CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

June2015

Methodology
EnvironicsResearchGroupconductedasurveyonbehalfof
IFAWCanadaonCanadiansattitudestowardanimalissues.
ThesurveywasconductedbetweenJune3and18,2015as
partofanationalomnibustelephonesurveyamong2,003
adultCanadiansaged18andover.
Theresultsofasurveyofthismagnitudecanbeconsidered
accuratetowithinplusorminus2.2points,19timesoutof
20.

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

Animalwelfareissues

WiththeexceptionofAtlanticCanada,mostthinkCanadascommercialsealhunt
shouldhavegovernmentsupportcutoff&lefttosurviveorfailonitsown
Preferencefordirectionofgovernmentsupportofsealhunt
Total

35%

Atlantic
Quebec

51%

29%

Alberta

30%
32%

Continuetobesupportedwithtaxdollars

Q5.

9%

60%

37%

Man/Sask

11%
39%

33%

Ontario

B.C.

54%

50%
55%
59%
55%
Gov'tsupportcutoff&lefttosurvive/failonitsown

7%
12%
15%
11%
13%
dk/na

Inordertosurvive,thesealhuntrequiresfinancialsupportfromthefederalandprovincialgovernmentsthatisgreaterthanthelandedvalueofthehuntitself.Doyou
thinkCanadascommercialsealhuntshould?

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

MostCanadianssupportregulationsthatrequirehunterstoretrievebothpelt&
meatfromsealstheykill
Supportforrequiringhunterstoretrieveboth
pelt&meatfromsealstheykill
Total

58%

Atlantic

26%

53%

31%

7%

5% 5%

7%

5% 5%

Quebec

57%

27%

7%

4% 4%

Ontario

57%

27%

6%

5% 4%

Man/Sask

61%

Alberta

24%

58%

B.C.

23%

60%
Stronglyagree

Somewhatagree

8% 2% 5%
8%

23%
Somewhatdisagree

8%

Stronglydisagree

8%

4%

3% 6%
dk/na

Q6. ThesealhuntistheonlyhuntinCanadawherehuntersdonothavetoretrievethemeatfromwhattheykillandareinstead allowedtoletitgoto

waste.Somepeoplesayregulationsforthecommercialsealhuntshouldrequirehunterstoretrieveboththepeltandthemeat fromsealstheykill.
Doyou?

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

Overwhelmingsupportforupdatingthecriminalcodetomakeiteasiertoconvict
onactsofcrueltytoanimals
Supportforupdatingcriminalcodetomakeit
easiertoconvictonanimalcruelty
Total

69%

Atlantic

23%

73%

Quebec

70%

Ontario

70%

Man/Sask

21%
23%
21%

65%

Alberta

29%

71%

B.C.

22%

66%
Stronglyagree

Somewhatagree

Somewhatdisagree

4% 3%1%
2%
1%3%
4%1%
1%
4% 3%1%
3%2%
1%
3% 3%1%

28%

2%3%1%

Stronglydisagree

dk/na

Q7. Canadascurrentanimalcrueltylegislationwaswrittenin1892andhasnotbeenchangedinover100years.Underthelegislation,animalsare
consideredpropertyandwildandstrayanimalshaveverylittleprotection.Doyoustronglyagree,somewhatagree,somewhatdisagree,orstrongly
disagreethatthecriminalcodeneedstobeupdatedtomakeiteasiertoconvictpeoplewhocommitactsofcrueltytoanimals?

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

NearlyunanimousagreementthatCanadaneedstodomoretoprotectspeciesat
risk
AgreementthatCanadaneedstodomoreto
protectatriskspecies
Total

69%

Atlantic

24%

67%

Quebec

71%

Ontario

71%

Man/Sask

25%

Alberta

20%
29%

63%

B.C.

29%
71%

Stronglyagree

3% 3% 3%
26%

65%

Somewhatagree

2%
1%
5% 3%1%
3%1%
2%
4% 2%2%

23%
Somewhatdisagree

3%2%
1%

Stronglydisagree

3%1%3%
dk/na

Q8. CanadahaslegislationtoprotectendangeredspeciescalledtheSpeciesAtRiskAct.Overthelastfouryearsnonewspecieshavebeenaddedtothe
listofspeciesatriskdespiterecommendationsfromscientists.Ofthespeciesatriskthatarelisted,only14%haveshownsignsofrecovery.Doyou
stronglyagree,somewhatagree,somewhatdisagree,orstronglydisagreethatCanadaneedstodomoretoprotectspeciesatrisk?

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

VastmajorityagreethatCanadashouldcloseloopholesthatallowmeatfrom
endangeredanimalstobeshippedthroughourcountry
AgreementthatCanadashouldcloseloopholesthatallowmeat
fromendangeredanimalstobeshippedthroughourcountry
Total

71%

Atlantic

17%

65%

Quebec

25%

69%

Ontario

Stronglyagree

Somewhatagree

4% 3%1%

19%

69%

14%
Somewhatdisagree

5% 1%

6% 3% 3%

24%

66%

B.C.

