CANADIANS DIVIDED ON PROGRESS OF HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLES: TRUDEAU
FOUNDATION POLL

Majority say Canada's human rights record stacks up well internationally, but concerns about the plight of Aboriginal peoples and the role of government continue.

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Research precedes Trudeau Conference, Nov. 18-20

MONTREAL, Nov. 16 /CNW/ - A new poll reveals that the majority of Canadians believe that the human rights of most of Canada's vulnerable groups are better protected in the post-Charter era, though the population is more divided on the plight of Aboriginal peoples, including whether recent government actions have gone far enough. The poll was commissioned by the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation in collaboration with the University of Manitoba in advance of a conference on human rights and dignity it is staging in Winnipeg, November 18-20, 2010. 

The poll explores a variety of issues related to human rights including:

Canada's Record on Human Rights:
Canada's record on human rights is seen by a strong majority of Canadians to be as good, if not better than, that of other western democracies.  Half of those surveyed say that Canada's record is much (16%) or somewhat (33%) better, and another third (36%) consider Canada's record to be about the same.  In contrast, only seven percent believe Canada's record on human rights is worse than in other western democracies.

Protection of Vulnerable Groups:
The poll reveals that Canadians have a limited understanding of how the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has changed human rights protection in Canada, there is a prevailing view that many groups — specifically, women, persons with disabilities, persons with a lesbian / gay / bisexual (LGB) orientation, visible minorities — now have stronger protection than before the Charter.  However, fewer than half surveyed feel that human rights protections are now better for Aboriginal peoples (48%), and persons accused but not yet convicted of criminal offences (37%).

Interestingly, when asked to identify the groups that are most vulnerable in Canada, responses vary quite significantly by region.  For example, while Aboriginal peoples are identified as being most vulnerable by 20% of those in Ontario, they are only identified as most vulnerable by seven percent in Quebec.  In contrast, people with low income are identified by 24% of respondents in Quebec versus just 11% in Ontario and the Prairies.  Seniors are mentioned as being most vulnerable by 21% of respondents in Quebec compared to being mentioned by just seven percent in the Prairies and Atlantic Canada.

Yesterday's Mistakes, Today's Responsibility:
A clear majority (58%) of Canadians believe a current federal government is responsible for addressing human rights violations committed by previous governments. This view is most widely held in Quebec (73%) and the Greater Toronto Area (67%). In contrast, this is the minority view in British Columbia (44%) and Alberta (49%).

Who Deserves Restitution?
Among Canadians who feel the current government should make amends with certain vulnerable groups, by far the most widely mentioned is Aboriginal peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) at 47%. By comparison, relatively small proportions identify Japanese Canadians (12%), Chinese Canadians (8%), women (4%), LGB Canadians (4%), and a number of others, each mentioned by no more than three percent.  One in three (32%) cannot identify any groups suffering in previous generations that warrant government action today.

"We owe it to ourselves and successive generations to pause and test the notion that Canada is a leader in identifying and protecting human rights, for it is a daunting and never-ending pursuit," said Dr. Pierre-Gerlier Forest, President of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.  "Since its inception, the Foundation has actively supported research and critical reflection into human rights and dignity, and the Trudeau Conference will bring forward new, actionable ideas on this crucial issue."

Other key polling findings address the following areas:

Aboriginal Peoples: More to be done?
Despite a formal apology in Parliament and the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, public opinion is divided on whether the federal government has gone far enough in addressing wrongs committed against Aboriginal peoples. Close to half (47%) say the government's recent actions are sufficient, while almost as many (44%) believe it needs to do more. Just nine percent have no clear opinion.

Among those who feel more needs to be done, a range of unprompted actions were identified, the most common being more economic support to communities and reserves (19%) and better educational opportunities (18%), followed by settling outstanding land claims (11%), paying compensation for damage and loss suffered (10%), and generally providing Aboriginal peoples with more rights and respect equal to what is enjoyed by other Canadians. One in four (23%) could not provide an answer to the question.

Generational Attitudes
Canadians' opinions about human rights are generally similar across generations, suggesting that the country's youth are by and large adopting the perspectives and values of their parents and grandparents.  A key point of intergenerational difference is that 70% of young adults believe that current Canadian governments are responsible for addressing human rights violations committed by previous governments compared with only 47% of Canadians 60 and over.

Media are invited to attend the conference and more information can be found at www.trudeaufoundation.ca/2010conference.

About the Trudeau Foundation
An independent and non-partisan Canadian charity, the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation was established in 2001 as a living memorial to the former Prime Minister by his family, friends, and colleagues. In 2002, the Government of Canada endowed the Foundation with a donation of $125 million following a unanimous vote in the House of Commons. In addition, the Foundation benefits from private sector donations in support of specific initiatives. Through its Scholarship, Fellowship, Mentorship and Public Interaction programs, the Foundation supports outstanding individuals who make meaningful contributions to critical social issues.  

About the research
The results are based on a telephone survey conducted by the Environics Research Group with a representative sample of 2,117 adult Canadians (18 years and older) between September 29 and October 21, 2010. The sample was stratified by province and community size to ensure adequate coverage of jurisdictions for analysis purposes. A sample of this size will produce a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The margin of error is greater for results for regional and socio-demographic subgroups of the total sample. Regional breakouts are available.

For further information:

For conference media accreditation, more information or to arrange an interview with a Trudeau Foundation official, contact: