Canadians Losing Pride in Specific Institutions and Features

The proportion of Canadians who say they are proud of the Armed Forces has fallen by 22 points since 2019.

Vancouver, BC [July 1, 2021] – Fewer Canadians are expressing a positive emotional connection with important components of life in the country, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, more than three-in-four Canadians (77%) say they are proud of the Canadian flag, down five points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in 2020.

At least two thirds of Canadians express pride in multiculturalism (70%, -1), the Canadian Armed Forces (67%, -7), the health care system (66%, -9) and hockey (also 66%, +2).

Compared to a Research Co. poll conducted in 2019, pride in the Canadian Armed Forces has fallen by 22 points. Canadians aged 55 and over are more likely to express pride in the Canadian Armed Forces (73%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (67%) and aged 18-to-34 (60%).

This year, about three-in-five Canadians say they are proud of Indigenous culture (62%, =), the state of democracy in Canada (also 62%, -4), and bilingualism (59%, -2).

Just over half of Canadians who voted for the Conservative Party in the 2019 federal election (54%) are proud of indigenous culture. The proportion is significantly higher among those who cast ballots for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (72%) and the Liberal Party (75%).

About half of Canadians express pride in the Canadian justice system (52%, -3), Parliament (50%, -3) and the Canadian economy (49%, -4).

While two thirds of Canadians who voted for the Liberals in the last federal election (68%) say they are proud of Parliament, only a third of those who supported the Conservatives (34%) share the same view.

“In 2019, 80% of Canadians said they were proud of the Canadian economy,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “This year, the proportion has fallen by 31 points to 49%.”

The Monarchy remains the lowest ranked of the 12 institutions and features tested, with 34% of Canadians saying it makes them proud, down six points since 2020.

British Columbia has the highest proportion of residents who are proud of the monarchy (44%) while Quebec has the lowest (29%).

Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from June 24 to June 26, 2021, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.

Find our data tables here and download the press release here.

For more information on this poll, please contact:

Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.

778.929.0490

[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca