Building Social Cohesion: What do Canadians have to say?

Michael Adams Environics Instute for Survey Research

Queen’s Internaonal Instute of Social Policy August 23, 2016 The Environics Institute Environics Institute for Survey Research

• Non-profit research institute founded in 2006

• Mission: To promote relevant and original public opinion and social research on important issues of public policy and social change.

• Research focuses on Canada – using social science-based evidence to help organizations and citizens better understand Canada and Canadians - especially those we rarely, if ever, meet.

• Wholly separate entity from the commercial Environics companies

• All research is publicly released and open source access

3

So what do Canadians have to say?

4 Multiculturalism and the accommodation of diversity are what Canadians think makes Canada unique What makes Canada unique?

Unprompted mentions

Multiculturalism/diversity 43 Land/geography 17 Freedom/free country/democracy 14 Friendly/humble/nice people 11 The people (non-specific) 10 Weather/climate/cold 7

Peace/peacefulness 7 Bilingualism 3 Natural resources 6 Aboriginal peoples/culture 2 Universal health care 6 Hockey 1 Political system 5 The North/Arctic 1 Tolerence 4 Other 9 Values 3 dk/na 7

Survey on Aboriginal People (2016) 5 Health care, the Charter and public education top the list of the mportant symbols of Canadian identity, but our Aboriginal peoples and multiculturalism also get majority support

Very or somewhat important symbols of the Canadian identity

1997 - 2015

89 88 Health care system 81 Charter of Rights and Freedoms 78 Public education 72 65 RCMP 60 62 Canada's Aboriginal Peoples 54 Multiculturalism 49 39 42 CBC 37 39 Hockey 30 21 The Queen 14

1997 2000 2003 2007 2010 2012 2015

Focus Canada (2015)

Citizenship and Identity Native-born Canadians and immigrants agree that respect for Canada’s history and culture and fluency in our official

languages are the most important values for immigrants to adopt…followed by tolerance and respect for the law

2011 Top mentions (unprompted) By immigrants and native-born

Respect for Canada's 29 history and culture 27

28 English and/or French fluency 25

21 Tolerance for others 18

21 Respect for the law 16

5 Respect for other religions 10

8 Immigrants Need to assimilate 9 Native-born

Trudeau Foundation Survey (2011) Immigrants overwhelmingly identify most with Canada, not their country

of birth 2012 Canadians born abroad

78

7 13 3

Canada Country of Both Neither/ birth equally dk/na

Canadians on Citizenship Survey (2012)

Acceptance of difference and diversity Majority continues to disagree that there is too much immigration despite anxieties about the economy and terrorism

Immigrant levels are too high 1977 - 2015

61 57

35 38

Agree Disagree

77 80 83 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 97 98 00 02 03 05 06 08 10 11 12 15

Focus Canada (2015) Strong majority consistently reject the idea that immigrants take away jobs from other Canadians

Immigrants take away Canadian jobs

1985 - 2015

67

54

36 30

Agree Disagree

85 89 93 94 97 98 00 02 03 05 06 08 10 11 12 15

Focus Canada (2015) However, two thirds continue to believe that too many immigrants do not adopt Canadian values

Too many immigrants do not adopt Canadian values

1993 - 2015 72 65

Agree Disagree

30 23

93 94 97 99 00 02 03 05 06 08 10 11 12 15

Focus Canada (2015) The most remarkable change in Canadian social values over the past three

decades is our attitude towards homosexuality

Society should regard people of the same sex who live together as being the same as a married couple Agree

1992 - 2016

73

35

1992 2000 2004 2008 2014 2016

Environics Research – Canadian Social Values (2016)

Public recognition of racism Muslims and Aboriginal peoples are the most likely to be seen as victims of discrimination 2015

Muslims 51 36 7 2 3

Aboriginal peoples 47 37 10 4 2

Blacks 31 47 17 4 2

South Asians 30 51 14 3 2

Gays/lesbians 27 50 16 5 3

Jews 14 39 32 11 4

Chinese 13 47 30 7 2

Often Occasionally Rarely Never dk/na

Focus Canada (2015) The gap in standard of living between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal people is seen as large 2016

