 820-1963

Supplier name: Environics Research Group

PSPC contract number: 0D160-213591/001/CY

Original contract date: 2020-12-10

For more information, contact: ps.communications-communications.sp@canada.ca

Detailed Findings

At the start of the survey Canadians were asked to read the following definition of national security: “For the purposes of this research ‘national security’ refers to the measures taken by the Government of Canada to keep Canadians safe such as counter-terrorism, preventing and countering violent extremism, protecting critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, dealing with espionage and foreign interference, etc. For the purposes of this survey ‘national security’ refers to the measures taken by the Government of Canada to keep Canadians safe such as counter-terrorism, preventing and countering violent extremism, protecting critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, dealing with espionage and foreign interference, etc.”

1. National Security in Canada – General Attitudes

   
   

   1. Feeling informed

      
      

      Two in ten Canadians feel well informed about the measures the Government of Canada is taking to protect national security.

      
      

      Canadians are unsure how informed they feel about the measures the federal government is taking to protect national security, as defined above. Two in ten consider themselves very well or well informed about this and another 41 percent say they are somewhat informed. It is notable that four in ten describe themselves as not very or not informed at all.

      
      

      Feeling Informed about Government Measures to Protect National Security

      
      

      Q1. How informed would you say you are about the measures the Government of Canada takes to protect our national security? Are you…?	Total (N=2,590)
      Very well informed	5%
      Well informed	14%
      Somewhat informed	41%
      Not very well informed	29%
      Not informed at all	9%

      
      

      Those most likely to rate themselves as very well or well informed include men (25%), French speakers (24%), and those living with a disability (24%). It is also notable that those who classify themselves as Black (29%) and Middle East/West Asian (27%) are also significantly more likely to see themselves as well or very well informed about government national security measures.

      
      

   2. Rating government performance on national security

      
      

      Four in ten Canadians feel the federal government does a good or excellent job of protecting our national security

      
      

      Most Canadians give the federal government a “fair” rating when it comes to their performance in protecting our national security from the threats described at the start of the survey. Four in ten (41%) rate the government’s performance as excellent (6%) or good (35%) and another 33 precent give it a fair

      rating. Just 13 percent of Canadians feel the federal government does a poor or very poor job on this. Another 12 percent have no opinion.

      
      

      Government Performance on National Security

      
      

      Q2. How would you rate the job the Government of Canada does in protecting our national security from the threats mentioned earlier?	Total (N=2,590)
      Excellent job	6%
      Good job	35%
      Fair job	33%
      Poor job	9%
      Very poor job	4%
      Don’t know	12%

      
      

      Those most likely to give the federal government a good or excellent rating on protecting our national security include Atlantic Canadians (51%), Quebecers (45%), those who identify as Black (57%) or Middle Eastern/West Asian (50%), those who arrived in Canada within the last five years (60%), and university graduates (46%).

      
      

   3. Assessment of Canada’s safety

      
      

      Four in ten Canadians consider Canada to be safe from threats to our national security.

      
      

      Canadians were asked to consider if Canada is safe from threats to national security. Four in ten Canadians consider Canada to be very safe or safe from threats (41%) and another four in ten feel Canada is somewhat safe (38%). This leaves a relatively small minority of 16 percent of Canadians who feel Canada is not very or not at all safe.

      Canada’s Perceived Safety from National Security Threats

      
      

      Q3. To what extent do you consider Canada to be safe from threats to our national security? Are we…?	Total (N=2,590)
      Very safe	10%
      Safe	31%
      Somewhat safe	38%
      Not very safe	12%
      Not safe at all	4%

      
      

      Those most likely to say they consider Canada to be safe from threats to national security include those who have arrived in Canada within the last five years (74%), and those who identify as Middle Eastern/West Asian (63%), South Asian (56%) or Black (52%). It is also notable that those whose home language is French are much less likely to rate Canada as very safe or safe (29%) than are English speakers (43%) or those who speak another language most often at home (55%).

   4. Perceived threats to Canada’s national security

      
      

      Cyber-security threats, right-wing extremism, and economic threats are Canadians’ biggest concerns when it comes to threats to Canada’s national security.

      
      

      Canadians were asked to select which out of a list of potential threats to national security were their biggest and second biggest concerns. Cyber-security threats are most often (43%) listed as a top concern. Three in ten (29%) identified right-wing extremism as one of their biggest concerns and 24 percent identified economic threats. Religiously motivated extremism and transnational crimes were selected by 19 percent as being among the top two biggest threats.

      Threats to National Security of Greatest Concern

      
      

      Q4. Which ONE of the following potential threats to our national security is your biggest concern?	“Biggest Concern” (N=2,590)	“2nd Biggest Concern” (N=2,590)	Combined (1st and 2nd) (N = 2,590)
      Cyber-security threats (e.g., data breaches, hacking)	26%	18%	43%
      Right-wing extremism (e.g., neo- Nazi, white supremacy, anti- Muslim, anti-Semitic, anti- immigrant, etc.)	17%	13%	29%
      Economic threats (e.g., theft of intellectual property and technology, too much foreign ownership of key resources)	11%	14%	24%
      Religiously-motivated extremism (e.g., extremism inspired by ISIS/Daesh or Al-Qaeda or their affiliates)	9%	11%	19%
      Transnational crimes (e.g., drug, human and firearm trafficking, money laundering, etc.)	8%	11%	19%
      Foreign countries’ covert activities (e.g., espionage, infiltration, interference in elections and government processes)	5%	8%	13%
      Left-wing extremism (e.g., anti- capitalism, anti-law enforcement, environmental protests, etc.)	5%	5%	10%
      Other forms of ideological extremism (e.g., gender-driven violence, conspiracy-driven movements such as “Qanon”, etc.)	4%	11%	14%
      Defense of Canada’s borders (e.g., Canada’s territorial sovereignty, border integrity)	4%	4%	7%

      There are notable regional patterns in these findings. Quebecers are somewhat more likely than other Canadians to be most concerned about cyber-security threats (47% biggest/2nd biggest concern), religiously motivated extremism (28%), and other forms of ideological extremism (18%). They are less likely to be most concerned about right-wing extremism (23%). Right-wing extremism is more likely to be identified as a top concern by Atlantic Canadians (34%), Ontarians (32%), and British Columbians (33%). It is also notable that while only ten percent of Canadians identify left-wing extremism as a top threat, that number rises to 18 percent in Alberta. Those in Manitoba/Saskatchewan (29%) are more likely than other Canadians to identify transnational crimes as a top concern.

      
      

      There are some other notable demographic differences in the extent to which Canadians are concerned about national security threats:

      
      

      • Cybersecurity threats are of greater concern to French-speakers (47%), those 60 years of age and over (48%), and university graduates (46%).

      • Right-wing extremism is of greater concern to those who identify as Black (42%), South Asian (35%) or Middle Eastern (35%), those with a disability (40%), and those with post-graduate degrees (39%).

      • Economic threats are of great concern to those 60 years of age and over and residents of Manitoba/Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia (all 28%).

      • Religiously motivated extremism is of greater concern to Quebecers (28%), men (22%), those who identify as Middle Eastern/West Asian (27%) or South Asian (22%), French-speakers (29%), those whose home language is neither English nor French (26%), and those who arrived in Canada in the past five years (25%)

      • Transnational crimes are of greater concern to residents of Manitoba/Saskatchewan (29%), women (22%), those who identify as Indigenous(27%), and those whose home language is neither English nor French (27%).

