This is The Week in Polling, your Saturday dose of interesting numbers from top pollsters in Canada and around the world, curated by The Hub. Here’s what we’re looking at this week.
Canadians are split on the government’s decision to raise Gazan refugee cap
Due to the war in Israel and Gaza that has occurred since October 7, the Canadian government has announced they will be increasing the number of Gazans who are able to be processed for temporary visas, now allowing 5,000 Gazans to immigrate to Canada. This decision only regards Gazans who have relatives in Canada. Canadians are split as to whether to support this decision or oppose it.
The Canadian government allowed Egyptian Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi and his son Mostafa Eldidi into Canada years before being arrested for allegedly being in the late stages of planning a terrorist attack to happen in Toronto. It was later found that Eldidi was permitted into Canada after he was allegedly featured as an assailant in a gruesome ISIS video. The government claims that they were unaware of the video’s existence.
Still, the government says that his security screening for his citizenship to be granted resulted in a “favourable recommendation.” More than 60 percent of Canadians are not confident that the government of Canada is thoroughly screening immigrants from the Middle East.
American politicians are not confident in the government either. Six U.S. Senators, including Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, recently warned the Canadian government that this decision could give Gazans with ties to Hamas easy access to the United States.
The majority of Canadians believe the Liberals will admit too many immigrants
With nearly two-thirds of Canadians opposing the Liberal government’s plans to have almost 1.5 million new immigrants come to Canada by 2026, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre could have shared the opinions of the majority of Canadians when he said that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has ruined the “multigenerational consensus” that bringing more people to live on Canadian soil is a benefit to all Canadians.
Moreover, 78 percent of respondents believe that current immigration rates contribute to the housing availability and affordability crises in Canada. More than 75 percent also say that current immigration rates contribute to the stress on health-care systems across Canada.
More than three-quarters of Canadians oppose $18 million in CBC bonuses
More than three-quarters of Canadians oppose the CBC dolling out $18 million in taxpayer money to their executives and employees. According to a document made available to the National Post, of the $18 million, $3.3 million went to executives while another $10 million was paid to managers and $4.6 million to “other eligible employees.”
The bonuses come after the CBC cut more than 140 jobs and got rid of 205 vacant positions during the last fiscal year.
Aiden Muscovitch is a student at the University of Toronto studying Ethics, Society and Law. He has served as The Hub's Assistant Editor and writes The Week in Polling. He has also worked as an intern for Conservative Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Michael Chong.
