(02/11/13) -

Political Corruption Prevalent Across Canada, Say Quebecers

Four-in-five respondents are concerned about corruption in Quebec, and half believe policy reforms are needed to deal with a systemic failing.

While adults in Quebec are evidently worried about corruption, most believe the province’s situation is not inherently different to what happens in other areas of Canada, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative sample of 804 Quebecers, half of respondents (51%) say they have been following news stories related to the Commission of Inquiry on the Awarding and Management of Public Contracts in the Construction Industry “very closely” or “moderately closely.”

Four-in-five Quebecers (83%) are “very concerned” or “moderately concerned” about corruption in Quebec, and 52 per cent believe political corruption in the province is a systemic failing best dealt with by policy reforms.

One-in-four respondents (24%) believe there is more political corruption in Quebec than in other Canadian provinces, while a majority (62%) think there is roughly the same amount of political corruption in Quebec as in other Canadian provinces.

Respondents were asked whether they think Quebec’s last nine premiers were involved in corruption during their time in office. While only one third of Quebecers (33%) believe René Lévesque was involved in corruption, three-in-four (76%) feel the same way about Jean Charest.

The remaining heads of government were seen in a negative light on this issue by at least two-in-five Quebecers (Pierre-Marc Johnson 44%, Daniel Johnson Jr. 47%, Lucien Bouchard 50%, Bernard Landry 50%, Jacques Parizeau 50%, Robert Bourassa 52%, Pauline Marois 52%)

Half of Quebecers (49%) think the Charbonneau Inquiry will lead to less corruption in Quebec—including 61 per cent of those aged 55 and over—while two-in-five (40%) believe it will not.

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 February 4 to February 5, 2013, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 804 randomly selected Quebec adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.5%, 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 Quebec. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.