        
        

   5. Radicalization to Violence

      
      

      One quarter of Canadians are confident that the Government of Canada is taking steps that will be effective in preventing and countering radicalization to violence.

      
      

      For the following question, Canadians were asked to read the following definition of radicalization to violence: “Radicalization to violence is a process that occurs when a person or group takes on extreme ideas and begins to think they should use violence to support or advance their ideas or beliefs. In recent years there have been a number of violent attacks in Canada by radicalized individuals.”

      
      

      Canadians are unsure about the extent to which they are confident the Government of Canada is taking steps that will be effective in preventing radicalization to violence. Two in ten say they are very confident (4%) or confident (20%) in the government, and another 39 percent say they are somewhat confident. Three in ten are not very (24%) or not at all (6%) confident.

      Confidence in Addressing Radicalization to Violence

      
      

      Q7. How confident are you that the Government of Canada is taking steps that will be effective in preventing and countering radicalization to violence? Are you…?	Total (N=2,590)
      Very confident	4%
      Confident	20%
      Somewhat confident	39%
      Not very confident	24%
      Not at all confident	6%

      
      

      Those most likely to be not very or not at all confident that the Government of Canada will be effective in preventing and countering radicalization to violence include Indigenous peoples (44%), those with a disability (36%), those over the age of 60 (35%), and males (34%).

      
      

   6. Familiarity with National Security Agencies

      
      

      Canadians are most familiar with the RCMP, CBSA, DND and CSIS. Awareness of the other agencies dealing with national security is lower.

      
      

      Canadians were asked about the extent to which they are familiar with the agencies that deal with national security. There is a big range in the levels of familiarity with each agency. Over half of Canadians are familiar or very familiar with the RCMP (67%) and CBSA (56%). Significant proportions are familiar with DND (48%), CSIS (33%), Public Safety Canada (26%) and Global Affairs Canada (21%). Canadians have much lower levels of awareness of other agencies such as the NSIA (9%), the CSE (8%), and the ITAC (6%).

      Familiarity with National Security Agencies

      
      

      Q8. How familiar are you with each of the following agencies that deal with national security in Canada? Net: Familiar (Very/Familiar)	Total (N=2,590)
      Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)	67%
      Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)	56%
      Department of National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF)	48%
      The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)	33%
      Public Safety Canada	26%
      Global Affairs Canada	21%
      National Security Intelligence Advisor (NSIA) to the Prime Minister	9%
      The Communications Security Establishment (CSE)	8%
      Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre (ITAC)	6%

      
      

      Familiarity with most of these national security agencies tends to be higher among men, those over the age of 60, those with higher incomes, those with higher levels of education, and those identify as having a disability, as Black or as South Asian. Familiarity with these agencies also tends to be consistently higher among English speakers than among French speakers.

   7. Trust in Canada’s national security agencies and staff

   
   

   Canadians have the highest levels of trust in Canada’s national security agencies when it comes to keeping Canadians safe from and responding to national security threats. Trust is lower when it comes to reflecting Canada’s diversity and being unbiased.

   
   

   Four in ten Canadians trust completely or have a high level of trust in national security agencies when it comes to keeping Canadians safe (39%) and responding appropriately to threats (38%). A large proportion of Canadians also have high trust in these agencies to effectively identify threats to national security (34%), respect human rights (34%), and respect privacy laws (30%) when they carry out their duties.

   
   

   There is less trust when it comes to Canada’s national security agencies adequately reflecting Canada’s diverse population within its senior ranks (25%), as well as being unbiased when engaging with people from a variety of backgrounds. It should be noted that while the proportion of Canadians having low or no trust in national security agencies on any of these attributes is relatively low – there is a significant minority who have little or no trust in these agencies when it comes to being unbiased (22%), reflecting Canada’s diversity (20%), or respecting privacy laws (19%).

   Trust in Canada’s National Security Agencies

   
   

   Q12. How much trust do you have in Canada’s national security agencies and their staff when it comes to each of the following?	Total (N=2,590)
   Keeping Canadians safe from national security threats
   Net: Trust	39%
   Trust completely	7%
   High trust	32%
   Responding appropriately to threats to Canada’s national security
   Net: Trust	38%
   Trust completely	7%
   High trust	31%
   Effectively identifying threats to Canada’s national security
   Net: Trust	34%
   Trust completely	5%
   High trust	28%
   Respecting human rights when they carry out their duties
   Net: Trust	34%
   Trust completely	7%
   High trust	27%
   Being unbiased when engaging with people from a variety of backgrounds
   Net: Trust	25%
   Trust completely	6%
   High trust	19%
   Adequately reflecting Canada’s diverse population within its senior ranks
   Net: Trust	25%
   Trust completely	6%
   High trust	18%

   There are some notable demographic patterns in the extent to which people trust national security agencies. Those with higher incomes and higher levels of education, who identify as South Asian or as Middle Eastern/West Asian, and those who arrived in Canada within the last five years have significantly higher levels of trust in Canada’s national security agencies on all attributes.

   
   

   In contrast, those who identify as Indigenous have lower levels of trust across all attributes. Those who identify as Black have particularly low levels of trust in national security agencies when it comes to being unbiased, when engaging with people from a variety of backgrounds (37% little or no trust) and, reflecting Canada’s diversity by employing diverse senior staff (37% little or no trust).

   
   

2. Bias in National Security in Canada

   1. Concerns about bias in the protection of national security

   
   

   Over one third of Canadians are concerned that national security staff may have biases and prejudices towards specific groups, that security measures may infringe on human rights or that national security policies may unfairly target people from certain communities.

   
   

   Canadians are most concerned that people working in national security may be prejudice towards certain communities (37%); they were least concerned that too much money is going towards reducing these prejudices (21%).

   Concerns Regarding Biases in National Security

   
   

   Q5. How concerned are you about each of the following statements that relate to the protection of national security in Canada?	Total (N=2,590)
   That the people working in national security may be prejudiced or biased against people from certain ethnic, racialized, Indigenous, or religious communities.
   Net: Concerned (Very/concerned)	37%
   Very Concerned	16%
   Concerned	21%
   That Canada’s national security measures may involve surveillance that infringes on people’s human rights and right to privacy.
   Net: Concerned (Very/concerned)	34%
   Very Concerned	14%
   Concerned	20%
   That Canada’s national security policies and procedures may unfairly target people from certain ethnic, racialized, Indigenous, or religious communities.
   Net: Concerned (Very/concerned)	33%
   Very Concerned	13%
   Concerned	20%
   That too much effort and money is going towards reducing prejudice and bias in national security work.
   Net: Concerned (Very/concerned)	21%
   Very Concerned	8%
   Concerned	13%

   
   

   There is a clear age difference in the extent to which Canadians are concerned about most of these issues. 18-29-year-olds consistently expressing higher levels of concern than do those over the age of

   45. The exception to this pattern is that 18–29-year-olds are less concerned that too much effort and money is going towards reducing prejudice

   
   

   Reaction to this set of questions also varies significantly by race. Those who identify as White tend to be less concerned about these issues, with the exception of too much money or effort toward reducing prejudice and bias. In contrast, those who identify as any other race are consistently more concerned about most of these issues. Notably, over half of those who identify as Black (58%) or East/Southeast Asian (53%) are concerned that people working in national security may be prejudiced. Over half of those who identify as Black are concerned that national security policies may unfairly target certain communities (54%).

   
   

   Those more likely to be concerned that people working in national security may be prejudiced or biased include females (40%), those with a disability (48%), those with incomes under 40k (42%) and 40-60K (40%), those that speak a non-official language most often at home (40%), and those working in law enforcement (39%).

