From April 26 to April 28, 2024, we surveyed Canadians to find out their opinions and perceptions on freedom of speech in their country.
Some of the key highlights of our survey freedom of speech include…
- Around three-quarters of Canadians are comfortable expressing their personal views on government decisions (76%), on socially sensitive topics (71%), and about certain political leaders (71%). A lesser proportion (63%) mentioned being comfortable expressing their views on certain minority groups in society.
- Most Canadians (61%) think their opinions are mostly socially acceptable, while 19% think they are mostly socially unacceptable and 19% don’t know. Conservative voters are more likely to think their opinions are socially unacceptable (25%).
- 62% of Canadians think it is tougher to voice their opinion in their country, while 27% think it is easier. Conservative voters (70%) and Canadians aged 55 or older (70%) are more likely to think that it is tougher now to express their opinion.
- More than half of Canadians (57%) feel that freedom of speech is threatened in Canada, while more than one-third (36%) think the opposite. Conservative voters (76%) are more likely to think freedom of speech is threatened. Overall, Americans are more likely than Canadians to think that freedom of speech is threatened in their country.
- Six out of ten (60%) Canadians are confident that the next election will be free and fair, while 29% are not confident. Conservative voters are more likely to not be confident about the next election (40%).
Methodology
This web survey was conducted from April 26 to 28, 2024, with 1,610 Canadians aged 18 or older, randomly recruited from LEO’s online panel. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey. For comparison, a probability sample of 1,610respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.44 %, 19 times out of 20.
