Title: Poll Shows Divided Views on Indigenous Ownership of Canada

OTTAWA — A recent poll indicates that Canadians are split on the question of whether the country primarily belongs to Indigenous Peoples. Conducted by Leger from August 29 to 31, the survey involved 1,627 participants and was commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies. It reveals that 38% of Canadians believe Canada belongs "first and foremost" to Indigenous Peoples. In contrast, 43% disagree with this view, while 19% of respondents are uncertain.

The poll highlights significant generational differences. Among younger Canadians aged 18 to 24, 58% believe the country belongs to Indigenous Peoples. This contrasts sharply with only 24% of Canadians aged 65 and older who share that belief. Additionally, the survey found that 50% of respondents born outside Canada think the country belongs to Indigenous Peoples, compared to 36% of those born in Canada.

The survey also included a small sample of 41 Indigenous respondents, nearly three-quarters of whom affirmed that Canada belongs first and foremost to Indigenous Peoples. In Ontario, 46% of respondents agreed with this sentiment, while only about a third of those in Quebec, British Columbia, and the Prairie provinces did.

Veldon Coburn, an associate professor at McGill University, noted that the survey reflects regional and ideological divisions consistent with previous research. He stated, "Quite apart from the reality of Indigenous prior occupation and the history of European colonialism, there are some regions, such as the Prairies and Quebec, which are marked by considerable similarities in their disproportionate denial of these facts."

Coburn added that political sentiments in these areas tend to be unfavorable toward Indigenous Peoples, linking this to broader issues like Western alienation and Quebec separatism. He observed that hostility toward Indigenous rights appears to be diminishing among younger generations and newcomers, who are more educated and open to reconciliation. "All told, it is the younger generation and newcomers that are inheriting a relationship with the First Nations of these lands and the survey indicates that they desire justice and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples," Coburn said.

The poll also revealed that individuals identifying as left-leaning are more likely to believe that Canada belongs primarily to Indigenous Peoples compared to those on the right. Jack Jedwab, president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies, emphasized the significant divide on this issue. He remarked, "The polling shows a big generational shift in Canadian society and how our narrative has shifted considerably."

Jedwab stressed the importance of an inclusive narrative that acknowledges the role of Indigenous Peoples in the country's evolution while also recognizing the contributions of others. The Canadian Research Insights Council, which oversees polling standards, noted that online surveys like this one cannot be assigned a margin of error due to their non-random sampling methods.