One of the public policy realms Delphi measured in its most recent wave of research was crime and law enforcement. More specifically, we were curious to learn more about: -Which political party was seen as best suited to manage crime and justice. -Whether government spending on crime should be increased or decreased. -Whether the Canadian public had warm or cold feelings towards police and law enforcement. -Where gun violence and violent crime stood in relation to other major cultural issues with respect to importance. Here is a closer look at our polling on crime and law enforcement.

1. The Delphi
Plebiscite
A cross-sectional study of
Canadian public opinion and
voting behavior
Focus on Crime and
Law Enforcement
December 4, 2020

2. Table of Contents
Public Policy Management
Government Spending
Feelings Towards Groups,
Professions and
Institutions
Cultural Issues and
Debates
Methodology
Sample Demographics
Contact Us

3. 36%
34%
32%
30%
29%
29%
27%
26%
26%
26%
26%
23%
17%
18%
26%
21%
29%
23%
18%
18%
16%
29%
31%
21%
13%
39%
9%
7%
12%
7%
8%
19%
23%
22%
8%
6%
9%
10%
6%
9%
26%
32%
29%
28%
28%
33%
28%
27%
29%
31%
33%
32%
26%
34%
MANAGING THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19
TRADE AND FOREIGN POLICY
IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEES
GROWING THE ECONOMY AND CREATING
JOBS
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
HEALTH CARE
WELFARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY
PHARMACARE AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG
COVERAGE
CRIME AND JUSTICE
SECURITY, DEFENCE AND THE MILITARY
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
REDUCING THE DEFICIT/DEBT
Which political party do you believe is best suited to
handle each of the following public policy issues?
Liberal Party of Canada Conservative Party of Canada New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP)
The Green Party of Canada Don't know
Liberals seen to be best suited to manage
the majority of the issues measured.
NDP fails to own any one issue but is most
competitive on pharmacare, welfare and
health care.
The Tories are more likely to be seen as
best suited to handle crime, defence,
reducing the deficit/debt, and are very
competitive on the economy.
The Green Party is seen to be better
suited to manage the environment than
any other party.
Across 13 different
public policy realms…

4. Among Canadians overall, the Tories are
seen to be slightly better suited to manage
Crime and Justice than the Liberals.
When viewed through the lens of
partisanship, Tory voters have a greater
level of faith in their party to manage than
Liberal voters have in their own party.
Atlantic Canadian residents are evenly
divided as to which party would be best
suited to manage crime but Atlantic
Canadians are more likely than Canadians
overall to choose the Liberal Party to
manage the issue.
Those between the ages of 55-64 were
more likely than Canadians overall to trust
the Conservative Party to manage crime
while those over the age of 65 were more
likely to trust the Liberals.
29%
11%
30%
31%
37%
37%
37%
38%
40%
84%
26%
67%
39%
31%
27%
30%
26%
16%
25%
4%
CANADIANS OVERALL
DECIDED LIBERAL VOTERS
65 OR OVER
ATLANTIC
MEN
$100,000 OR MORE
55 TO 64
THE PRAIRIES
ALBERTA
DECIDED CONSERVATIVE VOTERS
Which political party do you believe is best suited to
handle each of the following public policy issues?
(Crime and Justice)
Conservative Party of Canada Liberal Party of Canada

5. Government Spending One third of Canadians
believe the federal
government should spend
more on COVID-19 relief
measures.
More than four in ten say the
government should spend
more on the environment.
One in three believe that
the federal government
should spend more on crime
and justice.

6. 61%
56%
46%
44%
44%
33%
33%
32%
28%
28%
27%
20%
14%
10%
28%
31%
37%
40%
36%
49%
42%
43%
53%
53%
48%
50%
46%
50%
3%
5%
7%
5%
11%
8%
16%
15%
9%
7%
13%
21%
27%
27%
HEALTH CARE
MENTAL HEALTH
PHARMACARE AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG
COVERAGE
SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
THE ENVIRONMENT
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
COVID-19 RELIEF MEASURES
WELFARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY
CRIME AND JUSTICE
AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND BROADBAND
CONNECTIVITY
DEFENCE AND SECURITY
NATURAL RESOURCE EXTRACTION
AUTOMOTIVE AND MANUFACTURING
For each of the following public policy realms listed below,
please tell us whether you believe the federal government
should spend more, spend less or spend about the same as
now.
Spend more Spend about the same as now Spend less
The top three policy realms
that Canadians wanted to see
more spending on revolve
around health care.
Canadians were more divided
as to whether the government
should spend more or less on
defence and security.
More than half of Canadians
believe that government
spending should remain the
same as now.

