Canadians see climate change as the top threat to our country, but many are also listing U.S. power and influence among the leading national security risks, according to a new global survey.
by the Washington, D.C.-based Pew Research Center found that 60 per cent of surveyed Canadians believe global climate change is a major threat to Canada.
Other top threats, as seen by Canadians:
- ISIS (55 per cent)
- Cyberattacks from other countries (47 per cent)
- U.S. power and influence (38 per cent)
- Condition of the global economy (33 per cent)
Jacob Poushter, a senior researcher at Pew and co-author of the report, said the change in Canadians鈥� view of the U.S. is notable. Only 23 per cent of Canadians saw U.S. power and influence as a threat in 2013, he said.
鈥淢ore people in Canada actually say that the U.S. is a threat versus Russia and China,鈥� Poushter told 麻豆传媒 Channel on Tuesday.
Thirty per cent of Canadians believe Russia鈥檚 power and influence is a major threat to Canada, and 25 per cent said the same about China.
The view that America could be dangerous to other countries was noted across the 38 nations polled in the Pew survey.
鈥淥ne of the biggest changes we鈥檝e seen is that more people now name U.S. power and influence as a major threat,鈥� Poushter said.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump entered the White House in January, favourable views of the U.S. have , he added.
Canadians鈥� views on ISIS, refugees
Compared to many European countries and the U.S., a relatively small percentage of Canadians said they feared an influx of refugees.
Twenty-five per cent said they believe a large number of refugees from countries like Syria and Iraq poses a major threat to Canada. By comparison, roughly two-thirds of people surveyed in Italy, Greece and Hungary see refugees as a leading threat to their countries.
The Pew report also notes that North American and European views on global threats differ between demographic groups and political ideology. In Canada, 35 per cent of those on the political right say that a large number of refugees is a major threat, compared to only five per cent of those on the left.
When it comes to ISIS, 59 per cent of those on the right see the terror group as a leading threat, compared to 33 per cent of those on the left.
On the climate change front, 50 per cent of right-leaning Canadians and 86 per cent of those on the left say it鈥檚 a top threat.
Across all countries polled, ISIS is seen as a top threat to national security, followed by climate change and cyberattacks.
The Pew Research Center surveyed 41,953 respondents in 38 countries from Feb. 16 to May 8. The survey was based on telephone and face-to-face interviews.
