Although the death penalty has been banned in Canada since 1976, a recent poll shows that 57% Canadians support bringing it back for murder.
The findings come from Research and Co.’s latest poll of 1,002 adults nationwide.
“This is the highest number we have recorded in five yearly measurements, up three points since 2023 and up six points since 2022,” they stated.
Part of the reason for the uptick could be due to an increase in immigration to Canada.
Research and Co. stated that while 31% of White Canadians believe the death penalty is ‘never’ appropriate, “the proportions are lower among respondents whose origins are Indigenous (20 per cent), South Asian (15 per cent) and East Asian (10 per cent).”
The development comes shortly after news broke that serial killer Robert Pickton, aka the Pig Farmer Killer, recently became eligible to apply for day parole. Pickton was convicted of six murders but he’s claimed he killed 49 women and regretted not making it “an even 50.”
The poll found that for opponents of the death penalty, their main argument against it is the possibility of a wrongful conviction. 38% of those who oppose the death penalty believe it’s not a deterrent, though less than 1 in 5 opponents think that murderers can ever be rehabilitated.
