B’nai Brith Canada draws your attention to today’s just-released

NATION-WIDE POLL BY COMPAS,
WHICH REVEALS THE FOLLOWING:

1.     Widespread Concern about Terrorist Risks in Canada

2.     Harper Earns Good Performance Score on Mid-East

3.     Israeli Response to Hezbollah

About Right or Too Little vs.Too Much by Close to a 2:1 Margin

4.     Iran, Saudis Blamed for Lebanon War

Overview

An overwhelming majority of Canadians are concerned about a terrorist attack on Canadian soil.

For his Middle East policy, Harper earns a good performance score (60%)—higher than the large majority of scores earned by the Chretien and Martin governments. His good average score obscures polarization with 17% of those with an opinion giving him a score of 100% and 7%, a score of zero.

Asked if Israel’s reaction to Hezbollahs’ attack was too little, about right, or too much, a near two-thirds majority say too little or about right.

Iran and Saudi Arabia share the blame for the breakout of war between Hezbollah and Israel, albeit for different reasons. Iran helped trigger it, say 81% of Canadians, in order to sidetrack U.N. criticism of its nuclear weapons program.

The Saudis share responsibility for Lebanon’s destruction and ought to help rebuild it, say 91% of Canadians, because of the history of Saudi financial support for extremist organizations.

Concerns about Terrorism in Canada

A large majority (82%) believe that there is reason for concern about terrorism on Canadian soil because the magnitude of the potential threat may be too large for security forces to monitor adequately.

Harper Earns Good Performance Scores—
Passionate Supporters Outnumber More than 2:1 Passionate Opponents

Harper earns a good1 performance score (60%) for his government’s Middle East policy thanks to very strong support overpowering opposition by a margin of about 2.5:1—17% of those with an opinion give him a perfect score of 100% and 7%, a score of zero.

65% Say Israeli Reaction to Hezbollah About Right or Too Little; 35% Say Too Much

Canadians are divided nearly 2:1 (65:33) in believing that Israel’s response was appropriate or too little vs. too strong. Many say that they have not yet decided how to assess Israel’s response (21%).

Teheran Helped Spark War to Sidetrack U.N. Criticism of Iran’s Nuclear Program, say 80% of Canadians

By a huge margin Canadians believe that Hezbollah started the war in part to helps its patrons in Teheran distract the United Nations from focusing on Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Eighty-one percent of Canadians have an opinion on this.

Among those with an opinion, 81% believe that Iran’s desire to distract the United Nations from focusing on its nuclear development plans was at least a small factor in the timing of the attack on Israel by Hezbollah. Asked to score the degree to which Iran’s nuclear ambitions were a factor in the war’s outbreak, Canadians on average say that Iran’s strategic interest accounted for about half the reason (48%).

Saudis Should Help Rebuild Lebanon, say 91% of Canadians

The vast majority believe that Saudi Arabia shares responsibility for the war because of its history of funding extremist2 organizations. Most Canadians (70%) have an opinion on the issue. Among those with an opinion, 91% believe that Saudi Arabia should share the cost of rebuilding the war-torn country. On average, Canadians believe that the Saudis should absorb 57% of the cost.

For full results of this B’nai Brith-commissioned survey,
 please visit the Compas website at:

http://compas.ca/pages/FrameMain.html

B’nai Brith has been active in Canada since 1875 as the Jewish community’s foremost human rights organization. To learn more about its advocacy work and diverse community and social programs, please visit http://www.bnaibrith.ca.  

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