7. 3%
5%
7%
5%
11%
8%
16%
15%
9%
7%
13%
21%
27%
27%
61%
56%
46%
44%
44%
33%
33%
32%
28%
28%
27%
20%
14%
10%
HEALTH CARE
MENTAL HEALTH
PHARMACARE AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG
COVERAGE
SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
THE ENVIRONMENT
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
COVID-19 RELIEF MEASURES
WELFARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY
CRIME AND JUSTICE
AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND BROADBAND
CONNECTIVITY
DEFENCE AND SECURITY
NATURAL RESOURCE EXTRACTION
AUTOMOTIVE AND MANUFACTURING
For each of the following public policy realms listed
below, please tell us whether you believe the federal
government should spend more, spend less or spend
about the same as now.
Spend less Spend more
More or Less
Support for increased
spending on crime and
justice outweighs reduced
spending by 3:1.
The highest levels of support
for decreased spending were
found among natural
resource extraction as well
as automotive and
manufacturing.

8. 9%
6%
7%
5%
15%
23%
28%
38%
34%
34%
21%
13%
CANADIANS OVERALL
DECIDED CONSERVATIVE
VOTERS
45 TO 54
65 OR OVER
35 TO 44
DECIDED NDP VOTERS
For each of the following public policy realms listed
below, please tell us whether you believe the federal
government should spend more, spend less or spend
about the same as now.
(Crime and Justice)
Spend less Spend more
More or Less
The largest divisions around government
spending on crime and justice revolve
around partisanship and age.
Generally speaking, those under the age
of 45 were more likely than Canadians
overall to support reduced spending while
those over 45 favoured increased
spending on crime.
Tory voters were more likely to support
increased spending on crime while NDP
voters were more likely to support
decreased spending.

9. 53%
53%
50%
50%
49%
48%
46%
43%
42%
40%
37%
36%
31%
28%
AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD
CRIME AND JUSTICE
DEFENCE AND SECURITY
AUTOMOTIVE AND MANUFACTURING
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND BROADBAND
CONNECTIVITY
NATURAL RESOURCE EXTRACTION
WELFARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY
COVID-19 RELIEF MEASURES
SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
PHARMACARE AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG
COVERAGE
THE ENVIRONMENT
MENTAL HEALTH
HEALTH CARE
For each of the following public policy realms listed
below, please tell us whether you believe the federal
government should spend more, spend less or spend
about the same as now.
Canadians were more
ambivalent about
government spending on
agriculture and agri-food
followed by crime and
justice.
Opinions about spending
were more concrete
(fewest % of people saying
‘the same as now’) around
the environment, mental
heath and heath care.

10. Decided Liberal Party
voters and those living in
households earning
$100k/year or more were
more likely than
Canadians overall to
believe the federal
government should spend
the same as they do now
on crime and justice.
53%
61%
61%
CANADIANS OVERALL
DECIDED LIBERAL
VOTERS
$100,000 OR MORE
For each of the following public policy realms listed
below, please tell us whether you believe the federal
government should spend more, spend less or spend
about the same as now.
(Crime and Justice)
Spend about the
same as now

11. Feelings Towards Groups,
Professions and Institutions
Using a feeling thermometer (a scale
ranging from 0, meaning very cold, to
10 meaning very warm, and 5
meaning neither cold nor warm),
respondents were asked to identify
how warm or cold their feelings are
towards 17 groups, professions and
institutions.
Groups with warmer feelings (6-10):
Nurses
Doctors
Police and law enforcement
Journalists
Groups with colder feelings (0-4):
Labour unions
Politicians and lawmakers
Lobbyists and special interests groups

