More than 80% of Quebecers say they’re part of the Canadian nation: poll
A new poll reveals that more than 80 per cent of Quebec residents say that they’re part of the Canadian nation.
The findings showed that despite the rhetoric by political leaders in the province that push for separatism, the majority of residents may not feel that way, according to the poll. Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet called Canada an “artificial country with very little meaning,” in April, ahead of the federal election. This week, Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon showed support for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith , who dangled the possibility of a referendum before the federal government to leverage demands. St-Pierre Plamondon called the move a “striking gesture” for the “autonomy and defence of her own province.”
The Association for Canadian Studies poll was conducted by Leger on May 1 to May 3. Leger asked Quebec residents, who believe that to be a nation means that members share a common culture, language and history, if they are part of the Canadian nation. Around 82 per cent agreed that they are.
Other Canadians, who also held the same definition of what it means to be a nation, were asked whether they agreed that Quebecers are part of the Canadian nation. Nearly the same amount, 83 per cent, agreed.
Meanwhile, the poll found that roughly 72 per cent of Bloc Québécois voters said Quebecers are part of the Canadian nation. This is compared to the 90 per cent of Liberal voters in Quebec who agreed, 78 per cent of Conservative voters, and 83 per cent of NDP voters.
“I was surprised at the extent to which a clear majority of Bloc Québécois voters agreed that the Quebecers were part of the Canadian nation,” said president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies and Metropolis Institute Jack Jedwab in an emailed statement to National Post. “It speaks to the degree to which Quebecers and other Canadians don’t make the distinctions politicians and academics insist (on making) between nations and countries.”
He continued: “Too often some politicians and academics appear to be blurring the distinction between nation and country to support a political objective.”
The federal election seemed to spark the question of separatism in other provinces as well. Albertans have rallied recently to show their support for separatism, and in another Leger poll, more than half of Canadians said that Alberta separation should be taken seriously . In mid-April, a survey showed that residents of Saskatchewan wanted to leave Canada the most, compared to other provinces, if Liberals won the election.
However, the findings from the new Leger poll suggest that Quebecers may now be more willing to turn away from separatism. This could be due to increased tensions between the U.S. and Canada since President Donald Trump took office. There has been a push among Canadians to buy local goods and to travel within in the country .
One Quebec resident and longtime Bloc Québécois supporter, Lucie Nucciaroni, told CBC News ahead of the federal election that although she was a a Quebec sovereigntist, “preserving Canada’s sovereignty is even more important.”
“We can’t live like Americans. Quebec needs Canada and Canada needs Quebec,” she said.
The responses to the poll came from 1,626 respondents in Canada. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey for comparison purposes. A probability sample of 1626 respondents would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
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