(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The country’s medical services remain a key concern for Canadians, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies released by the Toronto Star. 79 per cent of respondents say health care will be very important when they decide which party to support in the next federal election.

The economy is next on the list of very important issues with 75 per cent, followed by he environment with 61 per cent, poverty with 53 per cent, the war in Afghanistan with 39 per cent, the fiscal imbalance with 37 per cent, funding and infrastructure for cities with 35 per cent, child care with 32 per cent, and Canada-U.S. relations with 30 per cent.

Canadians renewed the House of Commons in January 2006. The Conservative party—led by Stephen Harper—received 36.3 per cent of the vote, and secured 124 seats in the 308-member lower house. Harper leads a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party. In December 2006, former environment minister Stéphane Dion became the new leader of the Liberals.

The next federal election in Canada is scheduled for October 2009, but there is growing speculation that a snap ballot would take place on Oct. 14.

In Canada, the universality criterion establishes that all residents of a province or territory must be entitled to the insured, public-run health services provided by their provincial or territorial health care insurance plan on uniform terms and conditions.

Earlier this month, Canadian Medical Association (CMA) president discussed the state of the country’s health care system, saying, "We have to think about the patient and not be dogmatic about it. And that’s the problem in Canada. We’re very dogmatic about public and private, and you know this public and private system exists everywhere in the world except three countries: Canada, Cuba and North Korea."

Polling Data

Below is a list of nine issues. Please tell us whether each of these issues will be very important, moderately important, not too important, or not important at all when you decide which party to support in the next federal election.

Source: Angus Reid Strategies / Toronto Star
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,012 Canadian adults, conducted on Aug. 27 and Aug. 28, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.

Archive Search

Over 19,600 Polls
Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Polls & Research archive.