Pubdate: Tue, 03 Jul 2012 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2012 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Jason Fekete POLITICIANS OUT OF TOUCH, SURVEY SAYS Whopping 95 Per Cent of Public Believe Ottawa Has Little or Nothing in Common With Them OTTAWA - An overwhelming majority of Canadians feel politicians in Ottawa have little or nothing in common with them and don't believe those in the nation's capital understand the values and aspirations of average people, a new poll conducted for Postmedia News reveals. The survey also found Canadians generally don't trust politicians - especially at the federal and provincial levels - and believe there's too much government interference in their lives. Furthermore, people across the country believe we pay too much in taxes and don't receive good value for the services delivered in return. The Ipsos Reid online poll of 1,101 Canadians, conducted June 20- 25 for Postmedia News and Global Television, indicates Canadians largely feel detached from politicians at all levels who make critical decisions affecting their taxes, health care, education and other key programs. A whopping 95 per cent of Canadians feel politicians in Ottawa have nothing in common ( 44 per cent) or only a little in common ( 51 per cent) with average Canadians, while only five per cent believe members of Parliament and senators have a lot in common with them. In the same vein, 84 per cent of those polled either strongly agree ( 38 per cent) or somewhat agree ( 46 per cent) the political community in Ottawa isn't tuned in to what's really important to average Canadians. On the flip side, 16 per cent either somewhat disagree ( 14 per cent) or strongly disagree ( two per cent) with that assessment and believe politicians in Ottawa understand the concerns of everyday Canadians. "There has been a decline of deference," said Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs. More than half the poll respondents said they either very much trust ( nine per cent) or somewhat trust ( 48 per cent) their local/ municipal governments to do the right thing. Three in 10 people said they don't really trust their local government to do the right thing, while 14 per cent said they don't at all trust their municipally elected officials. The numbers aren't so flattering at the more senior and distant levels of government. Nearly six in 10 said they either don't really trust ( 31 per cent) or don't at all trust ( 26 per cent) the federal government to do the right thing, while about four in 10 said they either trust very much ( only seven per cent) or somewhat trust ( 36 per cent) the national government. Very similar numbers were found at the provincial level on the trust issue, with Bricker noting voter distrust of provincial governments was highest in British Columbia and Quebec, two provinces with long serving governments that are polling low these days. Voter distrust has grown in recent years because the public is better educated and has more access to information online, so citizens ask far more questions than in the past, he said. The poll also shows 72 per cent either strongly agree ( 24 per cent) or somewhat agree ( 48 per cent) that we have too much government interference in our lives, with 28 per cent either somewhat disagreeing ( 25 per cent) or strongly disagreeing ( three per cent) with that sentiment. Overwhelmingly, Canadians feel they pay too much tax for the services they receive, with 77 per cent agreeing with that statement ( 33 per cent strongly, 44 per cent somewhat). Less than one-quarter of respondents disagreed ( 19 per cent somewhat, three per cent strongly) that we pay too much tax. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.0 percentage points 19 times in 20. In results of another poll released on the weekend, two thirds of Canadians think the law should be changed so people caught with small amounts of marijuana no longer face criminal penalties or fines. The survey revealed the public is distinctly not in sync with the Harper government on the issue. At the Summit of the Americas in April, Harper acknowledged the international campaign to stem the drug trade isn't working, but he flatly rejected decriminalization as one potential solution. However, the June 18- 25 survey showed Canadians are much more willing to entertain the idea. It found that 66 per cent of people believe "the possession of marijuana in small amounts" should be "decriminalized so that it no longer carries a penalty or fine." Another 34 per cent opposed the idea. Support for decriminalization is strongest in Atlantic Canada ( 72 per cent) followed by British Columbia, Saskatchewan/ Manitoba and Ontario, where in all three regions, support for decriminalization runs at 69 per cent. Opposition to decriminalization is strongest in Alberta, where 42 per cent of people don't like the idea. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom