2008 Canada's World Poll

“Canadians believe that nuclear weapons have made the world a more dangerous place, with the greatest threat coming from terrorist attacks. There is overwhelming public support among Canadians for the complete elimination of the world's nuclear weapons.”
–Canada’s World Poll, 2008

The Simons Foundation was the principal sponsor of a groundbreaking poll conducted by Canada’s World on how Canadians see their role in the world, and the role of their country, not simply what they believe their governments should be doing. The Simons Foundation’s primary interest was in citizens’ responses to nuclear issues.

The research from the poll reveals that Canadian public opinion is close to consensus in believing that nuclear weapons have made the world a more dangerous place, with 88% of respondents holding that view. Canadians believe the greatest nuclear threat comes from terrorist use of nuclear weapons. There is overwhelming public support among Canadians for the complete elimination of the world's nuclear weapons.

Conducted by Environics Research between January 9 and 22, 2008, a representative sample of 2,001 Canadians were polled on what they saw as the top global issues. Six questions pertaining to nuclear issues were among the questions asked in the poll.

The questions were as follows:

• Do you think nuclear weapons make the world a safer place or a more dangerous place?
• Which do you consider the greater threat:
  • The use of nuclear weapons by terrorists?
  • The use of nuclear weapons by one or more countries?
  • Both are an equally great threat?
• Canada does not have nuclear weapons but is a member of NATO, which relies on nuclear weapons as a cornerstone of its military capability. Do you think that Canada is safer or less safe because of NATO’s nuclear capability?
• Do you think the use of nuclear weapons by NATO would be:
  • Justified in the event of an actual war?
  • Justified as a deterrent against a possible attack?
  • Never be justified?
• Would you support or oppose eliminating all nuclear weapons in the world through an enforceable agreement? Is that strongly or moderately {support/oppose}?
• Canada has a nuclear technology industry that exports nuclear energy products and services to other countries. Should Canada’s industry be allowed to export its technology? …To any country prepared to pay for it… Only to countries with little or no threat of developing nuclear weapons?

The poll was also sponsored by the Environics Institute, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), The Globe and Mail and Le Devoir.

(Note: Permissions for following section)

The research was conducted by Environics Research, and consists of a comprehensive national public opinion survey conducted by telephone with a representative sample of 2,001 Canadians between January 9 and 22, 2008. The sampling covers all regions (including the Northern territories), and includes over-samples of youth aged 15 to 24 and New Canadians (those born abroad). The results from a survey of this size drawn from the population would be expected to produce results accurate to within plus or minus 2.2 percentage points in 95 out of 100 samples (the margin of sampling error will be larger for specific subgroups of the population). For more detailed information on the survey methodology, contact Keith Neuman at Environics Research Group (keith.neuman AT environics.ca).