   
   

   The following segments of the population are more likely than others to be concerned that too much money and effort is going towards reducing prejudice and bias in national security work: Albertans (26%), Quebecers (25%), East/South East Asians and Indigenous peoples (both 24%), those with a disability (25%), and those working in law enforcement (31%).

   
   

   1. Impact of biases among national security personnel

      
      

      Four in ten Canadians are concerned that national security staff may make mistakes as a result of assumptions about relative threats posed by people of different races or national origins.

      
      

      About four in ten Canadians are concerned that people working at Canada’s national security agencies may mistakenly miss or exaggerate potential security risks as a result of assumptions about which races are more likely to pose a threat (41%) or believing stereotypes about nationality or country of birth (37%). Just under three in ten are concerned about national security threats being missed or exaggerated as a result of personnel making assumptions about which gender or age group is more likely to pose a threat (28%).

      Concern about National Security Staff Making Assumptions

      
      

      Q6. How concerned are you that people working at Canada’s national security agencies could mistakenly miss or exaggerate potential security threats because of the following….?	Total (N=2,590)
      Making assumptions or believing stereotypes about which races are most likely to pose a threat
      NET: Concerned	41%
      Very concerned
      Concerned
      Making assumptions or believing stereotypes about nationality or country of birth
      NET: Concerned	37%
      Very concerned
      Concerned
      Making assumptions or believing stereotypes about which gender is most likely to pose a threat
      NET: Concerned	28%
      Very concerned
      Concerned
      Making assumptions or believing stereotypes about which age group is most likely to pose a threat
      NET: Concerned	28%
      Very concerned
      Concerned

      
      

      Those most likely to be concerned that people working in national security may miss or exaggerate threats to national security as a result of each of these biases include those 18-29 years of age, women, those who have a disability, those who identify as Indigenous or racialized and those born outside of Canada.

      
      

   2. Perceptions of bias as a problem among national security personnel

      
      

      Two in ten Canadians feel that biases and stereotypes among people working in Canada’s national security agencies is a big problem and another four in ten feel it is somewhat of a problem.

      
      

      Two in ten Canadians believe that biases about different groups in our society are a big or very big problem (21%) among those working in Canada’s national security agencies; and another four in ten see it as somewhat of a problem (39%). Three in ten feel this is a minor problem or not a problem at all.

      Problem of Biases among National Security Personnel

      
      

      Q13. To what extent do you think biases or stereotypes about different groups in our society is a problem among people working in Canada’s national security agencies? Is it…?	Total (N=2,590)
      A very big problem	7%
      A big problem	14%
      Somewhat of a problem	39%
      Only a minor problem	23%
      Not a problem at all	6%

      Those most likely to view these biases and stereotypes among national security staff as a big or very big problem include 18-29-year-olds (30%), those with a disability (27%) and all who identify as Indigenous or racialized. The tendency to view these biases as a big problem is particularly high among those who identify as Black (41%).

      
      

   3. Importance of diversity at national security agencies

   
   

   A majority of Canadians believe it is at least somewhat important that Canada’s national security agencies employ a diverse mix of people.

   
   

   Over six in ten Canadians believe it is important for Canada’s national security agencies to employ a diverse mix of people (65%) and another two in ten feel this is somewhat important (21%). Just ten percent feel this is not very, or not at all important.

   Importance of Diversity in National Security Agencies’ Staffing

   
   

   Q17. How important do you think it is that Canada’s national security agencies employ a diverse mix of people? Is it…?	Total (N=2,590)
   Very important	36%
   Important	29%
   Somewhat Important	21%
   Not very important	6%
   Not at all important	4%

   
   

   A majority view that it is important that Canada’s national security agencies employ a diverse mix of people is consistent across all regions and demographic groups. The sentiment is particularly strong among Atlantic Canadians (71%), 18–29-year-olds (68%), women (70%), those with a disability (69%), those with post-graduate degrees (72%), those born outside Canada (71%) and those who identify as Black (82%), South Asian (74%), East/South East Asian (70%), or Middle Eastern/West Asian (71%).

   
   

3. Anti-Bias and Diversity Training

   1. Do national security personnel currently get anti-bias training?

      
      

      Most Canadians assume that national security personnel in Canada undergo anti-bias, cultural awareness and or diversity training

      
      

      Nearly seven in ten Canadians think that people working in national security in Canada definitely or probably undergo anti-bias, cultural awareness and/or diversity training before they interact with people from different backgrounds and communities. Just under two in ten Canadians do not think personnel undergo this training (17%) and another 16 percent do not know.

      Security Personnel Current Anti-Bias Training Perspectives

      
      

      Q14. Do you think people working in national security in Canada currently undergo any sort of anti-bias, cultural awareness, and/or diversity training before they interact with people from different backgrounds and communities?	Total (N=2,590)
      NET: Yes	67%
      Yes, definitely	17%
      Yes, probably	50%
      NET: No	17%
      No, probably not	15%
      No, definitely not	2%
      Don’t know	16%

      
      

      Responses to this question were quite consistent across all demographic and regional categories.

      
      

   2. Importance of anti-bias training

      
      

      A large majority of Canadians believe it is important for Canada’s national security to undergo anti- bias training.

      
      

      Over seven in ten Canadians believe it is important that Canada’s national security agencies undergo anti-bias training (75%), and another 15 percent feel this is somewhat important. Just six percent feel anti-bias training is not very or not at all important.

      Importance of Anti-Bias Training for National Security Staff

      
      

      Q15. How important is it to you that the staff at Canada’s national security agencies undergo anti-bias, cultural awareness, and/or diversity training before interacting with people from different communities? Is it…?	Total (N=2,590)
      Very important	51%
      Important	24%
      Somewhat important	15%
      Not very important	4%
      Not at all important	2%

      
      

      The sentiment that it is important that Canada’s national security agencies undergo anti-bias training is very strong across all demographic segments. It is particularly strong among those over 60 years old (81%), women (78%), those who identify as Black (83%) and East/South East Asian (79%), those born outside of Canada (80%), those in Manitoba/Saskatchewan (79%), and those not working (79%).

   3. Confidence in effectiveness of anti-bias training for national security personnel

   
   

   Most Canadians express at least some confidence that anti-bias and diversity training will reduce the impact of biases in national security work.

   
   

   Just under four in ten Canadians (36%) are very confident or confident that diversity training will reduce the impact of biases in national security work, and another 39 percent are somewhat confident. Just 17 percent are not very or not at all confident.

   Confidence in Anti-Bias Training for Staff

   
   

   Q16. How confident are you that anti-bias, cultural awareness, and/or diversity training will reduce the impact of biases in national security work? Are you…?	Total (N=2,590)
   Very confident	10%
   Confident	26%
   Somewhat confident	39%
   Not very confident	14%
   Not at all confident	3%

   
   

   Those that are the most confident that anti-bias training will succeed in reducing the impact of bias include those 60 years of age and over (42%), those who have arrived in Canada with the last five years (47%), and those who identify as Black (43%), South Asian (51%) or Middle Eastern/West Asian (41%). Confidence tends to be lower among 18-to-29-year-olds (30%) and Indigenous people (31%).

   
   

   Those more likely to be not very or not at all confident that anti-bias training will succeed include those who identify as Indigenous (31%), residents of Manitoba/Saskatchewan (24%), 18–29-year-olds (21%), 30–44-year-olds (20%) and those working in law enforcement (21%).

