Angus Reid also found that Quebecers are the least aggrieved in Canada, and the most likely to say Ottawa treats their province fairly.
Quebec’s François Legault may be facing some jealousy when he meets fellow premiers in Halifax this week.
As a three-day first ministers’ meeting began Monday, a new poll indicated that many Canadians think Quebec is the federation’s biggest beneficiary.
“Quebec is most likely to be seen to be benefiting disproportionately from its place in the nation,” the Angus Reid Institute said.
The poll also indicated that Quebecers are:
- The least aggrieved as part of the federation.
- The least likely to think the federal government is hurting their province’s economy.
- The most likely to say Ottawa treats their province fairly.
Despite those positive feelings, Quebecers also feel disrespected by the rest of Canada, according to the survey.
Angus Reid, a non-profit opinion research institute, asked 2,021 Canadians if they think any provinces “get an extra advantage — that is, they get more than they give being part of Canada.”
About 42 per cent of Canadians polled said Quebec garners an extra advantage.
Majorities in every region other than Ontario and Quebec said Quebec gets more than it gives.
Alberta was the top choice when Angus Reid asked which provinces give more than they receive.
About 23 per cent of Canadians said Alberta is getting a raw deal. That’s 10 percentage points higher than Ontario, which placed second.
Quebecers least aggrieved
Angus Reid used the data collected to calculate a “net alienation score.”
They took those who believe their province gets an advantage over others in Canada and subtracted those who say they are treated unfairly.
With a net alienation score of minus-55 per cent, Saskatchewan residents “were the most likely to feel little benefit and high levels of angst,” Angus Reid said.
Quebec — the only province with a vibrant separatist movement — was the least likely to feel aggrieved as part of the federation.
Quebec’s net alienation score was minus-12 per cent.
Dissatisfaction growing
Some of the poll’s other findings may help explain poor approval ratings for Legault and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Forty per cent of Quebecers said they were satisfied, down from 55 per cent in 2019. Legault took power in 2018.
Across Canada, 72 per cent said they were dissatisfied, compared to 59 per cent in 2019. Trudeau has been prime minister since 2015.
People in Quebec were the least dissatisfied with how things are going in Canada, though a majority (63 per cent) were still critical of the situation.
Angus Reid also asked respondents whether the federal government has helped or hurt their province’s economy over the past two years.
Saskatchewan and Alberta residents were the most likely to say Ottawa damaged provincial economies (72 per cent and 65 per cent, respectively).
Quebecers were the least likely to say the Trudeau government harmed their economy — 46 per cent, an increase of four percentage points compared to 2019.
Angus Reid also asked Canadians if their province is “treated fairly” by the federal government and if it’s “respected” by the rest of the country.
Ontario was the only province where a majority (52 per cent) said they feel fairly treated by Ottawa, with Quebec second (42 per cent).
However, Quebecers were among the least likely to say their province is respected by the rest of Canada.
Only 26 per cent of Quebec respondents said their province is respected. Saskatchewanians were the least likely to feel respected (22 per cent).
