Canada’s moral compass has experienced sizeable changes on two issues related to human sexuality, in spite of a pronounced gender gap, a new Research Co. poll has found.The online survey of a representative national sample asked Canadians whether they considered 21 different issues as “morally acceptable” or “morally wrong.”Fewer than three-in-ten Canadians believe pornography (28%, -4 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in May 2023) and prostitution (25%, -7) are “morally acceptable”.“Only 20% of Canadian women think pornography is morally acceptable, and 17% feel the same way about prostitution,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “In stark contrast, pornography is morally acceptable for 39% of Canadian men, and 34% have no moral qualms about prostitution.”The numbers did not shift drastically on other issues, with more than two thirds of Canadians finding four issues as “morally acceptable”: contraception (76%, +1), divorce (72%, +1), sexual relations between an unmarried man and woman (70%, +1) and having a baby outside of marriage (67%, -2).Almost three-in-five Canadians (58%, +5) say abortion is “morally acceptable” — a proportion that rises to 66% among Canadians aged 55 and over, 65% in British Columbia and 64% in Quebec.More than half of Canadians see three other issues as “morally acceptable”: physician-assisted death (57%, -1), sexual relations between two people of the same sex (55%, -2) and medical research using stem cells obtained from human embryos (also 55%, =).Sizeable majorities of Canadians who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (70%) and the Liberal Party (64%) in the last federal election have no moral reservations about same-sex relations. Among Conservative Party voters in 2021, the proportion stands at 39%.More than a third of Canadians regard three issues as “morally acceptable”: gambling (49%, -3), the death penalty (40%, +1) and buying and wearing clothing made of animal fur (34%, +4).Canadians aged 35-to-54 are more likely to believe gambling is morally acceptable (53%) than their counterparts aged 55 and over (48%) and aged 18-to-34 (46%).Canadian men are less likely to have moral reservations about buying and wearing clothing made of animal fur (43%) than their female counterparts (27%).Fewer than one-in-four Canadians believe eight other issues are “morally acceptable”: medical testing on animals (23%, +1), cloning animals (19%, -1), polygamy (17%, -4), suicide (also 17%, -3), married men and/or women having an affair (16%, -2), using illegal drugs (14%, -5), cloning humans (13%, +2) and paedophilia (5%, -2).One-in-four Quebecers (25%) think married men and/or women having an affair is “morally acceptable”. The proportions are lower in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (16%), British Columbia (also 16%), Ontario (15%), Atlantic Canada (8%) and Alberta (6%).Results are based on an online study conducted on June 1 to June 3, 2024, among 1,001 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.Find the data tables here.
Canada’s moral compass has experienced sizeable changes on two issues related to human sexuality, in spite of a pronounced gender gap, a new Research Co. poll has found.The online survey of a representative national sample asked Canadians whether they considered 21 different issues as “morally acceptable” or “morally wrong.”Fewer than three-in-ten Canadians believe pornography (28%, -4 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in May 2023) and prostitution (25%, -7) are “morally acceptable”.“Only 20% of Canadian women think pornography is morally acceptable, and 17% feel the same way about prostitution,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “In stark contrast, pornography is morally acceptable for 39% of Canadian men, and 34% have no moral qualms about prostitution.”The numbers did not shift drastically on other issues, with more than two thirds of Canadians finding four issues as “morally acceptable”: contraception (76%, +1), divorce (72%, +1), sexual relations between an unmarried man and woman (70%, +1) and having a baby outside of marriage (67%, -2).Almost three-in-five Canadians (58%, +5) say abortion is “morally acceptable” — a proportion that rises to 66% among Canadians aged 55 and over, 65% in British Columbia and 64% in Quebec.More than half of Canadians see three other issues as “morally acceptable”: physician-assisted death (57%, -1), sexual relations between two people of the same sex (55%, -2) and medical research using stem cells obtained from human embryos (also 55%, =).Sizeable majorities of Canadians who voted for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (70%) and the Liberal Party (64%) in the last federal election have no moral reservations about same-sex relations. Among Conservative Party voters in 2021, the proportion stands at 39%.More than a third of Canadians regard three issues as “morally acceptable”: gambling (49%, -3), the death penalty (40%, +1) and buying and wearing clothing made of animal fur (34%, +4).Canadians aged 35-to-54 are more likely to believe gambling is morally acceptable (53%) than their counterparts aged 55 and over (48%) and aged 18-to-34 (46%).Canadian men are less likely to have moral reservations about buying and wearing clothing made of animal fur (43%) than their female counterparts (27%).Fewer than one-in-four Canadians believe eight other issues are “morally acceptable”: medical testing on animals (23%, +1), cloning animals (19%, -1), polygamy (17%, -4), suicide (also 17%, -3), married men and/or women having an affair (16%, -2), using illegal drugs (14%, -5), cloning humans (13%, +2) and paedophilia (5%, -2).One-in-four Quebecers (25%) think married men and/or women having an affair is “morally acceptable”. The proportions are lower in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (16%), British Columbia (also 16%), Ontario (15%), Atlantic Canada (8%) and Alberta (6%).Results are based on an online study conducted on June 1 to June 3, 2024, among 1,001 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.Find the data tables here.
