Newsworthy: Canadians Want to Join the TPNW
A strong majority want Canada to join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, according to a recent Canada-wide poll conducted by Nanos for the Simons Foundation Canada, the Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition and Le Collectif Échec ŕ la guerre. It presents a set of key findings on Canadians’ views on the elimination of nuclear weapons.
- Eliminating nuclear weapons: A strong majority of Canadians think the world should work to eliminate nuclear weapons (80%).
- Preparedness of Canada for nuclear weapon detonation: More than eight in ten respondents say Canada is not prepared (60%) or somewhat not prepared (25%) to deal with the emergency if nuclear weapons were detonated somewhere in the world.
- Responding to devastation caused by nuclear weapons: Over eight in ten Canadians agree (58%) or somewhat agree (28%) that no government, health system or aid organization could respond to the devastation caused by nuclear weapons and that they need to be eliminated.
- House of Commons committee hearings: More than three in four Canadians agree (46%) or somewhat agree (30%) that the House of Commons should have committee hearings and debate Canada’s position on nuclear disarmament.
- Withdrawing investments that support nuclear weapons: Just over seven in ten Canadians agree (49%) or somewhat agree (22%) that they would withdraw money from any investment or financial institution if they learned it was investing funds in anything related to the development, manufacturing, or deployment of nuclear weapons.
- Impact of political support for UN Treaty on future vote: Canadians are five times more likely to say a political party supporting Canada signing and ratifying the UN Treaty would make them more likely (21%) or somewhat more likely (29%) to vote for that political party rather than less likely (seven per cent) or somewhat less likely (three per cent) to do so.
- Support for Canada ratifying the UN Treaty: A strong majority of Canadians support (55%) or somewhat support (19%) Canada signing and ratifying the new United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
- Canada joining the UN Treaty despite pressure: About three in four Canadians agree (51%) or somewhat agree (23%) that Canada should join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, despite pressure it may face from the United States not to do so.