February 12, 2002

CRIC Survey - Charter Rights

PN5102

Draft 3 - Final

INTRODUCTION

Hello, my name is ________________ and I’m calling from Environics Research.

We are conducting a study on current issues of importance to Canadians. Please be assured that we are not selling nor soliciting anything. Your answers will be kept strictly confidential and your participation is important if the results of the survey are to be accurate.

May I please speak to the _________ in your household who is 18 years of age or older and has had the most recent birthday?

01 Yes

02 Not available SCHEDULE CALL-BACK

03 Refused DISCONTINUE AND THANK

IF NEW RESPONDENT, REPEAT INTRODUCTION

Do you or does anyone in your household work for an advertising or market research firm or the media?

01 Yes TERMINATE

02 No

RECORD RESPONDENT’S GENDER

DO NOT ASK

01 Male

02 Female

LANGUAGE OF INTERVIEW

01 English

02 French

MAIN QUESTIONNAIRE

1. In general, would you say you follow politics and public issues very, somewhat, not too or not at all closely?

1 - Very closely

2 - Somewhat closely

3 - Not too closely

4 - Not at all

5 - DK/NA

2. In the next few years, do you expect the Canadian economy to become stronger, to become weaker or to stay about the same?

1 - Become stronger

2 - Become weaker

3 - Stay about the same

4 - DK/NA

3. Are you very, somewhat, not very, or not at all worried about you or a member of your immediate family finding or keeping a stable, full-time job?

1 - Very worried

2 - Somewhat worried

3 - Not very worried

4 - Not at all worried

5 - DK/NA

4. All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

1 - Very satisfied

2 - Somewhat satisfied

3 - Somewhat dissatisfied

4 - Very dissatisfied

5 - DK/NA

5. From what you have heard or read, would you say that you are very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the way the Supreme Court has been working?

1 - Very satisfied

2 - Somewhat satisfied

3 - Somewhat dissatisfied

4 - Very dissatisfied

5 - DK/NA

6. Do you think Canada should accept more, fewer, or about the same number of immigrants as we accept now?

1 - More

2 - Fewer

3 - About the same number

4 - DK/NA

7. Do you strongly support, support, oppose or strongly oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry?

1 - Strongly support

2 - Support

3 - Oppose

4 - Strongly oppose

5 - DK/NA

8. How important is preserving French and English as the two official languages of Canada -- is it very important, somewhat important, or not important?

1 - Very important

2 - somewhat important

3 - Not important

4 - DK/NA

9. How important is it to strengthen respect and obedience for authority? Is it very important, somewhat important or not important?

1 - Very important

2 - somewhat important

3 - Not important

4 - DK/NA

10. Do you trust each of the following to do the right thing all the time, most of the time, some of the time, or hardly ever?

ROTATE ITEMS A THROUGH C

a) the police

1 - All the time

2 - Most of the time

3 - Some of the time

4 - Hardly ever

5 - DK/NA

b) judges

c) politicians

11. Which of these two statements comes closest to your own opinion?

ROTATE 1 AND 2

1 - Both freedom and equality are important. But I consider personal freedom to be more important, that is, everyone can live in freedom and develop without hindrance.

2 - Both freedom and equality are important. But I consider equality to be more important, that is, nobody is underprivileged and social class differences are not so strong.

3 - DK/NA

12. Have you heard of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms or not?

1 - Yes, have heard

2 - No, have not heard

3 - DK/NA

13. In general, do you think the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a very good thing, a good thing, a bad thing or a very bad thing for Canada?

1 - A very good thing

2 - A good thing

3 - A bad thing

4 - A very bad thing

5 - DK/NA

14. SPLIT SAMPLE – 3 ways, 25 %, 25 %. 50 %:

1 - Version 1 (25 %): The Charter of Rights and Freedoms prohibits discrimination against women, ethnic and religious minorities and other groups. In your opinion, should the Charter also prohibit discrimination against gays and lesbians?

1 - Yes

2 - No

3 - DK/NA

2 - Version 2 (25 %): The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees equal rights for women, ethnic and religious minorities and other groups. In your opinion, should the Charter also guarantee equal rights for gays and lesbians?

