Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level Part G: 2014 Student Budget Consultation

© Harris/Decima Spending

Budget Priorities In the next federal budget should the government increase or decrease spending in the following areas or keep spending the same?  Transfers to provinces for healthcare  Protecting the environment  Infrastructure such as bridges, water treatment plants and community centres  Increasing tax credits and/or benefits  Employment related social programs such as Employment Insurance and skills training  Education related social transfers to the provinces, and programs such as post-secondary loans and grants  Spending on prisons to make room for increased sentences or penalties  Reducing crime through crime prevention programs  Arts and culture (The CBC, historical celebrations)  National defence  Innovation through research and development  Investment in vulnerable groups (youth, Aboriginal people, disabled people) © Harris/Decima 3

Budget Priorities © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses (Base sizes vary) QG1. In the next federal budget should the government increase or decrease spending in the following areas… 4

Priorities for Surplus In their latest forecasts, the government says they will be operating with a $3.7 billion surplus (excess in revenues) in What is the first thing the government should do with this anticipated surplus?  Decrease personal income taxes  Decrease corporate taxes  Increase spending on health care transfers to provinces  Increase spending on post-secondary education  Increase spending on other social services  Increase spending in an attempt to boost jobs (e.g. hiring tax credits, retraining)  Increase spending on infrastructure  Pay down the debt  Fund green/environmentally friendly energy innovation  Other  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 5

Priorities for Surplus © Harris/Decima Base: All responses (n=4,054) QB2. In their latest forecasts, the government says they will be operating with a $3.7 billion surplus (excess in revenues) in What is the first thing the government should do with this anticipated surplus? 6

© Harris/Decima Economic Confidence

Perceptions of Local Economy Do you think the economy in your community is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same?  Getting better  Staying about the same  Getting worse  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 8

Perceptions of Local Economy © Harris/Decima Base: All responses (n=4,054) QB1. Do you think the economy in your community is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same?

Right and Wrong Direction In general, would you say things in Canada are going in the right direction, or the wrong direction?  Right direction  Wrong direction  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 10

Right and Wrong Direction © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses (n=3,611) QG4. In general, would you say things in Canada are going in the right direction, or the wrong direction? 11

Confidence in Employment When you finish your schooling, how confident are you that you will find a job that interests you within Canada?  Not at all confident  Not very confident  Somewhat confident  Very confident  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 12

Confidence in Employment © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses QC1. When you finish your schooling, how confident are you that you will find a job that interests you within Canada? 13

Youth Unemployment Perception Do you believe there is a youth unemployment problem in Canada?  Yes  No  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 14

Youth Unemployment Perception © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses QC2. Do you believe there is a youth unemployment problem in Canada? 15

Dealing with Youth Unemployment What is the most important step the government could take to deal with youth unemployment?  Job grants or tax credits for businesses who hire young people  Increase awareness about which employment sectors will have the most available jobs  More training programs to fill the skills shortages  Lower taxes on businesses  Fewer regulations on businesses  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 16

Dealing with Youth Unemployment © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses (n=4,007) QC3. What is the most important step the government could take to deal with youth unemployment? BC/NorthABSK/MBONTQCATL 33%27%31%34%33%31% 28%26%32%22%14%26% 20% 16%22%25%18% 5%7%6% 13%5% 9%7% 3%6% 9%11%8%10%12%14% 17

Choosing the Skilled Trades Which of the following, if any, would be most effective at getting you to consider a career in the skilled trades?  Increased awareness and guidance at the high school level  Financial support/scholarships  Increased publicity and validation for the work  Summer job placements combined with apprenticeship programs  Nothing will convince me to pursue a career in the skilled trades  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 18

Choosing the Skilled Trades © Harris/Decima Base: Those who are not considering a career in the skilled trades (n=3,196) QC5. Which of the following would be most effective at getting you to consider a career in the skilled trades? BC/NorthABSK/MBONTQCATL 23%26%30%22%26%18% 20%24%19%25%16% 19%17%15%20%23%18% 21%14%15%20%11%19% 8%6%4%8%--6% 10%16%12%11%16%23% 19

Career Hurdles What is the biggest hurdle that you face in starting your career?  Cost of post-secondary education  Where I live  Lack of guidance and support  Not enough apprenticeships or training programs  Not many jobs available in my career of choice  I’m still unsure of the career I want to pursue  There are no hurdles I face in starting my career  Other  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 20