   
   

4. Interaction with National Security Agencies

   1. Reported interaction with national security agencies

      
      

      Just over two in ten Canadians report having had a national security related interaction. These interactions are most commonly with CBSA or the RCMP.

      
      

      Over two in ten Canadians report having had a national security related interaction with Canada’s national security agencies (23%).Interactions were most commonly with the CBSA (17%), and the RCMP (9%). Only a few report having had any contact with other agencies such as CSIS (3%), CSE (1%) or ITAC (1%).

      Contact with National Security Agencies

      
      

      Q9. Have you ever had any national security-related interactions with any of Canada’s national security agencies? If so, which one?	Total (N=2,590)
      Yes, I have	23%
      Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA)	17%
      Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)	9%
      Department of National Defence (DND)	3%
      The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSE)	3%
      All others	Less than 3%
      No, I have not	75%
      Prefer not to say	2%

      
      

      Those most likely to report any contact with national security agencies include 18 to 29 years olds (30%), those with a disability (31%), Indigenous people (29%) and those who arrived in Canada within the past five years (36%). In the case of this latter group, most report having had contact with CBSA.

      
      

      Those less likely to report interaction with national security agencies include Quebecers (21%), those over 60 years old (19%), East/Southeast Asians (18%). It is also notable that just 13 percent of French- speakers have had contact with a national security agency compared to 27 percent of English speakers.

      
      

   2. Assessment of national security interaction

      
      

      The majority of those who have interacted with a national security agent report that the interaction was positive.

      
      

      Just over six in ten Canadians (63%) say their most recent interaction with a Canadian security agent was somewhat or very positive. Another 26 percent report they had a neutral experience. Just nine percent report that their interaction was a negative experience.

      Rating Interaction with National Security Agent

      
      

      Q10. How would you rate that interaction you had with one of Canada’s national security agencies? Was it…	Total (N=600) Those who had contact with national security agency
      Very positive	36%
      Somewhat positive	27%
      Neutral	26%
      Somewhat negative	6%
      Very negative	3%

      
      

      Those who have arrived in the last five years were more likely to say they had a positive experience (84%). Those 18-29 were least likely to have had a positive experience (46%).

   3. Treatment during interactions with a national security agency

   
   

   Eight percent of those who interacted with a national security agency felt they were treated differently or discriminated against in their last interaction because of their personal characteristics.

   
   

   The vast majority (92%) of Canadians who had any contact with a national security agency, did not feel they were treated differently or discriminated against in their last interaction because of their personal characteristics. The other eight percent report that they were discriminated against.

   Treatment when Interacting with National Security Agent

   
   

   Q11. When you had contact with this national security agency, did you feel you were treated any differently or discriminated against because of any of your personal characteristics?	Total (N=600) Those who had contact with national security agency
   Yes	8%
   No	92%

   
   

   Those who identify as White (5%) were much less likely to say they felt they were treated differently or discriminated against thank those who identify as any other race: Black (24%), South Asian (15%), Middle Eastern/West Asian (14%), Indigenous (15%) and East/Southeast Asian (11%). .

   
   

   The sub-sample who reported having experienced different treatment or discrimination is small (8%), but those who had this experience tended to feel this happened because of their race (2%) or for other reasons not listed (3%).

   
   

5. Policing and Law Enforcement

1. Rating local police service

   
   

   Most Canadians give their local police a good rating for keeping their communities safe.

   
   

   Over six in ten Canadians (65%) rate their local police as doing a good or excellent job in keeping their communities safe. Just under half rate their local police as good or excellent when it comes to treating people equally regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation (48%), only using force when necessary (48%), and being respectful of people from different cultures (47%).

   
   

   About four in ten feel their local police do a good or excellent job of treating people of difference races or ethnic origins equally (42%), or of reflecting the community by employing enough officers with diverse backgrounds (40%).

   Quality of Services from Local Police

   
   

   Q18. How would you rate the quality of service that your local police provide in each of the following ways?	Total (N=2,590)
   Keeping your community safe
   Net: Positive	65%
   Excellent	21%
   Good	44%
   Treating people equally regardless of their gender identity and sexual orientation
   Net: Positive	48%
   Excellent	12%
   Good	35%
   Only using force when absolutely necessary
   Net: Positive	48%
   Excellent	15%
   Good	34%
   Being respectful to people from different cultures
   Net: Positive	47%
   Excellent	12%
   Good	35%
   Treating people equally regardless of their race or ethnic origin
   Net: Positive	42%
   Excellent	11%
   Good	31%
   Reflecting the community by employing enough officers from diverse racial, cultural, or Indigenous background
   Net: Positive	40%
   Excellent	10%
   Good	30%

   
   

   The local police tend to get higher ratings on all attributes from those who are 60 and over, French- speakers, and people who arrived in Canada within the past five years. The police tend to get lower ratings on all attributes from people aged 18-29, those with a post-graduate degree, those living with a disability, and from those who identify as Black or Indigenous. Men and women have similar ratings across most of these attributes.

   
   

   It is notable that while 19 percent of all Canadians give their local police a “poor” or “very poor” rating for treating people equally regardless of their race or ethnic origin, this poor/very poor rating is much higher among those who identify as Black (41%) or as Indigenous (34%). Similarly, 18 percent of all Canadians give their local police a “poor” or “very poor” rating for reflecting the community by employing officers with diverse background, but this poor/very poor rating is significantly higher among those who identify as Black (39%) or as Indigenous (31%).

2. Preferred police funding model

   
   

   Canadians are divided between those who would like to see police budgets increased, maintained at current levels, or reduced.

   
   

   Canadians are divided in their preferences for police funding models. Three in ten (29%) feel that police funding should be increased, three in ten (28%) would prefer to see police budgets and staffing reduced with the money reallocated to social services; and just under three in ten (27%) feel police budgets and staffing should be maintained at current levels. Very few (2%) believe the police should be eliminated altogether and replaced with social services.

   Preferred for Police Funding Model

   
   

   Q19. When it comes to the role of the police and how they are funded, which of the following would you choose?	Total (N=2,590)
   Increasing police budgets and hiring more police officers so that they are better equipped to perform their current responsibilities	29%
   Maintaining police budgets and staffing current levels and having the police continue to do all the things they do not to protect public safety	27%
   Reducing police budgets, cutting the number of police officers, and reallocating funds to support social services	28%
   Eliminating the police altogether and replacing them with social services	2%
   Other	6%
   Don’t know	9%

   
   

   Those most likely to want an increase of police budgets include those who live in BC (40%) or Alberta (39%), those 60 years of age or older (37%), and those with high school educations or less (38%).

   
   

   Those most likely to want a reduction or an elimination of police budgets include Ontarians (37%), 18- 29-year-olds (47%), those with university educations (36%), and those who identify as Black (46%).

   
   

3. Perceptions of police bias as a problem

   
   

   A large majority of Canadians believe that bias in policing and law enforcement is at least somewhat of a problem.

   
   

   Almost three in ten Canadians (28%) believe that biases among police and in law enforcement is a very big (10%) or big problem (18%). Another four in ten consider this to be somewhat of a problem (42%). Only 22 percent feel that bias is either just a minor problem (18%) or not a problem at all (4%).