59

22

5 9 4

Large Moderate Small None Depends/ gap gap gap at all dk/na

Survey on Aboriginal Peoples (2016) More Canadians are making the connection between residential schools and current challenges

Extent of connection between residential schools experience and current challenges facing Aboriginal communities

Those who have heard of residential schools

2008* 18 42 20 9 11

2016 32 41 17 6 3

Great extent A little Some extent Not at all dk/na

Source: 2008 National Benchmark Survey, IRSRC, 2008

18 Better education and living conditions on reserve are top priorities

Support for Aboriginal rights and reconciliation

Increase fundng for Aboriginal 2 education to match other schools 75 16 3 3

Government funding to reserves for 4 2 clean drinking water/adequate housing 75 15 4

Mandatory curriculum in all schools to 5 2 teach Aboriginal history and culture 56 31 7

Government funding to ensure 2 protection of Aboriginal languages 45 33 11 8

Provide Aboriginal communities with full control over natural resources 31 35 14 15 5 on traditional territories

Settling all outstanding land claims, 17 16 6 regardless of what this may cost 24 36

Strongly support Somewhat oppose Depends/dk/na Somewhat support Strongly oppose 19

Being Muslim in Canada Muslim Canadians are increasingly proud to be Canadian, especially in Quebec, and are more proud to be Canadian than are other Canadians

Pride in being Canadian

2006 2016

90 83 83 85 77 78 73 74 73

47

TOTAL Quebec Ontario West TOTAL

MUSLIMS NON-MUSLIMS

21

Most Muslims think their co-religionists want to integrate rather than remain separate from Canadian society Do Muslims want to adapt Canadian customs or remain distinct?

55 53 2006 2016

23 17 16 13 14 9

Want to Want to Both Depends/ adopt customs remain distinct equally dk/na

22

Muslims and other Canadians agree on the values that immigrants should adopt to become good citizens What values are most important for immigrants to adopt?

23 Top mentions English or French fluency 26 19 Tolerance/respect for others 15 17 Respect for Canadian 22 history/culture 13 Respect for the law 15 12 Muslims Respect for other 12 religions/cultures Non-Muslims 9 Civility/mutual respect 4 9 Need to assimilate 10

Respect for human 9 rights/freedoms 8

23

Most Muslims think few other Canadians are hostile to Muslims…with a positive trend over the decade Estimated number of Canadians hostile to Muslims

2006 2016 49

39 35 27

5 5 12 9 9 9

Most Many Just some Very few dk/na

24 A significant proportion have experienced discrimination…much worse than other Canadians Experienced discrimination or unfair treatment by others in Canada

In past five years

Muslims General population* 35

21 22 22

11 13 11 7 5 6

NET Because of Because of your Because of Because of (any reason) your religion ethnicity/culture your language your sex

* Source: Statistics Canada (2013 General Social Survey)

25

Being an Urban Aboriginal Person First Nations, Métis and Inuit desire to be successful in mainstream ways.

What are the things you most want to achieve in your lifetime? (top mentions)

Complete education/degree 28

Start/raise/provide for family 24

Career/job satisfaction 22

Home ownership 19

Financial independence/security 12

See children/grandchildren succeed 12

Travel/vacation 11

Good health/longevity 11

Happiness/live good life 11

27 There is also strong indigenous pride… and pride in Canada.

Would you say you are very, somewhat, not very or not at all proud to be…?

First Nations/Métis/Inuit 82 13

Aboriginal 77 13

Canadian 70 18

Very proud Somewhat proud

28 Most feel their current city of residence is home…

Where is home for you? First Second generation generation City is home 71 66% 87%

Home community 16

Other 12

29 Education is their top priority for the next generation.

Are there ways in which you hope your childrens’ and grandchildrens’ lives will be different from yours?

