Canadians Agree Torture Isn't Effective – Canada Should Not Use Intelligence Gleaned from Tortur

In the first national wave of the Campaign Research Poll, a randomly sampled, representative telephone survey conducted among 1,457 Canadian voters, more than 7 in 10 Canadians agree torture is not an effective means of getting information (71%). This is especially characteristic of females (77%) rather than males (65%); the oldest (65+ -75%); in Quebec (83%); in mid-income groups($60k to 80k -75%); and among New Democrats (88%). Fewer than one fifth agree torture is effective for intelligence gathering (19%) and these are especially likely to be males (26%); the youngest (under 35 - 26%); in the Prairies (23%); among the weariest ($100k to 250k - 28%); and among Conservatives (32%). One tenth do not know whether torture is effective or not (10%).

STRONG AGREEMENT CANADA SHOULD NOT USE INTELLIGENCE GLEANED FROM TORTURE

Six in ten Canadians agree Canada should not use intelligence from the United States if it was gained through torture (60%), while just more than a quarter think we should use it (26%). Just more than a tenth don't offer an opinion (13%). Disavowing intelligence gleaned through torture is common to females (69%) rather than males (51%); the oldest (65+ – 69%); in Quebec 70%); among the wealthier ($80k to $100k – 70%); and among Greens (74%), Liberals (75%) and New Democrats (76%). Agreeing that Canada should be able to use this type of intelligence is characteristic of males (38%); younger age groups (35 to 44 –31%); in Ontario (28%), the Prairies (29%) and Alberta (30%); among the wealthiest ($100k to 250k – 39%); among Conservatives (48%).

"Canadians will have very opinions on the subject of torture, and see it as neither effective nor as a source for useful intelligence. It really only has any currency in the west among Conservative voters," said Eli Yufest, CEO of Campaign Research.

METHODOLOGY

This poll was conducted between February 3 and 6, 2017, among a randomly selected sample of 1,457 Canadian voters. The poll was conducted by Interactive Voice response (IVR) and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3%, 19 times out of 20.