12. 3%
5%
4%
5%
11%
6%
18%
14%
12%
22%
24%
33%
32%
38%
47%
47%
56%
84%
78%
76%
74%
71%
71%
57%
53%
53%
42%
41%
30%
30%
29%
20%
20%
11%
NURSES
DOCTORS
SMALL BUSINESSES
FARMERS AND AGRI-FOOD WORKERS
TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS
SCIENTISTS
POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
CANADA POST AND POSTAL WORKERS
ACADEMICS
TRADITIONAL MEDIA OUTLETS (NEWSPAPERS,
RADIO STATIONS, TELEVISION NETWORKS, ETC.)
JOURNALISTS
BANKING AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
CIVIL SERVANTS AND BUREAUCRATS
LABOUR UNIONS
POLITICIANS AND LAWMAKERS
SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS (TWITTER, FACEBOOK,
ETC.)
LOBBYISTS AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Please tell us on a scale from 0, meaning very cold
feelings, to 10 meaning very warm feelings, and 5 meaning
neither cold nor warm feelings, how you feel about each
of the following groups or entities listed below.
Cooler feelings (0-4)
Warmer feelings (6-10)
Traditional media outlets
were viewed more
warmly than social media
outlets.
Small businesses viewed
more warmly than
banking and financial
institutions.
Warmer feelings for
police and law
enforcement outweigh
colder feelings by 3:1.

13. 18%
9%
11%
9%
18%
23%
23%
39%
53%
57%
72%
72%
67%
63%
51%
44%
39%
36%
CANADIANS OVERALL
DECIDED CONSERVATIVE VOTERS
65 OR OVER
55 TO 64
$100,000 OR MORE
35 TO 44
25 TO 34
DECIDED NDP VOTERS
18 TO 24
Please tell us on a scale from 0, meaning very cold
feelings, to 10 meaning very warm feelings, and 5 meaning
neither cold nor warm feelings, how you feel about each
of the following groups or entities listed below.
(Police and law enforcement)
Cooler feelings (0-4) Warmer feelings (6-10)
Similar to increased/decreased
government spending, divisions
around how police and law
enforcement are perceived are
largely found around age and
partisanship.
Those under the age of 45 were
more likely to hold colder
feelings towards police and law
enforcement while those over
the age of 55 held warmer
feelings.

14. 33%
33%
32%
31%
30%
28%
28%
28%
28%
26%
21%
19%
17%
15%
14%
13%
9%
BANKING AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
CIVIL SERVANTS AND BUREAUCRATS
TRADITIONAL MEDIA OUTLETS (NEWSPAPERS, RADIO
STATIONS, TELEVISION NETWORKS, ETC.)
ACADEMICS
JOURNALISTS
LABOUR UNIONS
SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS (TWITTER, FACEBOOK,
ETC.)
POLITICIANS AND LAWMAKERS
CANADA POST AND POSTAL WORKERS
LOBBYISTS AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
SCIENTISTS
FARMERS AND AGRI -FOOD WORKERS
SMALL BUSINESSES
TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS
DOCTORS
NURSES
Please tell us on a scale from 0, meaning very cold feelings,
to 10 meaning very warm feelings, and 5 meaning neither cold
nor warm feelings, how you feel about each of the following
groups or entities listed below.
5 Neither cold
nor warm
Canadians were more tepid
about larger institutions such as
banks, public sector
bureaucracy and traditional
media outlets.
Feelings were more defined
(fewer % of people rating the
group as a 5) around health care
workers, education staff, small
businesses and those in
agriculture.
One in five Canadians overall
held neutral feelings towards
police and law enforcement.

15. 21%
28%
26%
CANADIANS OVERALL
NEWCOMER/WAS BORN
OUTSIDE OF CANADA
UNDER $40,000
Please tell us on a scale from 0, meaning very cold feelings, to 10
meaning very warm feelings, and 5 meaning neither cold nor warm
feelings, how you feel about each of the following groups or
entities listed below.
(Police and law enforcement)
5 Neither cold
nor warm
Those who said they were
born outside of Canada and
those living in households
earning <$40k/year were
more likely than Canadians
overall to have neutral
feelings towards police and
law enforcement.