   Perceptions on Degree of Bias in Policing

   
   

   Q20. There has been some discussion lately about the impacts of biases in police and law enforcement work in Canada. How much of a problem do you think this is in Canada?	Total (N=2,590)
   A very big problem	10%
   A big problem	18%
   Somewhat of a problem	42%
   Only a minor problem	18%
   Not a problem at all	4%

   
   

   Those most likely to feel that bias is a big or very big problem include Ontarians (31%), 18-29-year-olds (38%), 30-44-year-olds (34%), women (33%), those living with a disability (39%) and those with post- graduate degrees (34%). The perception that police bias is a big problem is also much higher among those who identify as South Asian (35%), Indigenous (40%) and most of all among those who identify as Black (57%).

   
   

   Those most likely to feel that bias is a minor problem or not a problem at all include those with incomes over $80,000 (28%), men (28%), those who arrived in Canada less than five years ago (28%), and those working in law enforcement (36%).

   
   

4. Reported interaction with police

   
   

   Three in ten Canadians have interacted with the police in the last five years.

   
   

   Seven in ten Canadians (69%) have not had any personal interaction with police in Canada in the last five years. Three in ten (29%) have had some contact or interaction.

   Personal Interaction with the Police

   
   

   Q21. Have you had any personal interaction or contact with the police in Canada in the last five years?	Total (N=2,590)
   Yes	29%
   No	69%

   
   

   Those most likely to report any interaction with the police in the last five years include those living with a disability (39%), those between the ages of 18-29 (39%), those with household incomes of over

   $80,000 (36%), men (33%), Albertans (39%), and those who identify as Indigenous (45%), Black (42%) or Middle Eastern/West Asian (36%).

   
   

   Those less likely to report any interaction with the police in the last five years include East/Southeast Asians (18%), those over 60 years old (19%), French-speakers (19%), and Quebecers (21%).

5. Assessment of interaction with police

   
   

   Most Canadians report that their interaction with the police was a positive experience. A significant minority had a negative experience and feel they were treated differently because of their personal characteristics.

   
   

   Over six in ten (63%) of those who had an interaction with the police report that it was at least a somewhat positive experience (63%). Another 19 percent describe their experience as neutral, and 17 percent say their experience was negative.

   Rating Interaction with Police

   
   

   Q22. How would you rate that interaction you had with the police? Was it…?	Total (N=755) Have had contact with police in last 5 years
   Very positive	42%
   Somewhat positive	21%
   Neutral	19%
   Somewhat negative	10%
   Very negative	7%

   
   

   Those most likely to report that their interaction with the police was negative include those who identify as Black (41%), those living in Manitoba/Saskatchewan (31%), those living with a disability (27%), and those with low incomes (26%).

   Feelings of Discrimination in Interaction with Police

   
   

   Q23. When you had contact with the police in Canada, did you feel you were treated any differently or discriminated against because of any of your personal characteristics?	Total (N=755) Have had contact with police in last 5 years
   Yes (PLEASE SPECIFY)	14%
   Based on race/ethnicity/skin colour/religion/accent	6%
   Based on gender	3%
   Was disrespected/treated like a criminal	2%
   No	86%

   
   

   Fourteen percent of those who had an interaction with the police feel they were treated differently or discriminated against because of their personal characteristics. Those most likely to feel treated differently or discriminated against include those who identify as Black (43%), Middle Eastern/West Asian (25%) or Indigenous (26%), those with a disability (26%), those with low incomes (25%), and residents of Manitoba/Saskatchewan (25%).

   
   

   Those who felt they were treated differently or discriminated against tend to feel it was on the basis of their gender, race, or ethnicity.

   
   

   Those least likely to feel they were treated differently or discriminated against include those aged 60 years or older (3%), those who identify as East/Southeast Asian (6%) or White (9%), and those who arrived in Canada in the last five years (6%).

6. Confidence in effectiveness of anti-bias training for police

   
   

   Most Canadians express at least some confidence that anti-bias and diversity training will succeed in reducing the impact of biases in police work.

   
   

   Over three in ten Canadians (34%) are very confident or confident that diversity training will reduce the impact of biases in national security work and another 39 percent are somewhat confident. Two in ten (19%) are not very or not at all confident.

   Confidence in Anti-Bias Training for Staff

   
   

   Q24. How confident are you that anti-bias, cultural awareness, and/or diversity training will reduce the impact of biases in Canadian police work? Are you…?	Total (N=2,590)
   Very confident	9%
   Confident	25%
   Somewhat confident	39%
   Not very confident	16%
   Not at all confident	4%

   
   

   Those who are the most confident that anti-bias training will succeed in reducing the impact of bias in police work include those who have arrived in Canada with the last five years (52%), and those who identify as South Asian (53%). Confidence tends to be lower among 18-29-year-olds (28%), those who identify as Black (28%) or Indigenous (24%), and those who work in law enforcement (29%).

   
   

7. Priorities to make local police more accountable

   
   

   Over a third of Canadians feel incorporating mandatory body-worn cameras should be the highest priority in an effort to reduce bias across local police forces.

   
   

   Just under four in ten Canadians (37%) place the highest priority on incorporating body-worn cameras into police forces in an effort to reduce bias and increase accountability. A smaller proportion feel the highest priority should be making police more accountable to an independent civilian agencies (18%), changing police culture through diversity and anti-bias training (17%), or making the police more diverse by hiring more officers from various communities (15%).

   Ranking priorities for Local Police Force

   
   

   Q25. Here is a list of policies that police forces across Canada are considering in an effort to reduce bias and increase accountability. Which one of these do you think should be the highest/second highest priority for your local police force?	Highest Priority (N=2,590)	2nd Highest Priority (N=2,253)
   Incorporating mandatory body-worn cameras for police officers	37%	23%
   Making police more accountable to an independent, civilian agency	18%	24%
   Changing the police culture through diversity and anti-bias training	17%	25%
   Making the police more diverse by hiring more officers from racial, religious, cultural, and Indigenous communities	15%	22%

   
   

   Those who are most likely to prioritize body worn cameras include French speakers (47%), Quebecers (45%), those who are 60 or over (42%), those with a high school education or less (43%), those who identify as white (40%), and those born in Canada (39%).

   
   

   A diverse police force is much less likely to be prioritized by those who identify as White (13%) or Canadian-born (13%), than those who identify as any other race: Black (25%), South Asian (24%), Middle Eastern/West Asian (24%), Indigenous (21%), East/Southeast Asian (20%), or were not born in Canada (22%).

   Appendix A: Methodology

   This research project consisted of a 12-minute online quantitative survey of 2,590 Canadians aged 18 and over. The survey was completed between February 5 and 25, 2021. Survey respondents were selected from registered members of an online panel. Since the samples used in online panel surveys are based on self-selection and are not a random probability sample, no formal estimates of sampling error can be calculated. Although opt-in panels are not random probability samples, online surveys can be used for general population surveys provided they are well designed and employ a large, well- maintained panel.

   
   

   The online sample was sourced from Delvinia’s AskingCanadians panel and its French counterpart Qu’en pensez-vous, which is able to generate a large sample with representative coverage of all groups of interest. Since the samples used in online panel surveys are based on self-selection and are not a random probability sample, no formal estimates of sampling error can be calculated.

   Although opt-in panels are not random probability samples, online surveys can be used for general population surveys provided they are well designed and employ a large, well-maintained panel.

   
   

   The target segments for the survey were as follows:

   • Canadian general public

   • Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit etc.).

   • Racialized peoples including:

     • Blacks (African, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Canadian, etc.)

     • South Asians (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Indo-Caribbean)

     • East/Southeast Asians (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, etc.)

     • Middle East/West Asians (Arab, North African, Iranian, Afghan, Turkish, etc.)

