Once this post was ready to be submitted, I figured I should mention this: this post is not about politics! Rather just some random poll I ran into at a couple of places today. I thought it was interesting and decided to share here. Don't make me realize once again that it was a mistake and get yet another thread locked (though I don't think that was happening much lately, but can't say I have really been following the general discussion section).
The post:
I was reading some "oil" stuff today here and there and ran into this poll by clicking a link and another and another, etc. I can't say I have a pretty good idea of what the Angus Reid Institute is, but I thought this poll was pretty interesting and it was linked at a couple of "legit" or "serious" websites. Anyway, take it for what it is. The article is fresh from earlier today.
Against the backdrop of an election year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing increasing pressure amid calls to move faster and more forcefully to complete a new oil pipeline in this country.
That pressure is underscored in new public opinion data from the Angus Reid Institute that shows six-in-ten Canadians say the lack of new pipeline capacity constitutes a “crisis”, while half say the Trudeau government has done “too little” to ensure new capacity is built.
This latest polling finds Canadians polarized along regional lines, with residents of Alberta overwhelmingly taking the view that the situation is a crisis. Where British Columbians are divided, Quebecers take an opposite view.
Regional and provincial divisions are also evident on questions of whether provinces west of Ontario are seen to have an adequate amount of influence and power in confederation.
These questions – and more – are canvassed in a wide ranging, four-part study exploring and measuring the nature and dynamics of Western Canadian identity, the way people in different parts of the country view each other and their institutions, and the depth to which feelings of alienation in certain parts of Canada are felt.
More Key Findings:
Oil and gas are chosen as a critical industry by two-thirds of Canadians (65%) – the highest total among seven industries canvassed
Seven-in-ten (69%) say the country will face considerable impact if no new pipeline capacity is built. Canadians are less likely to say an impact will be felt at the provincial level (58%) or within their own households (35%)
Half of Canadians (53%) say they support both the Energy East and TransMountain pipeline projects. One-in-five say they oppose both (19%), while a handful support one or the other in isolation
The highest numbers of Canadians say agriculture (47%) and oil and gas (46%) are industries that should receive more federal attention, well ahead of the third priority: technology and IT (28%)
...
When Canadians are asked about provincial priorities, the eminence of the energy and resource file is not as clear. Provincial issues vary widely, and while energy and pipelines are atop the list in Alberta (with 63% choosing this as a top issue) and tied for top priority in Saskatchewan, the issue drops substantially in most other regions. In B.C., four-in-ten (41%) choose ‘cost of living’, while 17 per cent say energy, resource and pipeline issues. In Quebec and Atlantic Canada, health care rises over four-in-ten while the number choosing energy concerns drops to single digits.
The value of the resource sector is more apparent when considering the economic priorities of the nation as a whole. Looking at the various sectors of the economy through this lens draws into stark relief the perceived importance of that industry alongside agriculture. Both have a majority of Canadians choosing them as critical to the country’s success, with oil and gas at the top of the list – propelled by nine-in-ten Albertans (91%) and significant majorities in both B.C. (65%) and Ontario (64%).
Canada’s oil reserves rank among the top three globally, and the industry was responsible for approximately 11 per cent of gross domestic product in 2017. Agriculture, meanwhile, represents a far smaller amount in the nation’s GDP, at about 1.5 per cent.
The priorities of Canadians are largely similar when asked which of these sectors they believe should be receiving more consideration from the federal government, but regional splits are notable:
...
The argument that the inability to build new pipelines is a serious problem, even a crisis, is one that resonates most Canadians in the current climate. Indeed, every region other than Quebec agrees with this sentiment, though B.C. residents are divided close to evenly:
The two projects at the centre of the pipeline turmoil in recent years have been the TransMountain pipeline expansion that carries crude and refined oil from Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., and the Energy East pipeline, which has been proposed to carry oil products from Alberta east, as far as New Brunswick.
The $15.7 billion Energy East project was cancelled by TransCanada in 2017 largely due to delays in the approval process. Some now hope to revive it.
While each project has its own bureaucratic hurdles and challenges, a majority of Canadians (53%) say they support both. This, compared to one-in-five (19%) nationwide who say they oppose both. A handful of Canadians support one or the other, while another one-in-five (17%) say they remain unsure:
Divisions emerge when looking at the role of the federal government in the ongoing pipeline saga. A significant proportion of the population – about half – say that the government has not done enough in order to procure these projects and ensure their completion. TransMountain, in particular, has been a source of difficulty for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, after the federal government stepped in to purchase the pipeline to ensure its expansion. The project has since re-entered the National Energy Board review process.
The rest of the population is divided into two groups – those who say the government has been too aggressive in pushing pipeline development (27%) and those who say the approach has been hitting the right marks (23%). Notably, the proportion of Canadians saying the government has not done enough is considerably higher in Alberta, and lower in other regions. In Quebec, half (48%) say that Trudeau and the Liberals have been doing too much on this issue:
The question of local opposition is one always close to conversations about these issues. That has recently been highlighted by recent events in Houston, B.C., where 14 people were arrested from a blockade designed to prevent access to a different pipeline project operated by Coastal GasLink. The pipeline is to carry natural gas through Wet’suwet’en First Nation territory on its route from Dawson Creek to Kitimat.
Views about the weight and importance of local opposition to projects of this nature are again most different in Quebec. Notably, a majority of B.C. residents (57%) disagree that local opposition should carry most of the weight in these debates.
...
So anyway, I thought that was interesting. There is more in the original article in regards to age groups and political views and whatnot, but I decided to leave this out; especially because we are not supposed to talk politics here (weird, I know, but true).
Lastly, it appears that we are not that different in Canada, eh? Well, aside from Quebec, but what are you going to do.
Saw that on Global, big suprise PQ had the least support and believe it or not actually said the Federal Government is pushing pipelines TOO hard
I just read somewhere recently that Quebec was largely on board with Energy East, it was just Francois Legalt and Philippe Couillard holding up the show.
These stats sure indicate otherwise. Certainly not suprised though.
it's not a surprise at all that PQ thinks that way, they are part of the " hand out " section of the federal money machine, anyone that relies on social programs and hand out's thinks that money just comes from the printer and that the printer never runs out of ink, and given that those same people are not working for their money .......... well you get the picture....... I wont say any more for fear of going on a rant that would get my fingers slapped
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The problem we have today is that the people who work for a living are outnumbered by the people who vote for a living.
We were all born ignorant but one must work very hard to remain that way.
it's not a surprise at all that PQ thinks that way, they are part of the " hand out " section of the federal money machine, anyone that relies on social programs and hand out's thinks that money just comes from the printer and that the printer never runs out of ink, and given that those same people are not working for their money .......... well you get the picture....... I wont say any more for fear of going on a rant that would get my fingers slapped
X 2.... interesting thread.
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If people concentrated on the really important things in life,there would be a shortage of fishing poles.Doug larson. Theres a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot. Steven Wright.
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