Provinces

• When it comes to the number of Canadians who report having been contacted by email, phone, mail or in person by political leaders, there’s a 22 percentage point difference: Residents of Newfoundland report the lowest levels (50%) and residents of Manitoba report the highest (72%). 


• On social media, Canadians from PEI are the most likely to follow a politician (at 45%), while those from Saskatchewan are the least likely (15%). 


• Ontario and Alberta have the highest number who are “very” satisfied with the way democracy is working (16% and 15% respectively) and Quebec has the highest number “not satisfied at all” (15%). 


• Canadians in Ontario are the most satisfied with the way Members of Parliament are doing their jobs (53%), while those in Quebec are the least satisfied (37%). 

• British Columbians display a similar level of satisfaction as Canadians nationally:
  
  
  • 64% of people in BC are satisfied with democracy compared to 65% nationally. 
  
  
  • 44% of people in BC are satisfied with the work of MPs compared to 46% nationally. 
  
  
  • 41% of people in BC are satisfied with the work of political parties in Canada compared to 42% nationally. 
  
  
• BCers differ with some digital behaviours:
  
  
  • 25% of people in BC have discussed politics via email or text—6 percentage points lower than Canadians nationally. 
  
  
  • People in BC are the second least likely in Canada to follow politicians on social media (17%) after Saskatchewan (15%). 
  
  

ELECTORAL CONTEXT FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA

Canada’s turnout in 2011: 61.1%

British Columbia’s turnout in 2011: 55.9%

Saanich—Gulf Islands had the third highest voter turnout in 2011 (73.9%).  None of the ridings in BC fell into the bottom 10 of voter turnout. 

• Alberta ties with Ontario for second place when it comes to their residents’
  democratic satisfaction with Canada (72%). Both are just slightly behind the most satisfied province, Saskatchewan (73%). The national average for satisfaction is 65%. 


• When it comes to satisfaction with MPs’ job performance, Albertans are just as satisfied as the rest of Canada, with both at 46% satisfaction. 


• Albertans are the least likely in Canada to have worked with others to solve a problem in their community—34% of Albertans have done so compared to 40% nationally. 


• People in Alberta and New Brunswick are the least likely to be seen in the streets protesting (16%); the national rate is 22%. 


• 26% of Albertans have used email or text to discuss politics compared to 31% nationally. 

ELECTORAL CONTEXT FOR ALBERTA

Canada’s turnout in 2011: 61.1%

Alberta’s turnout in 2011: 52.3%

Alberta has the lowest province-wide federal turnout in the country. Among the 10 ridings with the lowest turnout in 2011, Alberta is home to three: Fort McMurray-Athabasca (with the lowest turnout in the country at 40.3%), Calgary East (45.9%) and Calgary Northeast (47.8%). 

• Saskatchewan’s residents are the most satisfied with the way democracy is working compared to other provinces (73%). 


• Saskatchewan is home to the second highest number of Canadians satisfied with the work of MPs (52%), the most satisfied live in Ontario (53%). 


• Saskatchewanians are more likely than other Canadians to be satisfied with the way political parties are doing their jobs (50%). 


• 53% of people in Saskatchewan have worked with others in their community to solve a problem compared to 40% nationally. 


• Over half (58%) of the province has contributed time to a charitable cause and 47% has been active with an organization, compared to 53% and 38% nationally. 


• 27% of residents have donated to a political party, which is second highest after PEI (28%) and 8 percentage points higher than the national average (19%). 


• Second to Islanders, Saskatchewanians are the most likely to have attended a political meeting or speech in the past year(36%) compared to 29% nationally. 

ELECTORAL CONTEXT FOR SASKATCHEWAN

Canada’s turnout in 2011: 61.1%

Saskatchewan’s turnout in 2011: 59.6%

The riding Blackstrap had the highest voter turnout in Saskatchewan at 69.3% in 2011, ranking 17^th overall in Canada. 

• People in Manitoba are the most likely in Canada be contacted, by phone, email, mail or in person by political leaders (72% in Manitoba vs. 63% nationally). 


