Almost two thirds believe that Canadian Jews are being unfairly targeted for what is happening in Israel and Gaza.
Vancouver, BC [September 13, 2024] – British Columbians are dismayed upon learning of specific incidents of antisemitism that reportedly took place in public schools, a new Research Co. poll conducted during the first week of classes has found.
In the online survey of a representative provincial sample, more than four-in-five British Columbians (81%) are “very concerned” or “moderately concerned” about the emotional and physical safety of students in the public school system.
“More than three-in-five British Columbians (64%) are not particularly confident about sending a Jewish student to a public school upon learning about these incidents,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportion rises to 68% among women and to 74% among British Columbians aged 55 and over.”
The survey described seven incidents that reportedly happened in K-12 schools in British Columbia that have been shared by educators and parents.
Sizeable majorities of British Columbians find all incidents “very troubling” or “moderately troubling”, including a teacher in a Science 9 class referring to Jews as “genocidal murderers” (81%) and a teacher using the district email list to invite teachers and families to anti-Israel rallies (78%).
More than four-in-five British Columbians (84%) think these recent events mean that more should be done to ensure that teachers in British Columbia are adequately prepared to educate students of different ethnicities and creeds.
Almost two thirds of British Columbians (65%, -1 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in June) think Canadian Jews are being unfairly targeted for what is happening in Israel and Gaza.
More than seven-in-ten British Columbians are still concerned about four issues when thinking about the conflict in the Middle East and its impact here in Canada right now: attacks, including gunfire and firebombs, on synagogues, Jewish schools and businesses (74%, -5), protests targeting Jewish neighbourhoods and Jewish owned businesses (71%, -5), rising prejudice against Jewish Canadians (antisemitism) (also 71%, -4) and aggressive behaviour by Pro-Palestinian Protestors (also 71%, -3).
As was the case two months ago, just two-in-five British Columbians (40%, -1) believe police and governments are doing enough to combat antisemitism in their communities.
Confidence in the current ability of police and governments to combat antisemitism is highest in Northern BC (46%), followed by Metro Vancouver (44%), the Fraser Valley (38%), Vancouver Island (33%) and Southern BC (25%).
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from September 5 to September 7, 2024, among 814 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.5 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