• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Canadian Public Opinion Polls on Afghanistan

Quote,
Ekos polled 1,002 people between February 6 and February 14 and the results are considered to be accurate to within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.


Maybe because this is the BS they have to sell to the masses.......all that matters is who pays.
1000 people can predict what 30 million are thinking?........awww,bite me!!!!
 
There are all sorts of issues at play in discussing our mission to Afghanistan and I'd wager very few random Canadians have given much thought to the issue so, no surprise, their first response would be "no" to anything that involves dead soldiers.

I'd like to see something along the lines of "Do you think Canadians have an obligation to be fully supportive  of young Canadians sent into dangerous situations by the government?"

Polls are mildly interesting but I don't think they make a good basis for any sort of serious policy
 
I think it would be interesting if you could go back in time just before WW2 and ask the population a similar question.
 
It was a loaded question.



"Is the possibility of Canadian soldiers being killed in Afghanistan worth the cost of bringing stability to a region of the world that has been embroiled in warfare for decades?"

or

"Is bringing stability to a region of the world that has been embroiled in warfare for decades worth the cost of Canadian soldiers being killed?



The first variant makes it seem an exercise in futility, the latter a noble cause.
 
Polls can say whatever you want them to say! Ask 1000 Canadians if Canada should stay in Iraq or pull out and you would probably be very surprised at the results! :o
 
2 Cdo said:
Polls can say whatever you want them to say! Ask 1000 Canadians if Canada should stay in Iraq or pull out and you would probably be very surprised at the results! :o

That's a nice one! ;D

How about that?

Is the possibility of Canadian soldiers being killed in Afghanistan worth the cost of crashing our exportation revenue AND probably your job when the US close their border and shutting off 85% of our exportation as a result of multiple attacks on US and Canadian soil?

Hmm, hit the pocket, they'll flock to your cause. :'(
 
BANG ON !!!

nULL said:
It was a loaded question.



"Is the possibility of Canadian soldiers being killed in Afghanistan worth the cost of bringing stability to a region of the world that has been embroiled in warfare for decades?"

or

"Is bringing stability to a region of the world that has been embroiled in warfare for decades worth the cost of Canadian soldiers being killed?



The first variant makes it seem an exercise in futility, the latter a noble cause.
 
Those of you that have taken a course in research or survey development well know bias can be designed into each and every question of a survey if the designer of the survey is not careful. Obviously we can see the influence media can have by skewing the questions from the start.
 
I have been reading and watching the news and lately I've been seeing a lot about Canadians shift in support for our role in Afghanistan, I've been seeing a lot of "We're against the war" And so on and so forth but I see very few "I support our Troops" Well this is another one of those rare and few "I support our troops." Bloggs.  So here it goes.
 
    I was in the Army for four years I left as a Corporal with the RCR's out of Gagetown, NB.  I have served my country with deep and sincere Pride and great Honour, I did serve in Afghanistan I have lost a few fellow Royal Canadians over there, they were Brothers to all of us and it is a great total loss to the Military Family especialy to they're family's that they are gone.  However is the cost of war.   It is a sad but true fact of war. 

    In war men go into battle and men die, it's a fact. In war there are sometimes accidents that are not a result of the enemy and men do die as they would here at home.  If a Soldier were killed while crossing the street in Toronto and got hit by a city bus or cab, does that mean we have to keep all military personel on base so they don't get hurt? Does that mean we have to pull all City buses and taxi's off the road so that in the event they MIGHT kill a Soldier? NO.  It's a fact of life.   You live you die. 
     So when our Troops goto Afghanistan and ket hurt, injured or God help us, get killed in action does that mean we have to pull out men out of a WAR ZONE? No it's war man that's what the Army is all about, it's about traning and someday if the call goes up then we go to war and defend our Country and uphold our national intrests overseas.  Canada is more than a "Peacekeeping" country, Our military is a tool of war and if it comes to it than our country has the proper tools to fight a war.     If we pull our troop out of Afghanistan because of a few casualitys than WHY THE HELL ARE WE THERE IN THE FIRST DAMN PLACE?    Or better yet. Why do we even have a military if we're not going to use them in a combat area?  Why?  I'll tell you why, because Canada has a Military because we have intrests that must be upheld and our mission in Afghanistan and our Main intrest is to provide and deliver Democrocy to them.  That is our job. 

    All this squabbeling about pulling our troops out of Afghanistan because men are dieing is nonsense.  IT'S A BLOODY FRIGGING WAR PEOPLE. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN A WAR.  We're there so now let's finish the job that we went there to do. 
   In a war things offten don't go as we planed and I'm sorry it has to be like that but that's just how it is.

   My fellow Canadians both Military and Civilian, Support our Soliders over there, they are doing a fine job, War is a horriable thing I know I lived it for six months.  We have a job over there and if there is anything I have learned durring my time in the Army is this, "You start something, and you Finish it."   I SUPPORT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN AFGHANISTAN, I SUPPORT OUR ROLE THERE AS WELL.  My Mother and Father who's only two sons have served in Afghanistan and support our being there and our role.  I don't support war it self but I support our men there.   