   • Recent immigrants (arrived in Canada in the past 5 years).

   • People living with a disability.

   • Low-income Canadians (annual personal income of less than $30,000 if single or a household income of less than $40,000 if in a multi-person household).

Sample design and weighting

The sampling method for this survey was designed to include oversamples to achieve at least 200 surveys in each of eight targeted subsets of the Canadian population listed above.

Environics set quotas by age, gender, region, and target sub-groups and the data have been weighted to ensure the sample is representative of these populations according to the most recently available Census information. The survey achieved the following distributions (Note that some respondents would have qualified as members of more than one target audience simultaneously):

*Results are weighted by region, gender, age, and target audiences to 2016 Census data.

Questionnaire design

Public Safety Canada provided Environics with an outline of topics to be covered in the survey. Environics then designed questionnaire in consultation with PSC to ensure its research objectives were met. Environics also conducted ten cognitive interviews with Canadians whereby they reviewed the draft questionnaire while being interviewed by a researcher and provided feedback on question wording. Upon approval of the English questionnaires, Environics arranged for the questionnaires to be translated into French by professional translators.

Environics’ data analysts programmed the questionnaires, then performed thorough testing to ensure accuracy in set-up and data collection. This validation ensured that the data entry process conformed to the surveys’ basic logic. The data collection system handles sampling invitations, quotas, and questionnaire completion (skip patterns, branching, and valid ranges).

The final survey questionnaire is included in Appendix B.

Fieldwork

The survey was conducted by Environics using a secure, fully featured web-based survey environment. The interviews took place from February 5 to 25, 2021. The median interview length was 12 minutes.

All respondents were offered the opportunity to complete the surveys in their official language of choice. All research work was conducted in accordance with the Standards for the Conduct of Government of Canada Public Opinion Research – Online Surveys and recognized industry standards, as well as applicable federal legislation (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, or PIPEDA).

The data from this survey are statistically weighted to ensure the sample is as representative of this population as possible according to the most recently available Census information.

Completion results

The completion results are presented in the following table.

Contact disposition

Respondent profile

The following table presents the weighted distribution of survey participants by key demographic and other variables.

Appendix B: Quantitative research instrument

Public Safety Canada

BSDI in National Security Survey PN10993

Final Questionnaire

N = 2,700 (2,000 GEN POP PLUS OVERSAMPLES TO ATTAIN MINIMUM N = 200 IN EACH TARGETTED SUB-SAMPLE)

Environics Research February 3, 2021

LANDING PAGE

Please select your preferred language for completing the survey / SVP choisissez votre langue préférée pour remplir le sondage

01- English / Anglais 02- Français / French

The information collected through the research is subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act, legislation of the Government of Canada, and to the provisions of relevant provincial privacy legislation.

Programming note: link is to https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/P-21/

Background information

Environics Research, an independent research company, is conducting this survey on behalf of Public Safety Canada which is a department of the Government of Canada. The purpose of the survey is to explore the opinions of Canadians on such topics as national security, public safety, and policing.

Your participation is voluntary, and your answers will remain anonymous. The survey will take about 12 minutes to complete.

The survey is best completed on a computer or a tablet. If you are completing this survey on a smart phone, please turn the device to landscape (horizontal/sideways) mode so that all questions display correctly.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Environics Research at publicsafetysurvey@environics.ca.

Please click on >> to continue.

Section 1: Screening and initial demographics

1. What is your province of residence? PROVINCE DROP DOWN LIST

2. To ensure we include people from all parts of Canada, what are the first three characters of your postal code?

   
   

   FSA OPEN END

   
   

3. In what year were you born?

   
   

   NUMERIC DROP DOWN (<1920 TO >2002)

   99 – Prefer not to answer

   
   

   ASK ALL WHO PREFER NOT TO ANSWER Q. C:

   
   

4. Would you be willing to indicate in which of the following age categories you belong? CHECK ONE

   
   

   01 - 18 to 24

   02 - 25 to 34

   03 - 45 to 54

   04 - 55 to 64

   05 - 65 or older

   99 - Prefer not to answer

5. What gender do you identify with? 01 – Male

   1. – Female

   2. – Another gender identity 99 – Prefer not to answer

   
   

6. Which of the following best describes your ethnic background, race, or nationality? SELECT UP TO 2 RESPONSES – RANDOMIZE ORDER

   
   

   1. – Black (African, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Canadian, etc.)

   2. – East/Southeast Asian (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Thai, Malaysian, etc.) 03 – Indigenous (First Nation, Inuit, Métis, etc.)

      1. – Latin American (Mexican, Central or South American)

      2. – Middle Eastern/West Asian (Arab, North African, Iranian, Lebanese, Turkish, Kurdish, Afghan, etc.)*

      3. - South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Indo-Caribbean) 07 – White (Caucasian, European)

      1. - Other (SPECIFY)

      2. - Prefer not to answer

      NB: *FOR QUOTA PURPOSES THESE ANSWER CATEGORIES ARE TO BE TRACKED TO ENSURE MINIMUM 200 FOR EACH OF: INDIGENOUS, SOUTH ASIANS, EAST ASIANS, BLACK, MIDDLE EAST/WEST ASIAN

7. Do you identify as a person with a disability?

   
   

   NB: This would mean having a long-term difficulty or condition, such as vision, hearing, mobility, flexibility, dexterity, pain, learning, developmental, memory or mental health-related impairment, that limits your daily activities inside or outside the home, such as at school, work, or in the community in general.

   
   

   1. - Yes

   2. – No

   1. -- Not sure

   2. -- Prefer not to answer

8. Were you born in Canada or in another country? 01 - Born in Canada

   02 - Born in another country 99 -- Prefer not to answer

   ASK IF BORN IN ANOTHER COUNTRY

   
   

9. When did you first move to Canada?

   
   

   1. - Within the last 5 years NB: WE REQUIRE AT LEAST 200

   2. - In the last 5 to 10 years

   3. – More than 10 years ago

   
   

   Section 2: National Security in Canada

   
   

   This survey will explore attitudes towards firearms in Canada. Now some questions about issues relating to national security in Canada.

   
   

   For the purposes of this survey “national security” refers to the measures taken by the Government of Canada to keep Canadians safe such as counter-terrorism, preventing and countering violent extremism, protecting critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, dealing with espionage and foreign interference, etc.

   
   

   1. How informed would you say you are about the measures the Government of Canada takes to

      protect our national security? Are you…? HORIZONTAL SCALE

      
      

      1. – Not informed at all

      2. – Not very well informed 03 – Somewhat informed

         1. – Well informed

         2. – Very well informed 99 – Don’t know

   2. How would you rate the job the Government of Canada does in protecting our national security from the threats mentioned earlier? HORIZONTAL SCALE

      
      

      01 – Very poor job 02 – Poor job

      1. – Fair job

      2. – Good Job

      3. – Excellent Job 99 – Don’t know

      
      

   3. To what extent do you consider Canada to be safe from threats to our national security? Are

      we…? HORIZONTAL SCALE

      
      

      01 – Not safe at all 02 – Not very safe 03 – Somewhat safe

      1. – Safe

      2. – Very safe 99 – Don’t know

      
      

   4. Which ONE of the following potential threats to our national security is your biggest concern?

      RANDOMIZE LIST…CHOOSE ONE

      
      

      1. – Economic threats (e.g., theft of intellectual property and technology, too much foreign ownership of key resources)

      2. – Cyber-security threats (e.g., data breaches, hacking)

      3. - Foreign countries’ covert activities (e.g., espionage, infiltration, interference in elections and government processes)

      4. – Defense of Canada’s borders (e.g., Canada’s territorial sovereignty, border integrity)

      5. - Religiously-motivated extremism (e.g., extremism inspired by ISIS/Daesh or Al-Qaeda or their affiliates)

      6. – Right-wing extremism (e.g., neo-Nazi, white supremacy, anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic, anti- immigrant, etc.)