1 - Yes

2 - No

3 - DK/NA

3 - Version 3 (50 %): The Charter of Rights and Freedoms prohibits discrimination against women, ethnic and religious minorities and other groups. Recently, the courts have ruled that the Charter must also prohibit discrimination against gays and lesbians. Do you agree or disagree with this ruling?

1 - Agree

2 - Disagree

3 - DK/NA

15. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree with each of the following statements:
ROTATE ITEMS (a) THROUGH (g)

SPLIT SAMPLE

a1) Version 1: This country would be better off if people were treated more equally.

a2) Version 2: This country would be better off if we worried less about how equal people are.

1 - Strongly agree

2 - Agree

3 - Disagree

4 - Strongly disagree

5 - DK/NA

SPLIT SAMPLE

b1) Version 1: racism is a big problem in Canada

b2) Version 2: racism is not a big problem in Canada

1 - Strongly agree

2 - Agree

3 - Disagree

4 - Strongly disagree

5 - DK/NA

ASK ALL

c) No matter what a person’s political beliefs are, he or she is entitled to the same legal rights and protections as anyone else.

d) Every Canadian has a responsibility to make sure that people from different races and cultures feel welcome in this country.

e) Languages other than English and French should be taught in the schools during the regular school day for students who want to retain their ethnic languages.

f) Respect for authority is one of the most important things that children should learn.

g) One reason there is so much crime in Canada is that the police and courts have to spend too much time worrying about the rights of criminals.

16. In your opinion, does the Charter of Rights and Freedoms go too far, not far enough, or just far enough to protect the rights of each of the following:
ROTATE ITEMS (a) THROUGH (d)

a) minority groups

1 - Too far

2 - Not far enough

3 - Just far enough

4 - DK/NA

b) Canadians like yourself

c) women

d) people charged with a criminal offence

17. SPLIT SAMPLE

1 Version 1: It is currently against the law in Canada to write or speak in a way that promotes hatred toward a particular racial or religious group. Do you strongly approve, approve, disapprove or strongly disapprove of this law?

1 - Strongly approve

2 - Approve

3 - Disapprove

4 - Strongly disapprove

5 - DK/NA

2 Version 2: It is currently against the law in Canada to write or speak in a way that promotes hatred toward a particular racial or religious group. Do you think that:

1 - this is a GOOD LAW because it makes it harder for racists to promote hatred against minorities, or

2 - this is a BAD LAW because it limits freedom of expression?

18. SPLIT SAMPLE

1 Version 1: Do you think the police should or should not be allowed to enter and search someone's home or office without a search warrant?

1 - Should

2 - Should not

3 - DK/NA

2 Version 2: Do you think the police should or should not be allowed to enter and search A SUSPECTED CRIMINAL'S home or office without a warrant?

1 - Should

2 - Should not

3 - DK/NA

19. SPLIT SAMPLE

1 Version 1: The Charter of Rights and Freedoms says that French Canadians living outside of Quebec have the right to have federal government services available in French. Do you think they should or should not continue to have this right?

1 - Should

2 - Should not

3 - DK/NA

2 Version 2: Do you think French Canadians living outside of Quebec should or should not have the right to have federal government services available in French?

1 - Should

2 - Should not

3 - DK/NA

rotate order of Q.20 AND Q.21. But those who get V1 for Q.20 must get V1 for Q.21, and same for V2.

20. SPLIT SAMPLE

1 Version 1: Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree that French-speaking families living in your province [for Quebec: living in provinces outside of Quebec] should have the right to have their children educated in French?

1 - Strongly agree

2 - Agree

3 - Disagree

4 - Strongly disagree

5 - DK/NA

2 Version 2: Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree that French-speaking families living in your province [for Quebec: living in provinces outside of Quebec] should have the right to have their children educated in French, as long as the number of French-speaking children was large enough that this education could be provided at a reasonable cost?