Career Hurdles © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses (n=3,944) QC7. What is the biggest hurdle that you face in starting your career? 21

© Harris/Decima Energy and the Environment

How high a priority should the government put on environmental protection related to natural resource extraction (mining and digging for oil)?  It should be the government’s top priority  It should be a high priority, but not the top priority  It should be a priority, but not a high one  It should not really be a priority for the government  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 23

Energy and the Environment © Harris/Decima Base: All responses (n=3,767) QE1. How high a priority should the government put on environmental protection related to natural resource extraction (mining and digging for oil)? 24

Balancing the Economy and the Environment When it comes to balancing the economic and environmental considerations of resource extraction, which of the following is closest to your view?  The extraction and sale of natural resources is too vital for the success of our economy to be altered because of environmental considerations  The environmental issues associated with the extraction and sale of natural resources outweigh the potential economic benefits  The government can institute policies that balance the economic benefits of the extraction and sale of natural resources and environmental protection  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 25

Balancing the Economy and the Environment © Harris/Decima Base: All responses (n=3,767) QE2. When it comes to balancing the economic and environmental considerations of resource extraction, which of the following is closest to your view? 26

Support for Natural Resources Industry Which of the following do you believe is the best way for the Federal Government to support the natural resources industry?  Training and education related spending to get people to choose skilled trades as a career  Tax breaks and incentives  Infrastructure spending  Promoting Canadian resources internationally  Less strict environmental regulations  The government should not be giving the natural resources industry special treatment  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 27

Support for Natural Resources Industry © Harris/Decima Base: All responses (n=3,766) QE3. Which of the following do you believe is the best way for the Federal Government to support the natural resources industry? 28

© Harris/Decima Helping Families

The government currently offers a children’s fitness tax credit which is meant to encourage physical fitness among youth under 16 years of age. Parents of youth who participate in an eligible physical activity could save up to $75 on their annual taxes. How strongly do you support or oppose this tax credit for Canadian parents?  Strongly oppose  Somewhat oppose  Somewhat support  Strongly support  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 30

Helping Families © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses (n=3,866) QD4. What is the most important step the government could take to help families? 31

Support for Fitness Tax Credits The government currently offers a children’s fitness tax credit which is meant to encourage physical fitness among youth under 16 years of age. Parents of youth who participate in an eligible physical activity could save up to $75 on their annual taxes. How strongly do you support or oppose this tax credit for Canadian parents?  Strongly oppose  Somewhat oppose  Somewhat support  Strongly support  Don’t know How strongly do you support or oppose a policy that would let anyone 17 years of age and older claim their own physical activities (i.e. gym memberships, exercise classes)? © Harris/Decima 32

Support for Fitness Tax Credits © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses (n=3,866) The government currently offers a children’s fitness tax credit which is meant to encourage physical fitness among youth under 16 years of age. Parents of youth who participate in an eligible physical activity could save up to $75 on their annual taxes. QD5. How strongly do you support or oppose this tax credit for Canadian parents? QD6. How strongly do you support or oppose a policy that would let anyone 17 years of age and older claim their own physical activities? 33

© Harris/Decima Cyberbullying

Significance of Cyberbullying How significant a problem do you think cyberbullying is in schools in Canada?  Not at all significant  Not that significant  Somewhat significant  Very significant  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 35

Significance of Cyberbullying © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses QF1. How significant a problem do you think cyberbullying is in schools in Canada? 36

Cyberbullying in Student’s Own School Thinking more specifically about your own school, how significant a problem do you think cyberbullying is in your school?  Not at all significant  Not that significant  Somewhat significant  Very significant  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 37

Cyberbullying in Student’s Own School © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses QF2. Thinking specifically about your own school, how significant a problem do you think cyberbullying is in your school? 38

Stopping Cyberbullying What is the best way to stop cyberbullying?  Stiffer penalties  Investment in prevention  More powers for authorities to monitor online activities  Nothing will make a difference  Not important - the issue is overblown  Don’t know © Harris/Decima 39

Stopping Cyberbullying © Harris/Decima Base: All valid responses (n=3,734) QF4. What is the best way to stop cyberbullying? 40