      7. – Left-wing extremism (e.g., anti-capitalism, anti-law enforcement, environmental protests, etc.)

      8. – Other forms of ideological extremism (e.g., gender-driven violence, conspiracy-driven

         movements such as “Qanon”, etc.)

      9. – Transnational crimes (e.g., drug, human and firearm trafficking, money laundering, etc.) 10 – Some other threat (SPECIFY)

      11 - None

      99 - Don’t know

      4b. Which ONE of the following potential threats to our national security concerns is your second biggest concern? RANDOMIZE LIST EXCLUDING RESPONSE TO Q. 4…CHOOSE ONE

      
      

      1. – Economic threats (e.g., theft of intellectual property and technology, too much foreign ownership of key resources)

      2. – Cyber-security threats (e.g., data breaches, hacking)

      3. - Foreign countries’ covert activities (e.g., espionage, infiltration, interference in elections and government processes)

      4. – Defense of Canada’s borders (e.g., Canada’s territorial sovereignty, border integrity)

      5. - Religiously-motivated extremism (e.g., extremism inspired by ISIS/Daesh or Al-Qaida or their affiliates)

      6. – Right-wing extremism (e.g., neo-Nazi, anti-Semitism, white supremacy, anti-Muslim, anti- Semitic, anti-immigrant, etc.)

      7. – Left-wing extremism (e.g., anti-capitalism, anti-law enforcement, environmental protests, etc.)

      8. – Other forms of ideological extremism (e.g., gender-driven violence, conspiracy-driven

         movements such as “Qanon”, etc.)

      9. – Transnational crimes (e.g., drug, human and firearm trafficking, money laundering, etc.) 10 – Some other threat (SPECIFY)

      11 - None

      99 - Don’t know

      
      

      For the purpose of this survey, bias is defined as prejudice or stereotypes in favour of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another. Biases may be held by an individual, group, or institution and can have negative or positive consequences. Biases may exist toward any personal characteristics, such as age, gender, physical ability, race, ethnic origin, religion, weight, sexual orientation, citizenship status, etc.

   5. How concerned are you about each of the following as they relate to the protection of national security in Canada? COLUMNS AND ROWS, SHOW HORIZONTAL SCALE

      
      

      01 – Not at all concerned 02 – Not very concerned 03 – Somewhat concerned

      1. – Concerned

      2. – Very concerned 99 – Don’t know

      
      

      RANDOMIZE

      
      

      1. That Canada’s national security policies and procedures may unfairly target people from

         certain ethnic, racialized, Indigenous, or religious communities.

      2. That Canada’s national security measures may involve surveillance that violates people’s

         human rights and right to privacy.

      3. That the people working in national security may be prejudiced or biased against people from certain ethnic, racialized, Indigenous, or religious communities.

      4. That too much effort and money is wasted trying to reduce prejudice and bias in national security work.

      
      

   6. How concerned are you that the people working at Canada’s national security agencies could mistakenly miss or exaggerate potential security threats because of the following? COLUMNS AND ROWS, SHOW HORIZONTAL SCALE

      
      

      01 – Not at all concerned 02 – Not very concerned 03 – Somewhat concerned

      1. – Concerned

      2. – Very concerned 99 – Don’t know

      
      

      RANDOMIZE

      
      

      1. Making assumptions or believing stereotypes about which gender is most likely to pose a threat (e.g., assuming women are less likely to be a national security threat than men).

      2. Making assumptions or believing stereotypes about which age group is most likely to pose a threat (e.g., assuming older people are less likely to be a national security threat than younger people).

      3. Making assumptions or believing stereotypes about which races are most likely to pose a threat (e.g., assuming that a white person is less likely to be a national security threat).

      4. Making assumptions or believing stereotypes about nationality or country of birth (e.g., assuming that foreign-born people are more likely to pose a national security threat than people who are born in Canada).

   7. “Radicalization to violence” is a process that occurs when a person or group takes on extreme ideas and begins to think they should use violence to support or advance their ideas or beliefs. In recent years there have been a number of violent attacks in Canada by radicalized individuals.

      
      

      How confident are you that the Government of Canada is taking steps that will be effective in

      preventing and countering radicalization to violence? Are you…? HORIZONTAL SCALE

      
      

      01 – Not at all confident 02 – Not very confident 03 – Somewhat confident

      1. – Confident

      2. – Very confident 99 – Don’t know

      
      

   8. How familiar are you with each of the following agencies that deal with national security in Canada? COLUMNS AND ROWS, SHOW HORIZONTAL SCALE

      
      

      01 – Not at all familiar/never heard of it 02 – Not very familiar

      1. – Somewhat familiar

      2. – Familiar

      3. – Very familiar 99 – Don’t know

      
      

      RANDOMIZE

      
      

      1. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)

      2. The Communications Security Establishment (CSE)

      3. Public Safety Canada

      4. Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)

      5. Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre (ITAC)

      6. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

      7. Global Affairs Canada (GAC)

      8. Department of National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF)

      9. National Security Intelligence Advisor (the NSIA) to the Prime Minister

      
      

   9. Have you ever had any national security-related interactions with any of Canada’s national security agencies? If so, which ones?

      
      

      01 – Yes, I had contact with CHECK ALL THAT APPLY LIST OF AGENCIES 02 – No, I have not had contact with any of these SKIP TO Q. 12

      99 – Prefer not to say SKIP TO Q. 12

      IF YES, ASK:

      
      

   10. How would you rate the last interaction you had with one of Canada’s national security agencies? Was it…? HORIZONTAL SCALE

       
       

       1. – Very negative

       2. – Somewhat negative

       3. – Neutral

       4. – Somewhat positive

       5. – Very positive 99 – Don’t know

       
       

   11. When you last had contact with this national security agency, did you feel you were treated any differently or discriminated against because of any of your personal characteristics (e.g., your race, gender, religion, age etc.)?

       
       

       1. – Yes (PLEASE SPECIFY IN WHAT WAY)

       2. – No

       
       

       ASK ALL

       
       

   12. How much trust do you have in Canada’s national security agencies and their staff when it comes

       to each of the following? COLUMNS AND ROWS, SHOW HORIZONTAL SCALE

       
       

       01 – No trust at all 02 – Little trust

       1. – Some trust

       2. – High trust

       3. – Trust completely 99 – Don’t know

       
       

       RANDOMIZE

       
       

       1. Keeping Canadians safe from national security threats

       2. Being unbiased when engaging with people from a variety of backgrounds

       3. Respecting human rights when they carry out their duties

       4. Respecting privacy laws when they carry out their duties

       5. Responding appropriately to threats to Canada’s national security

       6. Effectively identifying threats to Canada’s national security

       7. Reflecting Canada by employing enough senior staff from diverse racial, cultural, or Indigenous backgrounds

   13. To what extent do you think there is a problem with people working in Canada’s national security agencies having biases or stereotypes about different groups in our society? Do you think this is…? HORIZONTAL SCALE

       
       

       01 – Not a problem at all 02 – Only a minor problem

       03 – Somewhat of a problem 04 – A big problem

       05 – A very big problem 99 – Don’t know

       
       

       For the purpose of the next few questions, “anti-bias, cultural awareness and diversity training” involves teaching staff to be aware of their own possible biases when they deal with different groups of people and how to make sure they treat everyone equally.