• 38% of Manitobans have contacted an elected official in the past year—7 percentage points higher than the national average (31%).   


• 28% of Manitobans have used email or text messaging to discuss politics, which is slightly less than Canadians on average (31%). 


• Manitobans are the most likely to be “very” satisfied with the way MPs are doing their jobs (6% of Manitoba vs. 4% nationally). 


• Manitobans are more likely to be satisfied with the way Canadian democracy is working than Canadians on average—70% of Manitobans vs. 65% of Canadians. 

ELECTORAL CONTEXT FOR MANITOBA

Canada’s turnout in 2011: 61.1%

Manitoba’s turnout in 2011: 55.7%

Among the 10 ridings with the lowest turnout in 2011, two are in Manitoba. Churchill had the second lowest turnout in the country in 2011 (43.8%) and Winnipeg Centre had the ninth lowest (48.2%).  Manitoba had no riding in the top 10. 

• Ontario has the highest number of Canadians that are “very” satisfied with democracy (16%) and ties with Alberta for second place for overall satisfaction (72%) with the way democracy is working.  People from Saskatchewan have a slightly higher level of satisfaction (73%), compared to 65% nationally


• Ontarians are the people most satisfied in Canada with the way MPs are doing their jobs. 53% of people in Ontario are either “very” or “fairly” satisfied with MPs, compared to 46% nationally. 


• Ontario has the highest number of Canadians that trust political parties “a great deal” (7%), yet Ontarians’ overall trust of parties to do what is right is slightly below the national average (40% of Ontario vs. 42% of Canada). 


• 48% of Ontarians are “very”or “fairly” satisfied with the way political parties are doing their jobs—the second most satisfied province next to Saskatchewan (50%).


• Two-thirds (66%) of the province report being contacted by federal political leadership in the last 12 months, while one-third (33%) have reached out to contact an elected official.   

ELECTORAL CONTEXT FOR ONTARIO

Canada’s turnout in 2011: 61.1%

Ontario’s turnout in 2011: 57.6%

Among the 10 ridings with the highest turnout in 2011, four are found in Ontario: Nepean—Carleton (71.2%), Carleton—Mississippi Mills (71.7%), Ottawa—Orléans (71.7%) and Ottawa Centre (72.4%). Among the ridings with the lowest turnout, Ontario is also home to two which are in the bottom 10: York West (48.2%) and Windsor West (48.8%). 

• 51% of people in Quebec express some level of dissatisfaction with the way democracy is working—the highest among the provinces and 16 percentage points higher than the national average (35%).   


• Quebeckers are most likely to say they are not satisfied with the work of MPs (63%) compared to 54% nationally. 


• Quebec residents are the least satisfied with the way parties do their jobs (34%) compared to 42% nationally.   


• Almost half of the people in Quebec (44%) have boycotted or bought products for political reasons; this is the highest number in Canada and 7 percentage points higher than the national average (37%). 


• 24% of people in Quebec protest, the second highest behind PEI (26%) and higher than Canadians on average (22%). 


• Canadians in Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec are the least likely to report contacting MPs (25%) compared to 31% nationally. 

ELECTORAL CONTEXT FOR QUEBEC

Canada’s turnout in 2011: 61.1%

Quebec’s turnout in 2011: 63.5%

Among the 10 ridings with the highest voter turnout in 2011, two are in Quebec: in Verchères—Les Patriotes turnout was 71.4% and in Louis-Hébert’s turnout was 73.8%. No ridings with turnout in the bottom 10 were located in Quebec. 

• 67% of New Brunswick is satisfied with the way democracy is working, which is similar to the national average of 65%. 


• Over half (59%) of the province express dissatisfaction with the way MPs are doing their jobs compared to 54% nationally. 


• Two-thirds (66%) of New Brunswick residents don’t trust political parties to do what is right and 63% are dissatisfied with their work. This is one of the highest levels of dissatisfaction in Canada (both 58% nationally).   


• People in New Brunswick (70%) are the second most likely after Manitobans (72%) to be contacted by politicians or political parties, compared to 63% nationally. 


