A new poll has shown that most Canadians have little or no confidence in the ability of either of the major parties or law enforcement to stop foreign interference in elections.
According to the Angus Reid poll, only 5% of Canadians have a lot of confidence in parliament’s ability to address foreign interference, compared to 38% who have a little confidence and 47% who have no confidence (10% are not sure).
Moreover, 58% have no confidence in the Liberal Party’s ability to address foreign interference in elections, while 45% share that view for the Conservative Party.
For law enforcement, the numbers are slightly better. Half of Canadians (50%) have some confidence in CSIS’ ability to address foreign interference, while 19% have a lot of confidence and 20% have none. Similarly, 12% have a lot of confidence, 45% have some confidence, and 31% have no confidence in the RCMP’s ability to address foreign interference.
The poll also found that Canadians believe that all federal leaders should be given security clearance to read the NSICOP report—which Poilievre is currently refusing due to the Liberal gag order.
Additionally, 69% of Canadians want a release of all of the names of MPs implicated in the report to have in some way aided foreign actors in undermining Canadian elections.
Liberal voters hesitant to have names released
Notably, this proportion is lowest (but still a majority) for Liberal voters at just 51% wanting a release of names compared to 89% of Conservative voters and 60% of NDP voters.
A total of 68% also say that parliament needs to take foreign interference more seriously, with 66% saying Trudeau, specifically, needs to do so.
Most Canadians are also at least somewhat aware of the issue of foreign interference in Canadian elections, too, with 30% actively following it in the news and/or having discussions about it, 32% having seen an article or having the odd conversation on it, 21% having just seen headlines, and 17% saying they haven’t seen in anything.