       
       

   14. Do you think the people working in national security in Canada currently undergo any sort of anti- bias, cultural awareness, and/or diversity training before they interact with people from different backgrounds and communities?

       
       

       1. – Yes, definitely

       2. – Yes, probably

       3. – No, probably not 04 – No, definitely not 99 – Don’t know

       
       

   15. How important is it to you that the staff at Canada’s national security agencies undergo anti-bias, cultural awareness, and/or diversity training before interacting with people from different communities? Is it…? HORIZONTAL SCALE

       
       

       01 – Not at all important 02 – Not very important 03 – Somewhat important

       1. – Important

       2. – Very important 99 – Don’t know

       
       

   16. How confident are you that anti-bias, cultural awareness, and/or diversity training will reduce the

       impact of biases in national security work? Are you…? HORIZONTAL SCALE

       
       

       01 – Not at all confident 02 – Not very confident 03 – Somewhat confident

       1. – Confident

       2. – Very confident 99 – Don’t know

   17. How important do you think it is that Canada’s national security agencies employ a diverse mix of people? Is it…? HORIZONTAL SCALE

       
       

       01 – Not at all important 02 – Not very important 03 – Somewhat important

       1. – Important

       2. – Very important 99 – Don’t know

       
       

       Section 3: Policing and Law Enforcement

       
       

       Now some questions on policing and law enforcement in Canada.

       
       

   18. How would you rate the quality of service that your local police provide in each of the following ways? COLUMNS AND ROWS, SHOW HORIZONTAL SCALE

       
       

       1. – Very poor

       2. – Poor

       3. – Fair

       4. – Good

       5. – Excellent 99 – Don’t know

       
       

       RANDOMIZE

       
       

       1. Keeping your community safe

       2. Treating people equally regardless of their race or ethnic origin

       3. Treating people equally regardless of their gender identity and sexual orientation

       4. Only using force when absolutely necessary

       5. Being respectful to people from different cultures

       6. Reflecting the community by employing enough officers from diverse racial, cultural, or Indigenous backgrounds

       
       

   19. When it comes to the role of the police and how they are funded, which of the following would you choose? SHOW IN ORDER

       
       

       1. - Eliminating the police altogether and replacing them with social services that address issues like poverty, homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse

       2. - Reducing police budgets, cutting the number of police officers, and reallocating funds to support social services that address issues like poverty, homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse

       3. - Maintaining police budgets and staffing at current levels and having the police continue to do all the things they do now to protect public safety.

       4. - Increasing police budgets and hiring more police officers so that they are better equipped to perform their current responsibilities

       5. – Other (SPECIFY)

       99 – Don’t know

   20. There has been some discussion lately about the impacts of biases in police and law enforcement work in Canada. How much of a problem do you think this is in Canada? HORIZONTAL SCALE

       
       

       01 – Not a problem at all 02 – Only a minor problem

       03 – Somewhat of a problem 04 – A big problem

       05 – A very big problem 99 – Don’t know

   21. Have you had any personal interaction or contact with the police in Canada in the last five years? 01 – Yes

       02 – No SKIP TO Q. 24

       99 – Prefer not to say SKIP TO Q. 24 IF YES, ASK:

   22. How would you rate that interaction you had with the police? Was it…? HORIZONTAL SCALE

       
       

       1. – Very negative

       2. – Somewhat negative

       3. – Neutral

       4. – Somewhat positive

       5. – Very positive 99 – Don’t know

       
       

   23. When you had contact with the police in Canada, did you feel you were treated any differently or discriminated against because of any of your personal characteristics (e.g., your race, gender, religion, age etc.)?

       
       

       1. – Yes (PLEASE SPECIFY IN WHAT WAY)

       2. – No

       
       

       ASK ALL

       
       

   24. How confident are you that anti-bias, cultural awareness, and/or diversity training will reduce the impact of biases in Canadian police work? HORIZONTAL SCALE

       
       

       01 – Not at all confident 02 – Not very confident 03 – Somewhat confident

       1. – Confident

       2. – Very confident 99 – Don’t know

   25. Here is a list of policies that many police forces across Canada are considering in an effort to reduce bias and increase accountability. Which one of these do you think should be the highest priority for your local police force? RANDOMIZE…CHOOSE ONE

       
       

       01 – Making police more accountable to an independent, civilian agency 02 – Incorporating mandatory body-worn cameras for police officers

       1. - Changing the police culture through diversity and anti-bias training

       2. – Making the police more diverse by hiring more officers from racial, religious, cultural, and Indigenous communities

       3. – Something else (PLEASE SPECIFY) 06 - None of these ANCHOR

       99 – Don’t know ANCHOR

       
       

   26. Which one of these do you think should be the second highest priority for your local police force?

   CHOOSE ONE…EXCLUDE CHOICE FROM Q. 25

   
   

   01 – Making police more accountable to an independent, civilian agency 02 – Incorporating mandatory body-worn cameras for police officers

   1. - Changing the police culture through diversity and anti-bias training

   2. – Making the police more diverse by hiring more officers from racial, religious, cultural, and Indigenous communities

   3. – Something else (PLEASE SPECIFY) 06 - None of these ANCHOR

   99 – Don’t know ANCHOR Section 4: Demographics – ASK ALL

   To finish up, we have just a few questions about you for statistical purposes only. Please be assured that your answers will remain completely confidential.

   
   

10. Which of the following best describes your own present employment status? (Select one response only)

    
    

    01 – Working full-time, that is, 35 or more hours per week 02 – Working part-time, that is, less than 35 hours per week 03 – Unemployed but looking for work

    04 – Not in the workforce [Full-time homemaker or unemployed and not looking for work] 05 – A Student attending school full-time

    1. – Retired

    2. – Other

    99 - Prefer not to say

11. Which of the following is the highest level of education you have completed?

    
    

    01 - Less than high school diploma or equivalent/I am still in high school 02 - High school diploma or equivalent

    1. - Registered Apprenticeship or other trades certificate or diploma

    2. - College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma (other than trades certificates or diplomas)

    3. - University certificate or diploma below bachelor's level 06 - Bachelor's degree

    07 - Post graduate degree above bachelor's level 99 - Prefer not to say

    
    

12. Do you or does anyone in your household work in the field of national security or policing or law enforcement? CHECK ALL THAT APPLY

    
    

    1. – Yes, I do

    2. – I don’t but, someone else in my household does 03 – No

    99 – Prefer not to say

13. How many adults (18 and over) currently live in your household, including yourself? 01 – One, just me

    1. – Two

    2. – Three or more 99 - Prefer not to say

    
    

14. Which of the following categories best describes your total household income? That is, the total income of all persons in your household combined, before taxes. (Select one only)

    
    

    01-Under $20,000

    02-$20,000 to just under $30,000 03-$30,000 to just under $40,000 04-$40,000 to just under $60,000 05-$60,000 to just under $80,000 06-$80,000 to just under $100,000 07-$100,000 to just under $150,000 08-$150,000 and above

    99-Prefer not to say

15. What language do you speak most often at home? 01 - English

1. - French

2. – Another language 99 - Prefer not to say

This completes the survey. On behalf of the Government of Canada, thank you for your valuable input. In the coming months, the results of this survey will be available on the Library and Archives Canada website. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/porr/Pages/search.aspx