A cross-sectional study of public opinions and attitudes towards agriculture, agri-food and issues affecting the Canadian food space. This polling was done in partnership with Grassroots Public Affairs - a government relations firm in Toronto with a strong track record of working with clients in the agri-food sector.

1. The Delphi
Plebiscite
A cross-sectional study of
Canadian public opinion and
voting behavior
Focus on Agriculture
December 2, 2020

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

3. Public Policy Management When asked which party
would be best suited to
handle 13 different policy
issues, roughly one-third
of Canadians were unable
to name a particular
party for each issue
measured.
The Liberal Party was
seen to be better suited
than other parties to
manage agriculture and
food security.

4. 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…

5. 36%
34%
32%
30%
29%
29%
27%
26%
26%
29%
29%
31%
39%
26%
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
32%
29%
28%
28%
33%
28%
27%
29%
31%
33%
32%
26%
34%
Darker colours signify issue
ownership (more than any
other party as well as the %
who say they do not know).
Lighter colours signify a
competitive advantage (more
than any other party but less
the % that does not know).
The Liberal Party has a
competitive advantage on
managing agriculture and
food security.

6. 26%
28%
23%
36%
30%
26%
24%
23%
16%
38%
26%
25%
20%
20%
18%
21%
26%
16%
18%
12%
24%
12%
34%
35%
22%
17%
33%
20%
17%
18%
9%
10%
9%
8%
6%
9%
9%
13%
13%
5%
13%
5%
10%
14%
7%
32%
25%
39%
32%
38%
31%
36%
23%
29%
23%
33%
27%
37%
37%
43%
CANADIANS OVERALL
MEN
WOMEN
ATLANTIC
BRITISH COLUMBIA
ONTARIO
QUEBEC
ALBERTA
THE PRAIRIES
65 OR OVER
35 TO 44
55 TO 64
45 TO 54
25 TO 34
18 TO 24
Which political party do you believe is best suited to
handle each of the following public policy issues?
(Agriculture and Food Security)
Liberal Party of Canada Conservative Party of Canada
New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) Don't know
Atlantic Canada and BC residents as
well as those over the age of 65 were
more likely than Canadians overall to
say that the Liberal Party would be
best suited to manage agriculture and
food security.
Residents in the Heartland (Alberta
and the Prairies) as well as those 55-
64 were more likely to see the Tories
as best suited to manage the issue.
Women, BC residents and those under
the age of 45 more likely to say they
don’t know which party would be best
suited to manage the issue.
In Focus:
Agriculture and Food Security

7. 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.
Public more likely to support
increased government spending
on science, technology and
innovation but less on
automotive and manufacturing.
Increased government spending
on agriculture and agri-food
greatly outweighs decreased
spending on the sector.

8. 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.
One third of Canadians
believe the federal
government should
spend more on
agriculture and agri-
food.

9. 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
agriculture and agri-
food outweighs
decreased spending by
a ratio of 4:1.

10. 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.

11. 28%
36%
35%
32%
29%
28%
23%
36%
29%
27%
27%
21%
53%
50%
48%
48%
60%
49%
57%
38%
56%
60%
57%
66%
7%
8%
7%
7%
5%
4%
7%
8%
7%
7%
7%
8%
CANADIANS OVERALL
ATLANTIC
QUEBEC
THE PRAIRIES
ALBERTA
BRITISH COLUMBIA
ONTARIO
UNDER $40,000
$60,000 TO UNDER $80,000
$100,000 OR MORE
$40,000 TO UNDER $60,000
$80,000 TO UNDER $100,000
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.

12. 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
Small businesses
Farmers and agri-food workers
Groups with colder feelings (0-4):
Labour unions
Politicians and lawmakers
Lobbyists and special interests groups

13. 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)
Majority of Canadians hold warm or
very warm feelings towards farmers
Warmer
Feelings
Colder
Feelings

14. 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.
One in twenty Canadians
said they had cold(er)
feelings towards farmers
and agri-food workers.

15. 5%
4%
4%
74%
79%
83%
81%
CANADIANS OVERALL
ALBERTA
65 OR OVER
55 TO 64
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.
(Farmers and agri-food workers)
Cooler feelings (0-4)
Warmer feelings (6-10)
Alberta residents and
those over the age of
55 were more likely
than Canadians overall
to have warmer
feelings towards
farmers and agri-food
workers.

16. 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.

17. 17%
23%
22%
CANADIANS
OVERALL
I WAS BORN
ELSEWHERE
25 TO 34
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.
(Farmers and agri-food workers)
5 Neither cold
nor warm
Those between the ages of
25-34 and those who said
they were born outside of
Canada were more likely
than Canadians overall to
have neutral (neither cold
nor warm) feelings towards
farmers and agri-food
workers.

18. 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)

19. 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%

20. 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%

21. 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%

22. 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%

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