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General discussion

Canada Magazine Poll Tells Bush: Hope You Lose, Eh...

Feb 5, 2004 6:44PM PST

"TORONTO (Reuters) - A majority of Canadians hope President Bush loses the upcoming election and do not really care who beats him, according to a magazine poll that hit newsstands Wednesday.

In an article entitled "Canadians to Bush: Hope you lose, eh," Maclean's magazine said a national survey found only 15 percent of Canadians would definitely vote for Bush if given the opportunity.

Forty percent said they would definitely vote for someone else, while 28 percent said they would consider choosing someone other than Bush. Seventeen percent said they did not know.

"Despite a spate of polls showing a broad desire for improved relations with the United States after the often rocky (former Prime Minister Jean) Chretien years, there is a sense that this administration isn't one we want to do business with," the newsmagazine said.

Forty-three percent said Canada is worse off with Bush as president than during the terms of previous U.S. presidents, while 12 percent said the country is better off and 33 percent said there is no difference."

More...

Discussion is locked

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Re:Canada Magazine Poll Tells Bush: Hope You Lose, Eh...
Feb 5, 2004 7:57PM PST

And would it be news if a poll of the US hoped the French prime minister would lose his job? just for a diffferent view.

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It would be news
Feb 6, 2004 12:03AM PST

if many people in the US know that France had a Prime Minister.

Dan

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NT LOL :-)
Feb 6, 2004 12:40AM PST

.

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It does? (NT)
Feb 6, 2004 3:54AM PST

.

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Re: Would it be news... It's news because
Feb 6, 2004 3:33AM PST

Hi, Roger.

This poll is news because Canadians usually have a very high opinion of our Presidents.

-- Dave K.
Speakeasy Moderator
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

The opinions expressed above are my own,
and do not necessarily reflect those of CNET!

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Now, that is news!
Feb 6, 2004 3:57AM PST

Do you have a link?

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Try here...
Feb 6, 2004 5:13AM PST
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Notice who conducted the poll, Edward...
Feb 6, 2004 1:14PM PST

Edward, did you notice who conducted that poll (conducted by Toronto-based The Strategic Counsel)?
I thought a little look into them might be in order, so I went to their web site, and with a little "boring down" found their statement of corporate philosophy, which stated:
"At The Strategic Counsel, we believe in research+insight. Information is never an end in itself. To be valuable, it has to be useful. And to be useful, information must help you solve a problem or grasp an opportunity.
Throughout the process of discussing your goals, designing and executing research, and analyzing the results, The Strategic Counsel focuses on your individual needs.
Our extensive range of professional services gives us the ability to draw out the information most relevant to your circumstances, and help you use it to your advantage. In other words, we interpret the information we gather to make it work for you and your organization.
Pure research alone is meaningless without intelligent interpretation. That?s why research + insight forms the cornerstone of our company and our services.".
I guess it's always handy when conducting a poll to use a company whose stated corporate philosophy is to help you achieve your goal that you had when going into the subject at hand.

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Yes I did and...
Feb 7, 2004 3:53AM PST

I also thought that before Dave tried to deny bias he would take advantage of the links and take a look at the history of the magazine.

Too busy I guess...

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Most Canadians still do...
Feb 6, 2004 5:10AM PST

The "poll" by Maclean's magazine is about as biased as the magazine itself which should come as no surprise. Here is a clue you should note: "Despite a spate of polls showing a broad desire for improved relations with the United States after the often rocky (former Prime Minister Jean) Chretien years, there is a sense that this administration isn't one we want to do business with," the newsmagazine said.

Maclean's is a staunch backer of Martin's Liberal Party of Canada. Only a Canadian prime minister with a substantively different agenda who is willing to turn the personal relationship around could have some hope of success but Martin's agenda is too similar to Chirac's. Martin has shown no better understanding of how to relate to Bush than his predecessor.