Learn importance of 20 education/finishing school Stay connected to 18 cultural community

Life without racism/discrimination 17

Lead happier/healthier/ 11 more balanced lives

Achieve greater financial 11 security/wealth

Make better decisions 10

Live in a safe environment 10

30 Aboriginal Peoples believe they are seen negatively by non-Aboriginals

2009 – Urban Aboriginal Peoples

71

Impressions today Change over past few years

40 41

14 16 11

Generally Neither positive Generally Better Same Worse positive nor negative negative

Urban Aboriginal Peoples Survey (2010) …with many feeling they have been treated unfairly by the country’s justice system … 2009 – Urban Aboriginal Peoples

57 Thinking now about your experiences with the justice 39 system, would you say you were generally treated fairly or unfairly?*

Treated Treated fairly unfairly

* Of the 52% of the total who have had serious involvement in the justice system as witness or victim of a crime or arrested and/or charged

Urban Aboriginal Peoples Survey (2010) Yet, urban Aboriginal people embrace pluralism…even more so than non- Aboriginal Canadians

“There is room for a variety of languages and cultures in this country”

Urban Aboriginal people 77 16 4 2

Urban non-Aboriginal people 54 32 8 4

Totally agree Disagree somewhat Agree somewhat Totally disagree

33 Political representation Most immigrants become Canadian citizens

Period of Immigration In 2015, Canadians elected 46 foreign-born MPs, up from 42 in 2011

2011 2015 99 44 184 10 Total caucus 166 103 34 4 1 1

1 1

Foreign-born 18 18 4 1 1 9 2 34 0 1 The 2015 election also saw the election of 47 visible minority persons to parliament 2015 Elections

39

5 47

6 2

in House of Commons Visible minority MPs come from around the world

Visible Minority MPs Representation by Ethnic Group

Southeast Asian Latin American

Arab

Black

South Asian

West Asian

Chinese Indigenous Canadians also improved their representation in Canada’s parliament in 2015

• Indigenous peoples are 4% of Canada’s population

• 54 Indigenous candidates (5.3%)

• 10 elected MPs (3.0%), up from 7 (2.3%) in 2011

• 8 Liberal, 2 NDP And finally a glimpse into the future Canada’s visible minority population is on the rise . . .

Definition: Visible minority The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour". The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: Chinese, South Asian, Black, Arab, West Asian, Filipino, Southeast Asian, Latin American, Japanese and Korean.

Source: Statistics Canada Census and Environics Analytics Estimates for 2011 … and will more than double by 2031

2006 2031 Total2006 32,522 Total2031 42,078 (000s) Visible (000s) Minority Visible Population Minority 5,285 Population Non Visible 16% Non Visible 12,855 Minority Minority 31% Population Population 27,237 29,222 84% 69%

Growth 2006-2031 2031 % Visible Minority Visible Minority Population 143% Toronto 63% Non Visible Minority Population 7% Vancouver 59% Total Population 29%

Source: Statistics Canada Concluding thoughts HowWhy are we survey doing? research is important

• Multiculturalism and acceptance of diversity is a well established aspiration for most Canadians • Most newcomers are doing their part once they arrive • The rest of us sometimes struggle with the reality of those who look and act differently • Some differences are more comfortable than others; some are more comfortable than others with difference • Social norms matter, and Canadians are generally law-abiding and embrace gender equality and tolerance

• We have a long way to go on reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians Looking into the future

• Tolerance is holding – for now • What could change?

• significant economic downturn/disruption • dramatic world events with global consequences • homegrown terrorism • erosion of central institutions (public education) • Canada’s history of mutual accommodation; our values, political institutions, social programs, unionization, dedication to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, public education and programs to promote immigrant/refugee integration suggest we will not experience deep alienation from marginalized minorities nor deep backlash from significant segments of the majority

And finally, we look pretty good when compared to others

Tolerance of others who are different OECD + other countries - 2010

Canada

Source: Gallup World Poll (2010) – Community Tolerance Index 47 Michael Adams The Environics Instute for Survey Research [email protected]

www.EnvironicsInstute.org