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SAME-SEX MARRIAGECANADIAN PUBLIC OPINION POLLS |
 | Conservative religious position: Marriage should be a special privilege of opposite-sex couples made up of one man and one woman, or |
| Gay/liberal/human rights position: All couples, both same-sex and opposite sex should be allowed to marry. |
As the year 2005 began, courts in one territory and seven provinces have ruled that SSM is legal. Same-sex couples can marry in every province in Canada except for Alberta, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The three provinces and two territories where same-sex couples cannot marry yet are home to about 13% of the Canadian population.
2005-FEB-07 to 09: EKOS Research Associates:
EKOS Marketing conducted a phone interview among 1,056 Canadian adults on behalf of the Toronto Star newspaper. The margin of error is stated to be 3 percentage points. The poll was taken after bill C-38 "Civil Marriage Act" was introduced to Parliament, and at about the time that controversy over SSM was beginning to die down in the media for a temporary lull.
In the past, SSM was only a theoretical possibility. Now it is an actuality in almost all of Canada, and a bill is before Parliament to make it universally available. Many people are thinking about and intensely discussing SSM. Opinions are beginning to shift.
The main question was: "Do you support or oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry." Nationally, the results were:
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42% were in favor of same-sex marriages. This is a rise from 36% in an EKOS poll of 2003-AUG. |
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40% were opposed. This is an decrease from 41% in 2003-AUG. |
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17% were neither in favor nor opposed. |
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1% gave no answer. |
An alternative way of expressing this same data is:
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59% of Canadians either favor allowing same-sex marriage or don't care. |
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40% are opposed. |
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1% gave no answer. |
These data represent a remarkable shift in favor of SSM when compared to previous year's polls.
As expected:
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Geographical location is a factor:
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Age is a major factor. SSM supporters totaled:
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Sex is a factor.
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Additional results:
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50% felt that "Endorsing same-sex marriages rights would be a positive signal to the world about Canada's values and beliefs." |
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42% felt that "Endorsing same-sex marriage rights would be a negative signal to the world about Canada's values and beliefs." |
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8% did not express an opinion. |
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Comparing EKOS polls over the past five years, those who agree that "same-sex couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples" has increased from 45% to 60%. |
Frank Graves, president of Ekos, said: "It's obviously an issue that's divisive, that a lot of people care passionately about. But frankly, I don't think there's any case to be made that this issue is a real deal-breaker for the Liberals in terms of their prospects for forming government the next time. In fact, looking at the overall trends and the way this is playing out, it's more likely to be a mild positive than a negative." He noted that the popularity of the Liberals has risen during the SSM debate. He also noted that more Canadians agree that SSM is "part of a positive evolutionary process" rather than something that would have "serious consequences for society." 1
| Information about Canadian polls on other
les/gay topics |
| Canadian legislation and court battles about same-sex marriage and civil unions |
References:
- "Canadians split over same-sex marriage," Toronto Star, 2005-FEB-12, Pages A1 and A4.
- "Referendum.ca" at: http://www.referendum.ca/
Copyright © 2005 & 2006 by Ontario
Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally published: 2005-FEB-12
Latest update: 2006-MAR-25
Author: B.A. Robinson
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