    So if you have anything to say about that message me, e-mail me.  Do what ever makes you feel good about your self, I'll always support my guys over there.
 
I think he forgot the

[Rant]  [/rant}  ;)

I don't think you'll get any arguments here about what you said.
Most of us are in agreement.
 
"The safest place for a ship is at Port, but thats not what ships are built for".
 
I know I won't get any disagreements here, but I'm just so sick and tired of hearing this on T.V. and reading it in the paper, I'm just so damn sick of it.  Again, It's a friggen war man that's what happens in war.  But thanks though.  :salute: :cdn:
 
"We are against the War"...huh?

Were there any women at those protests? I imagine there were. Tell them if they are against having troops in Afghanistan then they are against defending womens rights. Tell them they are against free speech, tell them they are against freedom of choice.

If it is a woman you are speaking to, ask her:
Do you think women should be educated? Do you have a job, do you have any female children, do you like being able to go out of the house without a male escort?

I am sure she will say yes to one of those questions, then tell her she is in favour us having soldiers there because if we take our troops out, and the Taliban return to power, they will once again put in laws that:

Women must be completely covered....or they will be beaten,
Women must be escorted by a male member of the family everywhere outside the home, and not talk to another male.....or the escort will be beheaded,
Girls are not allowed to be educated...or they be beaten and then would be sold off at public auction,
Women are not allowed to have a job....or they will be beheaded,
If the all the males of a family die, then the women starve to death.

To speak out would cause you to be beaten, to listen to music would get you beaten, to help another mans wife would get you beheaded.

Then after you explain all this, ask them again are they in favour of our troops helping to create a western style moderate Islamic government in Afghanistan. I am sure at this point they might be.
 
Chris,

I think I speak for all of us when I say we understand your frustration, I myself feel the exact same way you do. I'm deploying on the next rotation in Aug, and it would be nice to have the support of our citizens and politicians, but the citizens of this country can't get past the peacekeeping image we've had, and can't fathom troops being in harms way.

We as soldiers need to soldier on, do our jobs professionally, and continue with our mission focus.
 
chris_502 said:
I know I won't get any disagreements here, but I'm just so sick and tired of hearing this on T.V. and reading it in the paper, I'm just so damn sick of it.  Again, It's a friggen war man that's what happens in war.  But thanks though.  :salute: :cdn:

No argument here my friend...here's the problem. the Canadian public were told for the last 50 years that our Armed Forces were peacekeepers; lovers not fighters.
The People who were in power, the Liberals wanted to save money on Defence and put it toward social programs that made them look good and got them votes so they gutted the military budget and did stuff to make themselves look good. after 50 years of neglect and rust out they now have to poop or get off the pot. They made efforts under the Martin minority government to start the rebuilding. Harper will continue it I think but he is in a tenuous minority situation.

The liberal left leaning press who manipulate public opinion in Toronto and our large cities have had a hand in stoking the perception of peacekeeping as the only role for a Canadian military and they are now in shock that we are actually doing what Armed Forces are meant to do..."close with and destroy the enemy!"
They cannot and will not admit that we have any other role and so they still keep harping on that in all their news reports....they love it when they find a poll that suggests Canadians don't support the military...no matter how unscientific a poll or how the questions was asked.

Hopefully the Government will stay the course and not be tempted to govern by public opinion polls as the last gang did for so long. They need to get the word out on our role there with a bit more forcefullness me thinks. :cdn:
 
The media has to put a spin  on  a story , good or bad , that is what they do . Telling accurate truthful stories does not get much attention so they spin it , look at yesterdays events as a perfect example . These surveys are done to achieve a desired result so there not very credible .  Maybe it is the medias desire to create controversy  believe me Astan is not on everyone in Canadas radar , for the most part people are generally ambliviant . If you let them get under your skin they will , they have little regard for your plight .
 
However so, It would be the best thing for Stephan Harper and his Government to stand in front of the Canadian People and educate them about the cost of war, I figured after all these years of knowing about Canada's involvment in Both world wars and in Korea that we would know what war is all about.  I think it's just what you said, the Candian people don't want to know, they don't want to even begin to think that our troops are ment for more than Peacekeeping.  Don't get me wrong though, peacekeeping is a good thing I'm not ragging on that, it's the "Make lov not war" ideots who think we shouldn't have a Military in the first place that I'm ragging on.

   the best thing I can say for those people is, "If you don't like what you see, than pick up a rifle and stand a post.  Otherwise sit the F*&% down and shut up.  We're doing the best job we can with what we have." And Cannonfodder, Your right.  Absolutly right.  However if it is the thought of the average Canadian or not, it is still  worse than a slap on the face of those men and women who are currently on patrol over there. :salute: :cdn:
 
Just one more thing I wanted to say about my first post.  I'm sorry if I sounded harsh about those who were killed over there, that was not my reason.  I am (Just like anyother person who has stood a post) very moved by every soldiers death over there.
 
Back
Top