A recent poll indicates that a significant minority of young Canadians believe terrorism can be justified. This finding comes as the nation reflects on the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The survey, conducted by Leger for the Association for Canadian Studies (ACS), shows that one in five Canadians under 25 hold this belief.

Jack Jedwab, president and CEO of ACS, explained that these young individuals may view the perpetrators of terrorist acts as victims themselves. He noted that this perspective could lead them to conclude that the ends justify the means in pursuing their objectives.

The poll results also highlight a troubling trend of rising antisemitism in Canada, particularly following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and the taking of 250 hostages. Since then, numerous anti-Israel protests have occurred across Canada, including on university campuses.

Jedwab stated that the events of October 7 and the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict have likely reinforced the perception that terrorism can be justified. He remarked, "There has been a considerable decline in trust of Israel, especially amongst younger Canadians and Americans, and a rise in levels of trust of Hamas as reflected in several recent surveys."

Despite the concerning views among some young Canadians, the poll revealed that a vast majority—90%—believe that acts of terrorism can never be justified. Additionally, 68% of Canadians support closer cooperation with the United States to prevent terrorism, a finding that surprised Jedwab given the current state of U.S.-Canada relations.

The survey was conducted in the lead-up to the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States. The attacks were executed by the Islamist extremist group al-Qaida, involving the hijacking of four airplanes.

The poll surveyed 1,627 Canadians online from August 29 to August 31. It found that nearly half of Canadians, or 46%, believe the threat of terrorism is increasing in Canada. Residents of Quebec were the least likely to agree, with only 35% expressing concern about rising terrorism. In contrast, 53% of residents in Atlantic Canada and about half of those in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia felt that the threat was escalating.

The survey also assessed knowledge of the 9/11 attacks, revealing that 84% of Canadians felt informed about the events. While younger Canadians aged 18 to 24 were the least knowledgeable group, 68% still reported awareness of the attacks. In comparison, 91% of those aged 35 to 44 claimed to have a good understanding of the events.

The ACS poll also included responses from 1,114 Americans, with nearly 60% believing that terrorism is on the rise in the U.S. A majority, 71%, stated that acts of terrorism can never be justified, although younger Americans were less certain. The poll did not include residents from the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon. The margin of error for the Canadian sample is ±2.52%, while the American sample has a margin of error of ±3.9%.