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(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Most adults in Canada are in favour of a proposal to freeze the wages for MPs, cabinet ministers and senators, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 92 per cent of respondents support this idea, outlined in the latest Speech from the Throne.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Most adults in Canada are in favour of a proposal to freeze the wages for MPs, cabinet ministers and senators, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 92 per cent of respondents support this idea, outlined in the latest Speech from the Throne.
In addition, 81 per cent of respondents support freezing the ministerial and departmental budgets, 72 per cent favour a plan to issue passports with biometric information, and 71 per cent back the creation of a Canadian securities regulator.
Canadians renewed the House of Commons in October 2008. The Conservative party—led by Stephen Harper—received 37.6 per cent of the vote, and secured 143 seats in the 308-member lower house. Harper assembled a minority administration. The Tories also earned a minority mandate after the 2006 election, ending more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party. In December, Michael Ignatieff took over as Liberal leader, replacing Stéphane Dion.
On Mar. 3, the federal government presented its agenda in the traditional Speech from the Throne, read by governor-general Michaëlle Jean. Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff discussed the document, saying, "This is the work of a tired government. It’s taken this collection of old stuff and tried to pass it off as a new vision for the country. (…) I don’t mind freezing my salary, that’s not a problem, but freezing my salary is not a deficit reduction plan."
Polling Data
Here are a few ideas that were outlined in the latest Speech from the Throne. Do you support or oppose each one of them?
|
Support |
Oppose |
Not sure |
|
|
Freezing wages for MPs, cabinet ministers and senators |
92% |
4%
|
3%
|
|
Freezing the overall budgets for the offices of ministers, as well as departmental operating budgets
|
81%
|
10%
|
9%
|
|
Issuing passports with biometric information (such as an iris scan, fingerprints, or facial recognition data)
|
72%
|
21%
|
7%
|
|
Acting to create a Canadian securities regulator
|
71%
|
10%
|
19%
|
|
Implementing a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland)
|
67%
|
14%
|
19%
|
|
Establishing a national Seniors Day
|
65%
|
24%
|
11%
|
|
Endorsing the United Nations (UN) declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
|
59%
|
22%
|
19%
|
|
Establishing Pier 21 in Halifax as Canada’s National Museum of Immigration
|
55%
|
20%
|
25%
|
|
Implementing a free trade agreement with Peru
|
50%
|
22%
|
28%
|
|
Allowing foreign investment in the satellite and telecommunications industries
|
50%
|
31%
|
19%
|
|
Building a national Holocaust memorial
|
49%
|
35%
|
16%
|
Source: Angus Reid Public Opinion
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,011 Canadian adults, conducted on Mar. 4 to Mar. 5, 2010. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
