Re: Most voters oppose tax-funding of religious schools
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Posted by Ipsos-Reid Poll on 11:30:12 2007/09/10
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CCD applauds PM, raises concerns about gov't enforcement of sharia practices posted by CCD Media Release
Liberal lead over Tories slipping in Ontario
Poll - Majority of voters oppose PC plan for faith-based school funding
BY ANDREW THOMSON
OTTAWA The Liberal lead over the Progressive Conservatives has dipped to five points even as a majority of voters oppose John Tory's plan for faith-based funding, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll released as the Ontario election campaign officially begins today.
One possible explanation is that more than half of respondents think a change of government would benefit the province, reported the survey conducted exclusively for CanWest News Service and Global Television.
Premier Dalton McGuinty's governing party has 41% voter support against 36% for the Conservatives, compared with a seven-point lead in an Aug. 24 Ipsos Reid poll. The New Democratic and Green parties trail at 17% and 6%, respectively.
The early numbers translate to a predicted Liberal majority government of 55 seats out of 107, according to a model based on the past five publicly released polls. The Tories are currently projected to take 40 seats, with 12 for the NDP.
But about 30 races are expected to be close, said John Wright, Ipsos Reid's senior vice president.
Mr. McGuinty will today visit Ontario's new Lieutenant-Governor, David Onley, to dissolve the legislature and begin the 31-day sprint to voting day on Oct. 10.
An aggressive Conservative campaign portraying the McGuinty government as promise breakers has kept votes from bleeding away, Mr. Wright said, even as 60% of their own supporters oppose Mr. Tory's $400million pledge to fund religious schools. "A lot of people on his side of the camp have not been shaken loose because they really do want some change," he said yesterday.
"Mr. Tory has also tried to make a clearly unpopular policy a matter of virtue by saying, 'I' ll keep my word.' "
Tory support in the competitive 905 belt surrounding Toronto rose two points from late August, opening up a 44%-40% lead over the Liberals. Suburban ethnic communities, normally a bastion of Liberal support, could be propelling the jump in light of Mr. Tory's faith-based school promise, Mr. Wright said.
The issue simmered last month when the Conservative leader argued that Jewish, Muslim, fundamentalist Christian and other schools that follow the Ontario curriculum, submit to standardized testing and use certified teachers deserve the same financial privileges as their Catholic counterparts.
The Liberals and Mr. McGuinty have castigated the idea as a prelude to social division, positioning themselves as defenders of public education.
The New Democrats and Greens also oppose the plan; the latter party wants to scrap funding for Catholic schools as well. Sixty-two per cent of voters appear to agree with these criticisms and oppose full funding, compared to 35% in favour.
Two-thirds of Ontarians support the Liberal assertion that faith-based funding would hurt the public system and encourage segregation, according to the poll. Thirty-one per cent agree the plan will foster inclusion. And given the option of a) merging public and Catholic schools into a single system, b) keeping the status quo, or c) full funding for religious education, 53% favoured one entity.
Meanwhile, the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops has released a statement supporting other groups seeking full funding for faith-based education.
"The public funding of Catholic schools recognizes that parents have the right to make educational choices for their children, and that the state should assist them," said the statement, attributed to Bishop James M. Wingle, bishop of St. Catharines and president of the conference.
Voters can expect two distinct campaigns in the coming weeks, Mr. Wright said: The Liberals continuing to raise education while the Conservatives hammer away at Mr. McGuinty's leadership.
The New Democrats, meanwhile, are in danger of losing upwards of 20% support to the Liberals if their campaign doesn't gain momentum, Mr. Wright said.
The Ipsos Reid telephone poll was conducted with a random sample of 801 respondents between Aug. 30 and Sept. 8. The results are considered accurate within 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
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