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Voters likely to support populist leaders, Canada-first approach: study

Support for democracy increased over time
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(Black Press Media files)

The majority of Canadians say theyBԪַd vote for a populist leader, a survey from Simon Fraser University suggests.

The survey, released Monday by the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, found that 80 per cent of Canadians would support a leader who stood up for the BԪַcommon peopleBԪַ instead of the BԪַelite.BԪַ

Just over half of Canadians would vote for a BԪַCanada-firstBԪַ approach, even if it hurt the countryBԪַs relationships with allies.

The study found 34 per cent of Canadians believe that citizens born in the country should have a greater say in how the country is run, compared to citizens born abroad.

Researchers said those who felt that way tended to be BԪַCanadian-born, have less formal education, and are struggling financially.BԪַ

The study found a 12-percentage-point increase over two years in the number of Canadians who think democracy is the best form of government, up to 77 per cent.

However, just over two-thirds of those surveyed felt like elected officials didnBԪַt care about what they thought, while 77 per cent believed BԪַfake newsBԪַ was an ongoing issue for Canada.

BԪַThese findings are part of a decade-old trend, where residents from Canada and abroad are increasingly dissatisfied with the performance of their democratic systems,BԪַ said the centreBԪַs executive director Shauna Sylvester.

BԪַThese results represent a call to action for all Canadians to avoid hyper-partisanship and for elected officials to create more meaningful ways for Canadians to engage in their democracy beyond the simple act of voting.BԪַ

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katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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