16. 11%
6% 7% 5% 9%
28%
10%6% 7% 3%3%
Labour unions
3%2% 3% 3% 7%
21%
12%12%13%9%10%
Police and law enforcement
2%1% 2% 2% 4%
31%
12%14%13%
7%7%
Academics
2%1% 2% 2% 4%
14%
8%12%
19%
13%
18%
Teachers and educators
1%2% 2% 4% 6%
28%
11%12%14%
8%8%
Canada Post and postal workers
0%1% 1% 1% 2%
15%
10%14%
19%17%16%
Small businesses
6%4% 5% 7%10%
33%
10%9% 5% 3%3%
Banking and financial institutions
14%
7% 8% 8%10%
28%
7% 4% 5% 2%1%
Social media outlets (Twitter, Facebook,
etc.)
5%3% 3% 5% 7%
32%
11%12%10%6%4%
Traditional media outlets (Newspapers,
radio stations, television networks, etc.)
5%2% 4% 5% 8%
30%
11%11%12%
4%4%
Journalists
11%7% 9% 9%11%
28%
7% 6% 4% 2%1%
Politicians and lawmakers
1%0% 1% 2% 2%
17%
10%
14%
18%
15%17%
Farmers and agri-food workers
19%
10%9% 9%10%
26%
4% 2% 2% 2% 1%
Lobbyists and special interest groups
6%4% 6% 6%10%
33%
10%7% 6% 3%3%
Civil servants and bureaucrats
1%1% 1% 1% 3%
19%
8%13%
19%14%17%
Scientists
1%0% 0% 1% 1%
9% 6% 9%
17%19%
33%
Nurses
1%0% 1% 1% 2%
13%9%13%
19%15%
23%
Doctors
0 (Very cold feelings) 1 2 3 4 5 Neither cold nor warm 6 7 8 9 10 (Very warm feelings)
Canadians are more likely to have warmer
feelings towards police and law enforcement
than colder feelings.
Warmer
Feelings
Colder
Feelings

17. Cultural Issues and Debates
From a list of 12 different cultural
issues and debates, we asked
respondents to tell us how important
(on a scale from 1, meaning not very
important, to 5 meaning very
important) each issue was to them.
This was more so a measure of
intensity as opposed to direction -
we did not ask any other questions
that gauge where respondents stood
on the issue or asked them to assign
a value judgment to the topic.
While not as newsworthy or spoken
about as racial or gender equality,
hunger and food security was seen as
the most important issue followed by
gun violence and violent crime
(highest % of respondents placing the
issue on a 5 on the scale).

18. 6%
4%
6%
6%
8%
14%
10%
15%
3%
6%
6%
5%
5%
6%
8%
8%
12%
10%
13%
12%
13%
14%
15%
15%
16%
18%
18%
19%
21%
23%
26%
23%
26%
23%
25%
29%
25%
28%
25%
28%
24%
21%
27%
21%
52%
49%
45%
44%
43%
38%
38%
33%
28%
27%
20%
22%
HUNGER AND FOOD SECURITY
GUN VIOLENCE AND VIOLENT CRIME
RACIAL EQUALITY AND JUSTICE
FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
INCOME INEQUALITY
FEMINISM AND EQUALITY BETWEEN MEN AND
WOMEN
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
RECONCILIATION WITH INDIGENOUS
CANADIANS
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
IMMIGRATION, REFUGEES AND ASYLUM
SEEKERS
ISSUES AFFECTING THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
When thinking about the different cultural issues listed below,
please tell us on a scale from 1 to 5, 1 meaning not very, and 5
meaning very, how important each issue is to you?
1 (Not very important) 2 3 4 5 (Very important)
Gun violence and violent crime
seen to be one of the most
important issues facing
Canadians overall.
Canadians placed lower levels of
importance on religious
freedom, immigration, and
issues affecting the LGBTQ+
community.
While more than six in ten
viewed income inequality and
feminism as important or very
important, they were closer to
the halfway point of importance
on the list of issues measured.

