Only 12% of Canadians have met a sitting Senator, while at least one-in-four have met mayors, councillors or MPs.
Vancouver, BC [November 1, 2024] – A significantly low proportion of Canadians express satisfaction with the status quo related to the upper house, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, only 7% of Canadians say the country needs a Senate and the current guidelines that call for appointed senators should not be modified, down two points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in December 2022.
More than a quarter of Canadians (27%, +3) think Canada does not need a Senate and want all legislation to be reviewed and authorized by the House of Commons. Almost half (48%, +3) believe Canada needs a Senate, but Canadians should be allowed to take part in the process to choose senators.
Support for a type of Senate reform that would allow for the participation of Canadians is highest in Alberta (59%). More than two-in-five residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (51%), Ontario (47%), British Columbia (also 47%), Quebec (46%) and Atlantic Canada (44%) share this view.
When asked to choose between four different options for the Red Chamber, just under two-in-five Canadians (38%, +5) support reforming the Senate to allow for the direct election of senators.
Fewer than one-in-five Canadians prefer any of the other three options tested: having a selection committee that would appoint non-partisan senators (18%, +1), abolishing the Senate of Canada altogether (also 18%, +4) and the Prime Minister appointing senators (11%, +5).
“Support for the abolition of the Senate of Canada, in spite of its unique complexities, is highest among Canadians aged 55 and over (30%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Fewer Canadians aged 35-to-54 (16%) and aged 18-to-34 (6%) feel the same way.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has only named senators that were recommended by an arm’s-length advisory body and not directly appointed by him.
Canadians are split on this decision, with 32% (+4), saying Trudeau’s changes have made the Senate “better”, 27% (-4) claiming the changes have had no effect, and 28% (+8) saying the situation is now worse.
Just over half of respondents (51%, -5) expect Canadians to one day be able to directly elect their senators, while 28% (+5) disagree with this notion.
Canadians aged 18-to-34 are more likely to believe that one day Canada will have direct elections to the Senate (62%) than their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (55%) and aged 55 and over (37%).
Respondents were asked if they have met sitting political leaders during the course of their lives. While at least a quarter of Canadians have met a mayor (31%), councillor (27%), Member of Parliament (26%) or member of their provincial legislature (25%), only 12% have crossed paths with a sitting senator.
Residents of Quebec (17%) are more likely to have met a sitting senator than their counterparts in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (15%), Atlantic Canada (14%) British Columbia (11%), Alberta (also 11%) and Ontario (8%).
Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from October 21 to October 23, 2024, among 1,001 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 plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
Photo Credit: abdallahh
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca