(01/28/13) -

Canadians Have Mixed Feelings on Abortion, But Shun a New Debate

Respondents are evenly split on whether the health care system should fund abortions on demand, or only in medical emergencies.

Many Canadians are unaware of the circumstances in which a woman can have an abortion, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,009 Canadian adults, 45 per cent of respondents mistakenly assume that a woman can have an abortion only during the first three months of her pregnancy, with no other restrictions.

Regulation

More than a third of Canadians (35%) currently support the status-quo, with women being able to have an abortion at any time during their pregnancy, with no restrictions whatsoever. Only one-in-twenty respondents (5%) would actually forbid women from having an abortion.

However, a majority of Canadians express a preference to regulate abortion in different ways, such as allowing the procedure only during the first three months of a pregnancy or exclusively in cases such as danger to the mother, if a woman has been the victim of rape, or if the fetus has serious defects. In fact, while 43 per cent of men would like to keep the status-quo, this notion is supported by only 27 per cent of women.

Personal Feeling and Legality

When asked about their personal feelings on abortion, more than two-in-five Canadians (44%) believe the procedure should be permitted in all cases, while five per cent think it should never be allowed. An additional 45 per cent of respondents would place greater restrictions, or consent to abortion in cases such as rape, incest and to save the woman’s life.

Almost half of Canadians (47%) think abortion should be legal under any circumstances, including 57 per cent of Quebecers and 49 per cent of British Columbians. Two-in-five Canadians (41%) would allow a pregnancy to be terminated only under certain circumstances, while seven per cent would deem the procedure illegal in all circumstances.

The Health Care System and a New Debate

Canadians are divided when assessing the role of the health care system in providing abortions. While 43 per cent of respondents think the health care system should fund abortions whenever they are requested, 42 per cent believe the procedure should only be funded in the event of medical emergencies. An additional seven per cent of Canadians think the health care system should not fund abortions at all.

Still, three-in-five Canadians (59%) believe there is no point in re-opening a debate about abortion in Canada right now, while three-in-ten (30%) think a debate about abortion is long overdue in Canada, and the discussion should be re-opened.

Analysis

A quarter century has passed since the R. v. Morgentaler Supreme Court of Canada decision that effectively deemed the abortion provision in the Criminal Code as unconstitutional. Across the country, some regional differences persist. Albertans are definitely more likely to back regulations on abortion, while Quebecers and British Columbians are less supportive on the personal feelings and legality questions.

Canadians over the age of 55 are decidedly more skeptical about particular issues related to abortion. Half of them would like to see the health care system fund abortions only in the event of medical emergencies, and a plurality would allow abortion only under certain circumstances.

Despite the fact that Canadians continue to have mixed personal feelings on abortion, and are divided on the way they perceive the legality and funding of the procedure, the appetite for true legislative action is lacking. The proportion of Canadians who are unwilling to re-open the debate on abortion outnumbers that of those who believe a debate on the issue of overdue by a 2-to-1 margin.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From January 11 to January 12, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,009 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.