Most Canadians support increasing defence spending to reach the two per cent target for NATO allies, according to a national survey conducted by Nanos for CTV News.
In 2021, Canada spent around 1.4 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on national defence, falling short NATO’s two per cent target. The country has not achieved this defence spending target since the 1980s.
Nanos asked 1,080 Canadians how they felt about the country’s defence spending and meeting NATO’s target. The majority of respondents (64 per cent) said Canada should increase its spending to reach the NATO target, while about one in five (21 per cent) said the country should maintain its current level of spending at 1.4 per cent of its GDP. Seven per cent answered Canada should spend less than the 1.4 per cent of its GDP it currently allocates to defence, and eight per cent said they were unsure.
A majority of people in all demographics surveyed—except for younger Canadians aged 18 to 34—agreed Canada should up its spending on defence to meet NATO’s targets.
People in Ontario were most likely to prefer Canada increasing defence spending (67.6 per cent), while people in British Columbia were least likely to support the idea (57.7 per cent). However, a majority of people in all regions across Canada prefer increasing defence spending.
Nanos also asked respondents if they were concerned about Canada’s military operational abilities causing tension with other NATO allies and defence partners. Nearly 70 per cent of people said they were either concerned (29 per cent) or somewhat concerned (40 per cent), while 15 per cent said they were somewhat not concerned and 13 per cent said they were not concerned. Three per cent of respondents said they were unsure.
Ontarians were once again most likely to be either concerned or somewhat concerned (72.3 per cent), while Quebecers were least likely to be concerned or somewhat concerned (62.8 per cent). Most people across all demographics surveyed said they were either concerned or somewhat concerned, with people aged 55 and older (76.1 per cent) and men (72.2 per cent) most likely to say the same.
Most Canadians (59 per cent) also said Canada should increase its military involvement in patrolling the Arctic to defend North American airspace as a member of Norad. One third (33 per cent) said the country should maintain about the same level of involvement, while three per cent of people answered Canada should decrease its involvement, and five per cent said they were unsure.
People living in the Prairies were most likely to want Canada to increase its military patrols in the Arctic (64.3 per cent), while men (64.3 per cent) and Canadians aged 55 and older (66.7 per cent) were most likely to say the same.
Nanos researchers also asked Canadians about expanding the country’s role in Haiti. Respondents were asked if they support Canada expanding that commitment to also send military troops to Haiti.
A narrow majority of Canadians said they either support (22 per cent) or somewhat support (33 per cent) putting Canadian boots on the ground in Haiti to help stop violence in the country. One in five respondents (20 per cent) said they somewhat oppose the idea, while 19 per cent said they outright oppose it.
The U.S. has asked Canada to lead a multi-national security mission to help stop violence in Haiti, which has been overrun with gang violence following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Canada has already committed to sending Royal Canadian Navy vessels.
People living in the Prairies (61.4 per cent) and people aged 35 to 54 (61 per cent) were most likely to support Canada sending troops to Haiti.
METHODOLOGY
Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land-and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,080 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between April 30th and May 3rd, 2023, as part of an omnibus survey.
Participants were randomly recruited by telephone using live agents and administered a survey online. The sample included both land-and cell-lines across Canada. The results were statistically checked and weighted by age and gender using the latest Census information and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada.
Individuals randomly called using random digit dialing with a maximum of five call backs.
The margin of error for this survey is ±3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
This study was commissioned by CTV News and the research was conducted by Nanos Research.
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
VANCOUVER – Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia’s ports since Monday.
The BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 are scheduled to meet for the next three days in mediated talks to try to break a deadlock in negotiations.
The union, which represents more than 700 longshore supervisors at ports, including Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo, has been without a contract since March last year.
The latest talks come after employers locked out workers in response to what it said was “strike activity” by union members.
The start of the lockout was then followed by several days of no engagement between the two parties, prompting federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to speak with leaders on both sides, asking them to restart talks.
MacKinnon had said that the talks were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved” — a sentiment echoed by several business groups across Canada.
In a joint letter, more than 100 organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada and associations representing industries from automotive and fertilizer to retail and mining, urged the government to do whatever it takes to end the work stoppage.
“While we acknowledge efforts to continue with mediation, parties have not been able to come to a negotiated agreement,” the letter says. “So, the federal government must take decisive action, using every tool at its disposal to resolve this dispute and limit the damage caused by this disruption.
“We simply cannot afford to once again put Canadian businesses at risk, which in turn puts Canadian livelihoods at risk.”
In the meantime, the union says it has filed a complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board against the employers, alleging the association threatened to pull existing conditions out of the last contract in direct contact with its members.
“The BCMEA is trying to undermine the union by attempting to turn members against its democratically elected leadership and bargaining committee — despite the fact that the BCMEA knows full well we received a 96 per cent mandate to take job action if needed,” union president Frank Morena said in a statement.
The employers have responded by calling the complaint “another meritless claim,” adding the final offer to the union that includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term remains on the table.
“The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute,” the employers’ statement says. “The offer does not require any concessions from the union.”
The union says the offer does not address the key issue of staffing requirement at the terminals as the port introduces more automation to cargo loading and unloading, which could potentially require fewer workers to operate than older systems.
The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and has seen a number of labour disruptions, including two instances involving the rail and grain storage sectors earlier this year.
A 13-day strike by another group of workers at the port last year resulted in the disruption of a significant amount of shipping and trade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
The Royal Canadian Legion says a new partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon is helping boost its veterans’ fund, and will hopefully expand its donor base in the digital world.
Since the Oct. 25 launch of its Amazon.ca storefront, the legion says it has received nearly 10,000 orders for poppies.
Online shoppers can order lapel poppies on Amazon in exchange for donations or buy items such as “We Remember” lawn signs, Remembrance Day pins and other accessories, with all proceeds going to the legion’s Poppy Trust Fund for Canadian veterans and their families.
Nujma Bond, the legion’s national spokesperson, said the organization sees this move as keeping up with modern purchasing habits.
“As the world around us evolves we have been looking at different ways to distribute poppies and to make it easier for people to access them,” she said in an interview.
“This is definitely a way to reach a wider number of Canadians of all ages. And certainly younger Canadians are much more active on the web, on social media in general, so we’re also engaging in that way.”
Al Plume, a member of a legion branch in Trenton, Ont., said the online store can also help with outreach to veterans who are far from home.
“For veterans that are overseas and are away, (or) can’t get to a store they can order them online, it’s Amazon.” Plume said.
Plume spent 35 years in the military with the Royal Engineers, and retired eight years ago. He said making sure veterans are looked after is his passion.
“I’ve seen the struggles that our veterans have had with Veterans Affairs … and that’s why I got involved, with making sure that the people get to them and help the veterans with their paperwork.”
But the message about the Amazon storefront didn’t appear to reach all of the legion’s locations, with volunteers at Branch 179 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive saying they hadn’t heard about the online push.
Holly Paddon, the branch’s poppy campaign co-ordinator and bartender, said the Amazon partnership never came up in meetings with other legion volunteers and officials.
“I work at the legion, I work with the Vancouver poppy office and I go to the meetings for the Vancouver poppy campaign — which includes all the legions in Vancouver — and not once has this been mentioned,” she said.
Paddon said the initiative is a great idea, but she would like to have known more about it.
The legion also sells a larger collection of items at poppystore.ca.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