1 - Strongly agree

2 - Agree

3 - Disagree

4 - Strongly disagree

5 - DK/NA

21. SPLIT SAMPLE

1 Version 1: Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree that English-speaking families living in Quebec should have the right to have their children educated in English?

1 - Strongly agree

2 - Agree

3 - Disagree

4 - Strongly disagree

5 - DK/NA

2 Version 2: Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree that English-speaking families living in Quebec should have the right to have their children educated in English, as long as the number of English-speaking children was large enough that this education could be provided at a reasonable cost?

1 - Strongly agree

2 - Agree

3 - Disagree

4 - Strongly disagree

5 - DK/NA

ASK ALL

22. The constitution contains a clause that tells judges to interpret the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in a manner that is consistent with the preservation and enhancement of the multicultural heritage of Canadians. Do you strongly approve, approve, disapprove, or strongly disapprove of this clause?

1 - Strongly approve

2 - Approve

3 - Disapprove

4 - Strongly disapprove

5 - DK/NA

Here are some questions about some recent court cases in Canada.

23. SPLIT SAMPLE

1 Version 1: The owner of a store selling pornographic videos was convicted of distributing obscene material. The court ruled that it is more important to protect society from the harm caused by pornography that degrades women than it is to protect the store owner’s right to freedom of expression. Do you agree or disagree with the court’s decision?

1 - Agree

2 - Disagree

3 - DK/NA

2 Version 2: Members of a political organization were convicted of publishing material that promotes hatred of other races. The court ruled that it is more important to protect society from the harm caused by racial hatred than it is to protect the organization’s right to freedom of expression. Do you agree or disagree with the court’s decision?

1 - Agree

2 - Disagree

3 - DK/NA

24. SPLIT SAMPLE

1 Version 1: The government passed a law to prohibit the advertising of tobacco products to reduce the number of people in Canada harmed by tobacco. But the court said the law was unconstitutional because it violated the tobacco companies’ right to freedom of expression. Do you agree or disagree with the court’s decision?

1 - Agree

2 - Disagree

3 - DK/NA

2 Version 2: The government passed a law to limit the amount of money that interest groups can spend on political advertising during an election campaign to prevent groups with a lot of money from having too much influence on an election. But the court said the law was unconstitutional because it violated the groups’ right to freedom of expression. Do you agree or disagree with the court’s decision?

1 - Agree

2 - Disagree

3 - DK/NA

ASK ALL

25. A person claiming to be a refugee said his rights were violated because he was not given a fair chance to argue against the government’s decision to deport him from Canada. The court agreed with him saying that everyone in Canada --  including refugee claimants – has the right to a fair hearing. Do you agree or disagree with the court’s decision?

1 - Agree GO TO Q.26

2 - Disagree GO TO Q.27

3 - DK/NA GO TO Q.28

IF AGREE, ASK:

26. Would you still feel this way even though the court’s decision resulted in longer delays for determining whether refugee claimants should be allowed to stay in Canada?

1 - Yes

2 - No

3 - DK/NA

IF DISAGREE, ASK:

27. Would you still feel this way even if ignoring the court’s decision would make it more likely that genuine refugees might be deported from Canada?

1 - Yes

2 - No

3 - DK/NA

ASK ALL

28. An Aboriginal person was caught fishing without a license. The court did not convict him because it said that a treaty between his people and the government gave him the right to fish. Do you agree or disagree with the court’s decision?

1 - Agree GO TO Q.29

2 - Disagree GO TO Q.30

3 - DK/NA GO TO Q.31

IF AGREE, ASK:

29. Would you still feel this way if it meant that governments had to treat Aboriginal people differently from other Canadians when it comes to regulating access to natural resources like the fishery?

1 - Yes

2 - No

3 - DK/NA

IF DISAGREE, ASK:

30. Would you still feel this way if the constitution said that treaties with Aboriginal peoples had to be respected?

1 - Yes

2 - No

3 - DK/NA

ASK ALL

31. When Parliament passes a law but the Supreme Court of Canada says it is unconstitutional on the grounds that it conflicts with the Charter of Rights, who should have the final say, Parliament or the Supreme Court?