19. 26%
23%
25%
29%
25%
28%
25%
28%
24%
21%
27%
21%
52%
49%
45%
44%
43%
38%
38%
33%
28%
27%
20%
22%
HUNGER AND FOOD SECURITY
GUN VIOLENCE AND VIOLENT CRIME
RACIAL EQUALITY AND JUSTICE
FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
INCOME INEQUALITY
FEMINISM AND EQUALITY BETWEEN MEN AND
WOMEN
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
RECONCILIATION WITH INDIGENOUS
CANADIANS
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
IMMIGRATION, REFUGEES AND ASYLUM
SEEKERS
ISSUES AFFECTING THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
When thinking about the different cultural issues listed below,
please tell us on a scale from 1 to 5, 1 meaning not very, and 5
meaning very, how important each issue is to you?
1 (Not very important) 2 3 4 5 (Very important)
In Focus:
Most-to-Least
Half of Canadians saw
gun violence and
violent crime as a
very important issue.

20. 23%
18%
23%
29%
27%
24%
49%
67%
56%
50%
50%
53%
CANADIANS OVERALL
65 OR OVER
DECIDED LIBERAL
VOTERS
18 TO 24
ATLANTIC
ONTARIO
When thinking about the different cultural issues listed below,
please tell us on a scale from 1 to 5, 1 meaning not very, and 5
meaning very, how important each issue is to you ?
(Gun violence and violent crime)
1 (Not very important) 2 3 4 5 (Very important)
In Focus:
Most-to-Least
The intensity of importance
placed on gun violence and
violent crime were notable among
those under the age of 25 and
those over the age of 65.
Decided Liberal voters were more
likely than Canadians overall to
place higher levels of importance
on gun violence.
Atlantic Canada and Ontario
residents were more likely to see
gun violence and violent crime as
a fairly or very important issue.

21. Methodology
Online survey by way of a
demographically representative
panel of Canadians
N=1,000 adults
(aged 18 and older)
Survey made available in
English and French
Interlocking quotas as set out
in the Canadian Census
by way of age, gender,
province.
Survey fieldwork took place
from November 20 through 25,
2020
Margin of Error: N/A for online
polls (comparable margin of
error would be +/- 3%,
19 times out of 20)

22. Sample Demographics
Gender % of Sample
Men 48.4%
Women 51.3%
Other 0.3%
Age % of Sample
18-24 2.8%
25-34 24.5%
35-44 15%
45-54 20.6%
55-64 15%
65+ 22.1%
Education
% of
Sample
High School or Less 13.2%
Some University or College 16.7%
College or University Degree 51.7%
Master’s Degree or Higher 18.4%

23. Sample Demographics
Province % of Sample
Newfoundland & Labrador 1.2%
Prince Edward Island 0.6%
New Brunswick 2.2%
Nova Scotia 2.2%
Quebec 23.2%
Ontario 39.4%
Manitoba 4.7%
Saskatchewan 2.2%
Alberta 11.2%
British Columbia 13.1%

24. Sample Demographics
Household Income % of Sample
Under $30,000 8%
$30,000 to under $40,000 6.8%
$40,000 to under $50,000 5.8%
$50,000 to under $60,000 6.2%
$60,000 to under $70,000 6.7%
$70,000 to under $80,000 5.2%
$80,000 to under $90,000 5.9%
$90,000 to under $100,000 7.2%
$100,000 to under $120,000 10.2%
$120,000 or over 20.5%
Rather not say 17.5%

25. Sample Demographics
Union
Membership
% of Sample
Member 28.9%
Not a member 67.9%
Don’t know 3.2%
Born in Canada % of Sample
I was born in Canada 78.5%
I was born elsewhere 21.5%
Employment Status % of Sample
Working full-time
(30 hours a week or more)
55.1%
Working part-time
(fewer than 30 hours a week)
9.6%
Laid off, unemployed or
looking for a job
5%
Unable to work 2.9%
Retired 25.4%
Student, at school or in training 2%

26. Website: delphipolling.com
Twitter: @djsamplingerror
LinkedIn: Adrian Macaulay
Adrian Macaulay, President
adrian@delphipolling.com
647-539-7587
CONTACT US