Respondents are almost evenly divided on whether the health care system should fund abortions whenever they are requested.
A significant number of Canadians would support changes to the country’s status-quo on the subject of abortion, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.
The online survey of a representative national sample of 1,002 Canadian adults sought to review the opinion of respondents on a wide range of topics related to abortion.
The Status-Quo
Only one-in-five Canadians (20%) are aware of the current status-quo of abortion in Canada: a woman can have an abortion at any time during her pregnancy, with no restrictions whatsoever.
A large proportion of respondents (43%) mistakenly believe that, under current guidelines, a woman can have an abortion only during the first three months of her pregnancy, with no other restrictions.
Two other incorrect responses also garnered mentions. Ten per cent of Canadians think a woman can have an abortion at any time during her pregnancy, but only if her life is in danger, if she has been the victim of rape, or if the fetus has serious defects, and 14 per cent believe a woman can only have an abortion during the first three months of her pregnancy, and only if her life is in danger, if she has been the victim or rape, or if the fetus has serious defects.
Regulating Abortion
When informed about existing regulations on abortion, three-in-ten Canadians (30%) endorse the status-quo: Women being able to have an abortion at any time during their pregnancy, with no restrictions whatsoever.
One-in-four respondents (24%) would prefer to see women being able to have an abortion during the first three months with no restrictions and then during the last six months but only if their life is in danger, if they have been the victim of rape, or if the fetus has serious defects.
Other desired outcomes for a potential regulation are women being able to have an abortion only during the first three months of their pregnancy, with no other restrictions (15%), women being able to have an abortion during the first three months of their pregnancy, and only if their life is in danger, if they have been the victim of rape, or if the fetus has serious defects (13%), and women being able to have an abortion at any time during their pregnancy, but only if their life is in danger, if they have been the victim of rape, or if the fetus has serious defects (6%).
Only five per cent of Canadians believe women should be forbidden from having an abortion under any circumstances.
Personal Feeling
When asked about their personal feeling toward abortion, 40 per cent of respondents say the procedure should be permitted in all cases, whereas 31 per cent say it should be allowed, but with some restrictions.
Sixteen per cent of Canadians say abortion should only be permitted under extreme circumstances, such as a threat to the mother’s life, a case of rape or incest. Only five per cent of respondents would ban abortion altogether.
Legality
Almost half of Canadians (48%) say abortion should be legal under any circumstances, but 43 per cent say it should be legal only in certain cases. Four per cent believe the procedure should be illegal in all circumstances.
Funding
Respondents are split on whether Canada’s health care system should maintain its policy of covering the cost of abortions in all cases for Canadian citizens and permanent residents. While 43 per cent would maintain this policy, 41 per cent say the system should only pay for abortions in the event of a medical emergency.
Women (50%) are much more likely than men (36%) to support the continuation of the current policy.
Women Under the Age of 18
In the view of most Canadians (53%), women under the age of 18 should require the consent of their parents or legal guardians in order to be eligible for an abortion procedure. A third of respondents (34%) disagree with this notion.
Information for Pregnant Women
Three-in-ten Canadians (31%) say women in this country lack enough access to information about alternatives to abortion, including adoption and counselling for pregnant women. However, 44 per cent of respondents disagree, saying that there is sufficient information available.
A large majority of Canadians (79%) would back an initiative in their own province that would make it mandatory for health care workers to offer information to pregnant women about alternatives to abortion. Half of Canadian women are strong supporters of an initiative of this kind.
Re-opening the Abortion Debate
Despite the high support registered in the poll for advancing changes to the status quo of Canada’s legal stance on abortion, 59 per cent of respondents say there is no point in re-igniting a debate on the subject. Almost three-in-ten Canadians (28%) disagree.
Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)
Abortion Polls from Angus Reid.
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs
+604 647 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com
