Compas Poll / Survey

The Institute for Canadian Values engaged COMPAS to undertake an objective, fair-minded survey of Canadian public opinion in the wake of mediated debate over federal government subsidies for films considered pornographic.

Opinion is largely one-sided, according to findings from the nation-wide representative survey of more than 500 Canadians. It is one-sided in that 72% oppose any right to subsidies for the films in question while 24% support the subsidies.

The minority supporting the subsidy were asked if opponents should be entitled to withhold a share of their taxes as a matter of conscience if they truly object to such subsidies. About two-fifths of the 24% backing the subsidies believe that opponents should be able to withhold their relevant taxes as a matter of conscience (9%).

Altogether, 81% of Canadian either oppose subsidies for the offending films (72%) or support the subsidies but believe that individual taxpayers should be able to withhold their contributions to the film subsidy program as a matter of personal conscience (9%).

Opinion is polarized in that only a plurality (46%) takes a middle ground, opposing the subsidies while allowing production and distribution of the offending films. Most of the remainder are divided between those who would allow the films to continue receiving subsidies (24%) and those who would legally ban or prohibit these films (26%).

Opinion is gender related in that women are more intensely opposed to the subsidies than men. Among women, 30% would go so far as to prohibit such films compared to 20% among men.

While Canadians are largely one-sided in their feelings about subsidies for pornographic films, they are diverse in their views about film subsidies in general.

Large Majority against Subsidies
Opinion is one-sided in that at most a fourth (24%) of the public believes that such films should be entitled to receive government subsidies as much as any other Canadian firm, as shown in table 1. Almost three-quarters (72%) oppose such subsidies. Most of this majority believe that production companies should be free to make such films but ought not to be entitled to subsidies. A minority believe that such films should be banned.