6%

13%

68%

Alberta

5% 4%1%

18%

75%

Man/Sask

6% 4% 2%

9%
7%

Stronglydisagree

5% 1%
6% 3%
dk/na

Q9. Canadahassignedaninternationalagreementnottotradeinendangeredwhalemeat.However,shipmentsofwhalemeatareallowedtotransit
throughCanadaandlastyearendangeredwhalemeatfromIcelandwasshippedacrossCanadaenroutetoJapan.Doyoustronglyagree,
somewhatagree,somewhatdisagree,orstronglydisagreethatCanadashouldclosetheloopholesthatallowsmeatfromendangeredanimalstobe
shippedthroughourcountry?

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

StrongagreementacrossthecountrythatCanadashouldensurelawsareupdated
within90daysofnewspeciesbeingaddedtotheendangeredlist
AgreementthatCanadashouldensurelawsareupdatedwithin90
daysofnewspeciesbeingaddedtoendangeredlist
Total

72%

23%

2%2%
1%

Atlantic

71%

25%

3%1%

Quebec

74%

Ontario

23%

73%

Man/Sask

21%

70%

Alberta

25%

67%

B.C.

26%

71%
Stronglyagree

Somewhatagree

21%
Somewhatdisagree

Stronglydisagree

1%
1%
1%
2%3%2%
2%3%1%
3% 3%1%
2%2% 4%
dk/na

Q10.CanadaispartofaninternationaltreatycalledtheConventionontheInternationalTradeinEndangeredSpecies.Whennewspeciesareaddedto
thistreaty,allcountriesaresupposedtoupdatetheirlawsaccordinglywithin90days.Thelasttimenewspecieswereadded to thetreaty,Canada
tookovertwoyearstoupdateitslawstoprotectthesespecies.Doyoustronglyagree,somewhatagree,somewhatdisagree,or stronglydisagree
thatfromnowonCanadashouldensurethatourlawsareupdatedwithinthe90daysofanynewspeciesbeingaddedtotheendangeredlist?

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

Universalsupportforabanoninternationaltradeinpolarbearparts
Supportforbanoninternationaltradeinpolarbearparts
Total

71%

Atlantic

16%

67%

Quebec

21%

73%

Ontario

66%

Alberta

67%

B.C.

13%
19%

Somewhatsupport

4% 5% 1%
7%

6% 2%

7%

6% 2%

21%

74%
Stronglysupport

2% 7% 3%
17%

72%

Man/Sask

5% 5% 2%

6% 4% 2%
15%

Somewhatoppose

Stronglyoppose

4% 5% 2%
dk/na

Q11.Polarbearsfaceseriousthreatstotheirsurvival,includingclimatechange,pollution,thetradeinpolarbearparts,and trophyhunting.Some
expertsbelievewecouldwitnesstheextinctionofpolarbearswithinourlifetime.Abanontheinternationaltradeinallpolarbearpartsoncouldbe
onewaytoprotectpolarbearsfrompossibleextinction.Wouldyoustronglysupport,somewhatsupport,somewhatoppose,orstronglyopposea
banontheinternationaltradeinpolarbearparts?

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

10

Aslimmajoritysayanimalwelfareissueswillbeatleastsomewhatimportantin
theirfederalvotedecision
Importanceofanimalwelfareissuesindeciding
onfederalelectionvote
Total
Atlantic

15%
20%

Quebec

14%

Ontario

15%

Man/Sask

14%

Alberta
B.C.

40%
41%
33%

25%

15%
27%

24%

39%

17%

Somewhatimportant

22%
Notveryimportant

2%

2%

16%

26%

47%

1%

<1%

31%
41%

13%

19%
22%

42%

17%

Veryimportant

24%

15%
17%

Won'tmattertoyouatall

1%
1%
dk/na

Q13.Inthecomingfederalelection,howimportantwillanimalwelfareissuesbetoyouindecidingwhotovotefor?Willtheybe?

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

11

Mostcannotnameafederalpartythatbestrepresentstheirviewsonanimal
welfareissues;thosewhocanmainlymentiontheGreens&theNDP
Federalpartythatbestrepresentsyour
viewsonanimalwelfareissues
LiberalParty

6%

ConservativeParty

6%

NewDemocraticParty

BlocQubcois

GreenParty

Noopinion/dk

10%

1%

15%

64%

Q12. Whichfederalpoliticalpartydoyoufeelbestrepresentsyourviewsonissuesaroundanimalwelfare?Woulditbe?

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

12

DerekLeebosh
VicePresident,CorporateandPublicAffairs
EnvironicsResearchGroupLtd.
derek.leebosh@environics.ca
4169692817

IFAWCanada CanadianAttitudestowardAnimalIssues

13