Most Canadians Think Robocalls Were Used Broadly in Last Election

For Immediate Release Canadian Public Opinion Poll
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ROBOCALLS
Most Canadians Think Robocalls Were Used Broadly in Last Election

Four-in-five respondents call for an independent investigation to find out who was behind the misleading robocalls made in the 2011 federal ballot.
[OTTAWA Mar. 6, 2012] Many Canadians are following stories related to the telephone calls with pre-recorded messages made during the last federal election, and a large proportion believe this method was used widely in the last campaign, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found. In the online survey of a representative sample of 1,001 Canadian adults, half of respondents (50%) say they have followed stories related to robocalls made during the last federal election campaign very closely or moderately closely. Elections Canada is currently investigating telephone calls with pre-recorded messages made at or near the City of Guelph, Ontario, that may have prevented Canadians from voting in the federal election of May 2011. Less than one-in-five Canadians (18%) believe the robocalls are definitely or probably an isolated incident limited to Guelph. Conversely, almost two thirds of Canadians (64%) think the Guelph occurrence is probably or definitely one of many that took place in the last federal campaign. A large proportion of Canadians who voted for the Green Party (80%), the New Democratic Party (78%), the Liberal Party (77%) and the Bloc
CONTACT: Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion, 877-730-3570, mario.canseco@angus-reid.com
KEY FINDINGS
81% want an independent investigation to find out exactly who was behind any misleading robocalls that may have been made in the May 2011 federal election 64% think the Guelph incident is probably or definitely one of many that took place in the last campaign. Most Canadians believe Liberals (55%) and Conservatives (63%) are likely to provide false and misleading information to voters through telephone calls with pre-recorded messages during a political campaign
Full topline results are at the end of this release.
From March 1 to March 3, 2012, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,001 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panellists. The margin of errorwhich measures sampling variabilityis +/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.

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Qubcois (also 77%) believe that the robocalls extend beyond Guelph, along with 47 per cent of Conservative Party voters. Canadians were asked which of the five major federal parties are likely to provide false and misleading information to voters through telephone calls with pre-recorded messages during a political campaign. Only a third of respondents in Canada think the Green Party (32%) and the New Democratic Party (NDP) (33%) are very likely or moderately likely to rely on this tactic. In Quebec, 32 per cent of respondents think the Bloc Qubcois is likely to use robocalls with misleading information. A majority of Canadians believe the Liberal Party (55%) and the Conservative Party (63%) are likely to provide false and misleading information to voters through telephone calls with pre-recorded messages during a political campaign. In fact, two-in-five Canadians (39%) think the Tories are very likely to rely on this tactic. Half of Canadians (50%)including 61 per cent of Quebecersbelieve that every riding that was the subject of misleading robocalls should have a by-election as soon as possible, and four-in-five respondents (81%) want to hold an independent investigation to find out exactly who was behind any misleading robocalls that may have been made in the May 2011 federal election. Respondents are divided on the effect robocalls may have had on the last federal ballot, with 44 per cent agreeing that the misleading messages definitely changed the outcome of the May 2011 federal election, and 36 per cent disagreeing with that assessment. At least three-in-five Canadians who voted for any of the four parties currently in opposition in the House of Commons want to hold by-elections in the ridings that were the subject of misleading robocalls, but only 31 per cent of Tory voters concur. Most opposition voters also believe that the robocalls definitely changed the outcome of the last federal ballot, a view shared by just 17 per cent of Conservative voters. Learn about our electoral record / Consult our surveys / Follow us on Twitter
About Angus Reid Public Opinion Angus Reid Public Opinion is a public affairs practice headed by Dr. Angus Reid: an industry visionary who has spent more than four decades asking questions to figure out what people feel, how they think and who they will vote for. A team of talented and experienced practitioners with a unique and profound understanding of global issues conduct high quality research throughout the world on a daily basis for corporations, governments, academic researchers, and non-profit organizations. About Vision Critical Vision Critical is a global research and technology firm that creates software and services solutions for over 600 clients, including one third of the worlds top 100 brands. The company has offices across North America, Europe and Australia as well as a Global Partner Program that provides other research companies and consultants with access to top-of-the-line technology. Its Sparq product is the most widely adopted community panel platform on the planet.

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- 30 For more information, please contact our spokesperson listed in the footnote.

