Elections Canada investigated how many Canadians have a ‘conspiracy mentality’

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OTTAWA – Elections Canada was curious how many Canadians believed in conspiracy theories in the run-up to the recent federal vote.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had two years left in his minority term in August when he plunged the country into an election while unleashing a fourth wave of COVID-19.

Protesters opposing public health measures such as masking and mandatory vaccinations organized rallies, some of them following Trudeau as he crossed the country, hurling obscenities and, at one point, even gravel at him.

Months before voting began, the federal agency in charge of conducting the elections commissioned its first independent survey of the level of trust Canadians had in the electoral process. That included finding out how many had a “conspiracy mentality.”

“Conspiracy questions allow a better understanding of what can trigger distrust of the electoral administration,” Elections Canada spokeswoman Natasha Gauthier said in a statement, adding that “the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about social change. and significant economic, even in the field of the administration elections. “

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“Looking at mistrust in general also helps us better understand what kinds of information and communication approaches can be effective in inspiring confidence in elections.”

Conducted by the Leger firm over 10 days in April, the survey surveyed 2,500 Canadians online and through computer-assisted interviewing technology.

It found that the majority of respondents trusted Elections Canada and believed that the voting system was “safe and reliable.”

When it comes to conspiracy beliefs, the study, recently published on a government website, reported that 17 percent believed the government was trying to cover up the link between vaccines and autism, and 30 percent I thought that new drugs or technologies were being tested on people. without your knowledge.

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The research also found that 40 percent of those surveyed subscribed to thinking that certain major events were the product of a “small group that secretly manipulates world events.”

Aengus Bridgman, principal investigator for a project that tracked the spread of false and misleading information during the campaign, said putting an exact number on how many Canadians believe conspiracies is difficult because it comes down to how it is measured.

The McGill University political science doctoral student says the project, co-organized with the University of Toronto, has conducted its own surveys suggesting that 10-20% of people had strong conspiracy beliefs.

Bridgman says false information about the new coronavirus played a big role during the elections. Social media also saw a “relentless group of individuals” making false claims about how mail-in votes would be counted, reflecting what happened during the 2020 US presidential election, where former President Donald Trump raised unsubstantiated concerns about fraudulent ballots by mail.

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As Election Day approached September 20, Elections Canada responded with messages explaining the process for counting these ballots, but Bridgman says that should happen faster.

“As soon as it starts circulating on a Telegram channel, you can be pretty sure that in 24 or 36 hours it will be on some of the more mainstream platforms and people will be exposed to it.”

One of the effects of the pandemic, he says, is that vaccines have become a “flash point” where groups that have different beliefs based on the conspiracy, from the flat Earth to the supposedly sinister agenda of big companies Pharmacists find a home together.

Mainstream political parties are often called “big parties,” Bridgman notes.

“Well now we have this big conspiracy party in the tent.”

He says that a conspiracy theory that appeared during the campaign and also online referred to so-called “climate shutdowns.”

That was reported, among others, by Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant from Ontario.

Before the elections, he circulated emails to voters warning that the Liberals wanted to impose a “climate lockdown” and made similar comments in a video posted on social media.

The video was removed after conservative leader Erin O’Toole received questions about it.