• New Brunswickers are the second most likely, after Islanders (45%), to follow politicians on social media (28%), compared to 23% nationally. 

ELECTORAL CONTEXT FOR NEW BRUNSWICK

Canada’s turnout in 2011: 61.1%

New Brunswick’s turnout in 2011: 65.6%

New Brunswick had the second highest province-wide voter turnout in Canada. The riding Miramichi had the ninth highest turnout in 2011 at 71.4%. Among ridings with the lowest turnout, none of the bottom 10 were found in New Brunswick. 

• Over half (57%) of PEI has worked with others to solve a problem in their community—more than any other province and 17 percentage points above the national average (40%). 


• PEI residents are the most likely to be seen marching the streets or organizing in public spaces—26% have protested in the past year. 


• People in PEI are nearly twice as likely (63%) to contact an elected official than Canadians elsewhere (31% nationally). 


• Residents of PEI are the most likely to use email or text to discuss politics (53%), attend a political meeting (45%) and donate to a political party (28%), but the least likely to organize an event about politics (3%). 


• 51% of Islanders are satisfied with the work of MPs in Canada, making PEI the third most satisfied province after Ontario (53%) and Saskatchewan (52%). 

 
ELECTORAL CONTEXT FOR PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Canada’s turnout in 2011: 61.1%

PEI’s turnout in 2011: 74%

PEI has the highest turnout federally in Canada and among the 10 ridings with the highest voter turnout in 2011, two are found in PEI: turnout was 77% in Cardigan and 75.7% in Malpeque. 

• 49% of Nova Scotians report  working with others to solve a problem in the community and 48% are active with an organization—compared to 40% and 38% nationally. 

• Nova Scotians are the most likely in Canada to give their time to a charitable cause (59%) compared to  53% of all Canadians.   

• Over a third (36%) of people in Nova Scotia have discussed politics via text message or email, second only to PEI residents (53%). 

• Nova Scotians (39%) are the second most likely, after Islanders (63%), to contact an elected official in the past 12 months—8 percentage points higher than the national average (31%). 

• 40% of Nova Scotia residents express some dissatisfaction with the way democracy is currently working—the highest level of dissatisfaction in any province outside of Quebec (51%). Nationally, 35% of Canadians express some level of dissatisfaction. 

ELECTORAL CONTEXT FOR NOVA SCOTIA

Canada’s turnout in 2011: 61.1%

Nova Scotia’s turnout in 2011: 61.3%

No ridings in Nova Scotia were found in the top or bottom 10 for riding-level voter turnout in 2011. 

• Half of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians report some form of contact by a federal political party or politician in the last year—the lowest in Canada. Nationally, 63% of Canadians report being contacted. 


• People in Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec are the least likely in Canada to attend a political meeting (24%) or contact an elected official (25%). Nationally, 29% of Canadians have attended a political meeting and 31% have contacted an elected official. 


• Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador are the least likely across Canada to use email or text messaging to discuss politics (21%)—10 percentage points less than all Canadians (31%). 


• People in Newfoundland and Labrador are 50% less likely to donate to a political party compared to all Canadians (10% of Newfoundland vs. 19% nationally). 


• Only one-quarter (27%) of Newfoundland and Labrador has boycotted products for political reasons—the lowest in Canada and 10 percentage points less than Canadians on average (37%). 


• Newfoundland and Labrador is the most distrusting province towards political parties—69% express some level of distrust compared to 58% nationally. 


• Newfoundlanders and Labradorians share the same level of satisfaction with democracy as all Canadians—66% of the province report some level of satisfaction compared to 65% of Canadians. 


• People in Newfoundland and Labrador have one of the highest levels of dissatisfaction with the work of MPs in Canada (59%) compared to 54% nationally. 

 
ELECTORAL CONTEXT FOR NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

Canada’s turnout in 2011: 61.1%

Newfoundland and Labrador’s turnout in 2011: 53%

Among the 10 ridings with the lowest turnout in 2011, Newfoundland and Labrador is home to two: Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor’s turnout in 2011 was 44.8% and Random—Burin—St. George’s turnout was 45.4%.