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Robocalls Over the past two weeks, how closely have you followed stories related to robocallsthat is, telephone calls with pre-recorded messagesmade during the last federal election campaign?
Canada Very closely 15% Region BC 19% AB 10% MB/SK 8% ON 13% PQ 16% ATL 25%
Moderately closely
35%
31%
31%
38%
37%
38%
29%
Not too closely
29%
32%
39%
27%
28%
23%
31%
Not closely at all
21%
18%
20%
27%
22%
23%
15%
Robocalls Over the past two weeks, how closely have you followed stories related to robocallsthat is, telephone calls with pre-recorded messagesmade during the last federal election campaign?
Party Support in May 2011 Federal Election Bloc Conservative Liberal NDP Qubcois 8% 27% 19% 21%
Canada
Green 22%
Very closely
15%
Moderately closely
35%
38%
39%
37%
22%
30%
Not too closely
29%
34%
17%
25%
38%
26%
Not closely at all
21%
20%
16%
20%
20%
22%

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Robocalls Elections Canada is currently investigating telephone calls with pre-recorded messages made at or near the City of Guelph, Ontario, that may have prevented Canadians from voting in the federal election of May 2011. Thinking about this, which of these statements comes closest to your own point of view?
Canada This is definitely an isolated incident limited to Guelph Region BC AB MB/SK ON PQ ATL
3%
3%
1%
6%
2%
3%
0%
This is probably an isolated incident limited to Guelph
15%
20%
22%
10%
16%
9%
21%
This is probably one of many incidents that took place in the last campaign
44%
38%
44%
51%
46%
40%
46%
This is definitely one of many incidents that took place in the last campaign
20%
20%
10%
13%
16%
33%
18%
Not sure
18%
19%
23%
20%
19%
14%
15%

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Robocalls Elections Canada is currently investigating telephone calls with pre-recorded messages made at or near the City of Guelph, Ontario, that may have prevented Canadians from voting in the federal election of May 2011. Thinking about this, which of these statements comes closest to your own point of view?
Party Support in May 2011 Federal Election Bloc Conservative Liberal NDP Qubcois
Canada
Green
This is definitely an isolated incident limited to Guelph
3%
3%
1%
2%
0%
4%
This is probably an isolated incident limited to Guelph
15%
30%
10%
7%
5%
3%
This is probably one of many incidents that took place in the last campaign
44%
39%
46%
50%
40%
30%
This is definitely one of many incidents that took place in the last campaign
20%
8%
31%
28%
37%
50%
Not sure
18%
20%
12%
14%
19%
14%

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Robocalls How likely do you think each of the following parties are to provide false and misleading information to voters through telephone calls with pre-recorded messages during a political campaign?
Bloc Qubcois (Quebec Only)
Conservative Party
Liberal Party
New Democratic Party (NDP)
Green Party
Very likely
39%
24%
14%
14%
14%
Moderately likely
24%
31%
21%
18%
18%
Not too likely
14%
20%
27%
28%
28%
Not likely at all
9%
10%
21%
21%
21%
Not sure
14%
15%
16%
19%
19%

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Robocalls From what you have seen, read or heard about this issue, do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? Every riding that was the subject of misleading robocalls should have a by-election as soon as possible.
Canada Agree 50% Region BC 48% AB 37% MB/SK 38% ON 51% PQ 61% ATL 46%
Disagree
37%
33%
44%
54%
35%
30%
48%
Not sure
13%
19%
19%
9%
14%
9%
6%
Robocalls From what you have seen, read or heard about this issue, do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? Every riding that was the subject of misleading robocalls should have a by-election as soon as possible.
Canada
Green 77%
Agree
50%
Disagree
37%
56%
25%
25%
20%
21%
Not sure
13%
13%
13%
8%
12%
2%

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Robocalls From what you have seen, read or heard about this issue, do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? The misleading robocalls definitely changed the outcome of the May 2011 federal election.
Disagree
36%
34%
50%
54%
38%
21%
42%
Not sure
21%
28%
25%
28%
21%
11%
20%
Robocalls From what you have seen, read or heard about this issue, do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? The misleading robocalls definitely changed the outcome of the May 2011 federal election.
Canada
Green 83%
Agree
44%
Disagree
36%
60%
21%
23%
29%
8%
Not sure
21%
23%
17%
17%
17%
9%

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Robocalls From what you have seen, read or heard about this issue, do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? There should be an independent investigation to find out exactly who was behind any misleading robocalls that may have been made in the May 2011 federal election.
Disagree
11%
11%
15%
10%
10%
12%
13%
Not sure
7%
15%
7%
6%
6%
7%
5%
Robocalls From what you have seen, read or heard about this issue, do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? There should be an independent investigation to find out exactly who was behind any misleading robocalls that may have been made in the May 2011 federal election.
Canada
Green 87%
Agree
81%
Disagree
11%
21%
4%
5%
13%
11%
Not sure
7%
6%
7%
6%
7%
2%

Most Canadians Think Robocalls Were Used Broadly in Last Election

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Most Canadians Think Robocalls Were Used Broadly in Last Election

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For Immediate Release Canadian Public Opinion Poll