(12/28/09) -

Mission in Afghanistan is Top Story of the Decade for Canadians

Respondents predict a woman premier and a new Liberal federal government in the next ten years, but not an independent Quebec.

Respondents predict a woman premier and a new Liberal federal government in the next ten years, but not an independent Quebec.

three-in-ten Canadians believe the military mission in Afghanistan is the top Canadian story of the past ten years, a new Angus Reid Strategies poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative sample of 1,017 Canadian adults, 29 per cent of respondents said the deployment of Canadian troops to Afghanistan is the most newsworthy event in the decade.

The outbreaks of H1N1 and SARS are second on the list with 20 per cent, followed by the sponsorship scandal with 18 per cent.

Less than one-in-ten Canadians mentioned Vancouver winning the Winter Olympics (9%), Stephen Harper becoming prime minister (6%), the wildfires in the Prairies and British Columbia (2%) and Paul Martin becoming prime minister (1%) as the top Canadian story of the decade.

While the mission in Afghanistan was clearly the most newsworthy event for British Columbians, Albertans and Atlantic Canadians, one third of Quebecers (35%) chose the sponsorship scandal. Ontarians were almost evenly divided between the Afghan deployment (32%) and the H1N1 and SARS outbreaks (30%).

The Future

Four-in-five Canadians (83%) think it is unlikely that Quebec will become an independent country over the next 10 years, including 69 per cent of Quebecers. Three-in-five respondents (63%) predict the Liberal Party returning to government at the federal level in the next decade, including 69 per cent of Ontarians.

A large proportion of respondents (76%) believe a woman will serve as premier in a Canadian province over the next ten years. Belief in this possibility is slightly higher in Quebec (80%) and Alberta (82%), where the most popular opposition parties are currently led by women.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
+416 712 5498
jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com