Canadians Clearly Support Ideas to Deal with Gang Violence
[VANCOUVER – Mar. 5, 2009] – Canadians are overwhelmingly supportive of introducing tougher laws to deal with an apparent surge in gang activity, a new Angus Reid Strategies poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 45 per cent of Canadian adults say that there is a serious national gang problem currently affecting everyone. Half of respondents, on the other hand, believe that Canada’s gang problem is confined to specific areas and people.
Respondents across the country are clearly supportive of tougher legislation to deal with gang problems. The vast majority of respondents (at least 93%) agree with two measures recently proposed by the Conservative government led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper: treating any gang-related homicide as a first-degree murder, and ensuring mandatory minimum prison sentences for serious drug-crimes, such as drive-by shootings.
There is also a high level of support for three initiatives recently discussed by British Columbia Attorney General Wally Oppal: loosening the evidence disclosure law to allow for a speedy prosecution of gang members (81%); eliminating the sentencing provision that grants offenders two days credit for every one day spent in custody awaiting trial (76%), and allowing law enforcement officials to have wiretap access to intercept cell phone conversations and other wireless communications (68%).
In BC, where people have been exposed to several news stories related to gang violence this year, support for the five measures is just as high as everywhere else in Canada.
While support for tougher legislation on gang activity runs high from coast to coast, Canadians are not as warm to the Harper administration’s initiatives to fight the consumption and trafficking of illicit drugs—a package introduced in 2007 that was never endorsed by the House of Commons.
Half of Canadians (49%) say the country faces a national drug abuse problem, although one third (34%) say this problem is confined to specific areas and people.
Three-in-four Canadians (76%) back the proposal to ensure mandatory minimum prison sentences and large fines for marijuana grow operators and drug dealers. However, 50 per cent also support the legalization of this particular drug—less than eight per cent of Canadians would legalize hard drugs such as cocaine or crystal meth.
Almost half of Canadians (48%) oppose the current federal administration’s decision to scrap the previous government’s marijuana decriminalization legislation. A majority (51%) also rejects the elimination of “harm-reduction” programs, such as supervised injection sites and needle-exchange programs. The proportion of respondents who oppose these two initiatives has decreased since May 2008.
The one idea that is clearly backed by Canadians is the introduction of a National Anti-Drug Strategy to discourage young Canadians from using drugs. Nine-in-ten respondents (89%) support this initiative.
Analysis
The survey shows a country that appears to relate differently to gangs and drugs. While roughly the same proportion of Canadians believe Canada's gang and drug problems are serious (45% for gangs, 49% for drugs), respondents are more likely to deem gangs as a situation that only affects specific areas and people (50%) than to think of drug abuse in the same light (34%).
The high level of support for the proposals to deal with gang violence shows that Canadians are willing to amend existing guidelines to deal with gang violence. Even the controversial policy to allow wiretaps is supported by two-thirds of respondents, and the two ideas recently introduced by the federal government—mandatory minimum sentences for serious drug crimes and making gang-related homicides a first-degree murder charge—are almost universally backed.
CONTACT:
Tim Olafson, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, 403-543-1088, tim.olafson@angus-reid.com
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs, 604-647-3570, mario.canseco@angus-reid.com
Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)