Support for Afghan mission dropping: poll Quote:
OTTAWA -- As the country mourns the loss of six soldiers killed in Afghanistan and reflects on a death toll that has now mounted to 66 soldiers and one diplomat, a new national poll indicates that Canadians are almost equally divided on their support for the mission.
The poll, conducted exclusively for CanWest News Service and Global National by Ipsos Reid, showed that half of Canadians -- exactly 50 per cent -- said they either "strongly" or "somewhat support" the use of Canada's troops for security and combat efforts in Afghanistan.
Almost equally planted on the other side of the debate are 45 per cent of Canadians who said they either "strongly" or "somewhat oppose" the mission in Afghanistan. The remaining five per cent said they do not have an opinion one way or the other.
The latest numbers show a continuing drop in support for the mission since it reached a peak in the fall of 2006 at 57 per cent. In April 2007, support had slipped to 52 per cent, and now to 50, according to the polling firm's data.
But even with the declining support, pollster Darrell Bricker says the conventional wisdom that as casualties mount, support will drop, is not necessarily proving true.
"I actually expected that the numbers were going to be quite a bit lower because of what happened last week," Bricker said, referring to the six soldiers who were killed by a roadside bomb on July 4. "But I think what's happened is that the issue is starting to transcend the issue of casualties."
Bricker said it's important to note the demographics of the people who are supportive of the mission. The poll found that Canadians with a university degree were the most likely to support the mission and nearly six in 10 Canadians whose households earn at least $60,000 a year were among those who are supportive.
"What I think that we're seeing a little bit of here is that people who are a little bit more worldly, that are more plugged into the idea of Canada in the world, seem to have a bit more tolerance for this because they actually see the payoff as being more significant than simply just a sacrifice of troops," Bricker said. They may also be getting used to the idea of casualties, he added.
He said the Conservative government has been trying to push a message about Canada's role in the world and trying to shift the focus to the reconstruction efforts of Canadian troops in Afghanistan and that message may be getting through to Canadians, at least to a particular group of them.
"The other good thing about this for the government is that these people are more likely to vote," Bricker said.
But still, the Ipsos Reid poll, conducted between July 10 and July 12, is one of several in recent weeks that have shown dwindling support for the mission.
In Quebec, where the Conservatives are eager to gain ground, support for the mission remains low. The poll found that just three in 10 residents there support the mission while 65 per cent either strongly oppose or somewhat oppose the combat operations.
Support for the mission, or lack of it, could change in the coming months in Quebec now that a large contingent of troops from that province is set to deploy to Afghanistan. About 200 members of the Royal 22nd Regiment, known as the Van Doos, from CFB Valcartier left Sunday for Afghanistan and hundreds more will deploy over the coming weeks until they make up more than 2,000 of Canada's 2,500 troops in Afghanistan.
At the same time as a growing number of Canadians withdraw their support for the mission, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has changed his tone about how long it will last. Earlier Harper had said his government would seek a degree of parliamentary consensus before considering any extension of the mission beyond the February 2009 commitment. But last week in Calgary the Prime minister was clearer and said his government has no desire to prolong the combat mission in southern Afghanistan.
Bricker said time would tell how that news plays out.
About 1,000 adult Canadians were interviewed for the poll and the results are considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. |
I would agree with these statistics and the reasons behind them.....
I guess I fall under the category of someone with post secondary education, I considder myself to be somewhat worldly compared to where my coutnry stands, and for the most part, I support what the troops are doing over there......
However, my devotion to this war has also been dropping. Not because I no longer believe in what my troops believe in, not that I feel my leaders are misleading me..... but the fact that due to the total amount of NATO troops there in Afghanistan, and compared to the amount of troops we have in there..... we have lost a much greater % of our troops compared to any other country there..... and we're not getting one iota of additional support from other countries in NATO, besides perhaps the UK, Dutch and the US..... all other NATO countries have been too dam pansy ass to help out where the tought battles are.... which is where we are.
The only reason why my support may be dropping a bit, is because it seems like there are very few other countries who see things as we do, that we are there to at least help the people now and rebuild their country, as well as pushing the Taliban out....
Yes the War in Afghanistan began for one paticular reason, but it has changed to other reasons now..... and I feel the other countries who won't step up in NATO and add more troops better check themselves or they'll be there alone.
Harper mentioned that there are no futher plans to extend out mission past 2009..... so if they want us to help make a difference, NATO better step up and soon.