New poll shows little support for Alberta's Kyoto stance

November 15, 2002 - VANCOUVER – A new poll casts doubt on claims by Alberta Premier Ralph Klein that Canadians who support a ‘made in Canada’ plan on global warming oppose the Kyoto Protocol.

In fact, the poll shows a solid majority of Canadians (74 per cent) want a ‘made in Canada’ response to Kyoto to meet or exceed the accord’s emissions reduction target. Just 17 per cent say a ‘made in Canada’ plan should fall below the Kyoto target.

“Previous surveys have found that some Canadians want a ‘made in Canada’ response to Kyoto, I have yet to see a poll that has asked respondents exactly what this means to them,” said David Hocking, communications director with the Suzuki Foundation. “The poll shows that when Canadians say they want a ‘made in Canada’ solution to climate change, they want it to meet or exceed the emissions reduction target of the Kyoto Protocol.”

The Kyoto Protocol would commit Canada to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels over the next 10 years. The Alberta government, backed by oil industry lobby groups, has proposed what it calls a ‘made in Canada’ plan as an alternative to Kyoto. That plan calls on Canada to meet the Kyoto target over 50 years instead of 10, and allows for increases in emissions during that time.

Conducted for the David Suzuki Foundation, the poll was released in Vancouver this morning, one hour before Alberta Premier Ralph Klein gave a speech at a Vancouver hotel.

The poll showed support for Kyoto holding steady. The percentage of Canadians saying they support adopting Kyoto (74 per cent) was identical to that found in an Ipsos-Reid survey released last week.

The new poll differed from the earlier survey, however, in that it asked Canadians to define how a ‘made in Canada’ solution should respond to Kyoto. Respondents were asked whether the ‘made in Canada’ targets should meet, go farther than, or not go as far as Kyoto’s.

Forty-four per cent of Canadians said such a plan should meet the Kyoto targets. Another 30 per cent said it should go farther. Only 17 per cent of Canadians said they would like a ‘made in Canada’ plan not to go as far as Kyoto. Eight per cent didn’t know.

“Premier Klein is trying to convince Canadians that his ‘made in Canada’ plan is a better alternative to the Kyoto Protocol,” said Mr. Hocking. “He’s claiming that support for a ‘made in Canada’ plan is a rejection of Kyoto. This poll shows that’s not true.”

The poll also asked Canadians whether they preferred the Kyoto plan to achieve the six per cent Kyoto target over 10 years, versus Alberta’s ‘made in Canada’ plan to achieve the same reduction by the year 2050. In response, a majority (69 per cent) of Canadians supported the 10 year deadline stipulated by Kyoto; fewer than one in five (19 per cent) supported Alberta’s 50 year plan. Another five per cent did not like either plan and seven per cent expressed no preference.

Asked whether the federal and provincial governments should continue consulting until they have reached a clear agreement on how to implement Kyoto, or whether it is now time to make a decision, a solid majority of Canadians (60 per cent) favoured making a decision now. Thirty-six per cent wanted consultations to continue.

The national telephone poll contacted a random sample of 1,009 Canadians between November 9 and 11, 2002. A random sample of this size has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent 19 times out of 20. The poll was conducted by McAllister Opinion Research based in Vancouver.

Complete poll results, methodology and background information

For more information, call:
Sarah Marchildon
Communications specialist
David Suzuki Foundation
604-732-4228, ext. 237

Angus McAllister
President
McAllister Opinion Research
604-601-2111