The poll results themselves can easily be read to indicate that while 40% of Canadians would definitely vote for someone else 43% most likely would vote for him. Here are the questions and numbers:
http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/politics/article.jsp?content=20040209_74912_74912

...Seen through the anti-American lens, getting along too well with the occupant of the White House is highly suspicious behaviour for any prime minister. And since that lens tends to view politics from the left, all the worse if the president in question happens to be a Republican. So Prime Minister Paul Martin is walking a fine line.

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Re:Most Canadians still do... HA!
Feb 6, 2004 7:32AM PST

Hi, Ed.

I have online Canadian friends, none of whom are as liberal as I (they're "gaming buddies" from a Compuserve gaming forum). ALL consider Bush a dangerous cowboy. Your "doesn't agree with me so it must be biased" approach to polls (and links) is wearing awfully thin.

-- Dave K, Speakeasy Moderator
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

The opinions expressed above are my own,
and do not necessarily reflect those of CNET!

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Talk about "thin", Dave...
Feb 6, 2004 1:28PM PST

Dave,you present your personal "poll" of your "gaming buddies" who happen to be Canadian and try to use it as "proof" of the views of "Most Canadians".
If that's not "thin", I don't know what is. Exactly how many people were in your selected population base that you used as your poll population? I've also got to wonder, how is it that you know if they are as "liberal" as you, do you question them for their political views as a matter of course if you play games with them?

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Most Canadians still do... HA!. An observation, Dave.K................
Feb 7, 2004 2:02AM PST
Your "doesn't agree with me so it must be biased" approach to polls (and links) is wearing awfully thin.

would this be along the same lines as the greater majority of your anti- Bush posts?

clearly there is a polarisation in SE, with certain groups espousing certain points of view.

nothing wrong with that I think because after all this is what free speech purports to be.

but when the leader of one group decides to offer mild chastisement about the posting tendency of a member of another group, the term 'hypocritical' somehow seems to spring readily.

david williams
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Dave, very few ANYWHERE could be as liberal as you...
Feb 7, 2004 3:50AM PST

so I am not surprised.

Knowing that they are your online friends however it is no surprise that theirs are Liberal leanings and theit biased viewpoint is being presented to you. We went through this once before and when Canadian articles were posted to refute your assertions you disappeared as usual.

ALL you have to do is READ it to see the bias Dave--didn't you have the time?

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Re:Re: Would it be news... It's news because
Feb 6, 2004 7:31AM PST

Perhaps, but with the disagreement about Iraq, and the current trends to stop Canadian drug sales to US citizens, I don't find it surprising. IMO, it is as much about disagreement about policies as it is any thing to do with Bush.

I realize you disagree totally, even condemn these very policies, but that doesn't affect how much the disagreement is over policy.

Interesting enough, only 40% appear to join the left American crowd of "anyone but Bush". A 28% saying if they had the chance they'd consider someone else is a healthy attitude, even to me. Add the 28% that would consider who was running vs blindly voting for or against Bush to the 17% that don't know for a 45% that aren't committed to a knee jerk response. So, 40% anti-Bush, 45% uncertain if they'd vote for an unnamed opponent or not, 15% would definately vote for Bush. Shrug, doesnt' sound like any more like a condemnation than it does endorsement. Uncertainity isn't either. OF course, don't forget the grain of salt. Since they can't vote and are talking about a government that only marginally affects the individual personally in his daily life, the results are just as hypothetical as the question.

Actually the 45% that would consider either voting for someone else or didn't know if they would are likely to be more realistic voters than either the "anyone but Bush" or the "no-one but Bush" groups.

As far as "...this administration isn't one we want to do business with,..." well that just sounds like anyone would that wanted something from us this administration isn't likely to agree to do. So they're hoping for one that would be more admendable to their wishlist. What's strange about that? It's neither admirable or condemnable, it's just normal dickering stragedy.

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Let's see, Blake...
Feb 6, 2004 7:06AM PST

The poll says that 43% of Canadians think that things are worse under President Bush than before he took office, but 45% say that things are the same or better. That doesn't sound like a ringing repudiation to me. Anyway, the Founders forbade Canadian citizens from voting in our elections, so seriously, who cares? Certainly this American, both of whose parents came from Canada as young adults, doesnt!