1 - Parliament

2 - Supreme Court

3 - DK/NA

32. As you may know, in certain cases the Canadian constitution gives governments the power to overrule the courts by passing a law, even though the courts have declared it to be unconstitutional because it violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Do you think that governments should or should not have this power?

1 - Should

2 - Should not

3 - DK/NA

33. If the Supreme Court said that the government had to give gays and lesbians the right to be married, do you think that the government should or should not use its power to overrule the court’s decision?

1 - Should

2 - Should not

3 - DK/NA

34. If the Supreme Court said that the government’s new anti-terrorism law violated some civil liberties, do you think that the government should or should not use its power to overrule the court’s decision?

1 - Should

2 - Should not

3 - DK/NA

35. If the federal government says there is a national emergency, and a majority in parliament agrees, is it all right or not to suspend the usual civil rights?

1 - All right

2 - Not all right

3 - DK/NA

36. Which of the following is more important: ROTATE ITEMS

1 - Giving the police more power to detect and arrest criminals, even if that means that the civil rights of some Canadian citizens might not be respected; or

2 - Making sure the police respect the civil rights of Canadian citizens, even if that means that some criminals might escape detection or arrest.

3 - DK/NA

37. Which of these two statements is closer to your own view? ROTATE ITEMS

1 - the Charter’s protection of our rights and freedoms has united Canadians because we have become more aware of the values that we have in common; or

2 - the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has divided Canadians because we have become too willing to push for our own particular rights regardless of the views of other people.

3 - DK/NA

38. Thinking about Canada over the next decade, do you think that it is very, somewhat, not very or not at all likely that we will be able to reduce prejudice against ethnic and racial minorities?

1 - Very likely

2 - Somewhat likely

3 - Not very likely

4 - Not at all likely

5 - DK/NA

39. Are you personally very favourable, somewhat favourable, somewhat opposed or very opposed to changing the Canadian constitution to recognize the unique character of Quebec?

1 - Very favourable

2 - Somewhat favourable

3 - Somewhat opposed

4 - Very opposed

5 - DK/NA

40. Are you very favourable, somewhat favourable, somewhat opposed, or very opposed to Quebec becoming an independent country?

1 - Very favourable

2 - Somewhat favourable

3 - Somewhat opposed

4 - Very opposed

5 - DK/NA

DEMOGRAPHICS

Now I would like to get some information to help us group your answers with others which we will receive in the survey.

41. In what year were you born?

1 - ________________SPECIFY

2 - DK/NA

42. What is the highest level of education you have reached?

DO NOT READ

1 - Elementary school or less (no schooling to grade 7)

2 - Some high school (grades 8 - 11)

3 - Completed high school (grades 12 or 13 or OAC)

4 - Some community college, vocational or trade school ( or some CEGEP)

5 - Completed community college, vocational or trade school (or complete CEGEP)

6 - Some university (no degree)

7 - Completed university (Bachelor’s degree)

8 - Post graduate university (Master’s, Ph.D., completed or not)

9 - DK/NA

43. Which of the following best describes your employment status? Are you…

READ

1 - Employed full-time (30 hours/week or more)

2 - Employed part-time

3 - Unemployed or looking for a job

4 - Staying at home full-time (home-maker, social assistance)

5 - Student

6 - Retired

7 - OTHER

8 - DK/NA

44. Other than events like weddings and funerals, how often do you attend a religious service?

READ

1 - About once a week or more

2 - About two to three times a month

3 - About once a month

4 - Less than once a month

5 - Never

6 - DK/NA

45. Into which of the following categories would you put the total annual income, before taxes and deductions, for 2001, of all members of your household, including yourself? Is it…

1 - Less than $10,000

2 - $10,000 to $19,999

3 - $20,000 to $39,999

4 - $40,000 to $59,999

5 - $60,000 to $79,999

6 - $80,000 to $99,999

7 - $100,000 to $119,999

8 - $120,000 and over
9 - DK/NA

46. And what are the first three digits of your postal code?

1 - ______ ______ ______

2 - DK/NA