Are Quebecers afraid of chicanery? The CROP consultancy asked the question to 1,000 people aged 18 and over in order to inform the next edition of The state of Quebec (Somme tout/Le Devoir), which will have the theme “Are we an emotional society? “.
According to the survey, 47% of Quebecers continue a discussion when a disagreement arises because, according to them, “debate helps to strengthen [leur] critical thinking and [s’]mutually enrich.” On the other hand, 24% of Quebecers cut short a heated discussion by changing the subject or leaving the room.
“We are still able to talk to each other,” rejoices the general director of the Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM), Malorie Flon, after combing through the study report. Sociopolitical polarization. Emotions, affect and social issuesled by CROP. “But there is still a significant proportion who prefer to flee,” she adds, seeing in it “a trend to watch out for.”
And 62% of Quebecers say they “sometimes” or “often” “avoid certain topics of discussion with a loved one or colleague” over the past year “to avoid a difficult or conflictual situation.”
“Conflict, difference of opinion, is not only normal in democracy, but even quite healthy and desirable. It is by arguing, by confronting our points of view with openness, with respect, that we can find the best solutions to our societal challenges, while taking into account the different perspectives on the needs of the population. underlines Mme Flon, one month before the release of The state of Quebec 2025.
Quebecers have a more sensitive skin when faced with slippery chicanes, we see when reading the CROP report. No less than 90% of the population believes that “we should be much tougher against defamation, incitement to hatred, violence and discrimination”, even if it means restricting freedom of expression a little. “ [Les répondants] told us in unison: it doesn’t make sense, it has to stop,” relates the president of CROP, Alain Giguère, recalling the cascading resignations of elected officials due to the deterioration of the political climate in their area of countries. “What are the means to achieve this? The average Quebecer does not understand all the legal impacts that are linked to various solutions. »
And do Quebecers (sometimes) speak out of turn? In any case, nearly two in five Quebecers (39%) admit to having expressed their opinion in the last 12 months on a subject without having “informed themselves in depth” beforehand, starting with young people aged 18 to 24 (57 %) and people with a university degree (44%).
Polarization objects
The subjects of debate, even of discord, are numerous today – and often “complex” –, points out Alain Giguère. But the one that currently “divides Quebecers the most” is that of sexual and gender diversity.
Specifically, 41% of Quebecers are campaigning for the recognition of “each person’s gender identity and orientation preferences”: 47% of women versus 35% of men, 43% of French speakers versus 34% of non-French speakers.
On the other hand, 33% of Quebecers believe that “we have gone too far” and that “we should return to traditional identities and roles between women and men”: 36% of men against 30% of women, 47% non-French speakers compared to 29% of French speakers. The boss of CROP sees this as the birth of a “neoconservative” and masculinist current in Quebec.
Immigration again
A majority of Quebecers (51%) call for better “control” of immigration, seeing it more as a cause of the housing shortage (63%) than a threat to Quebec identity (35%) , according to the probe carried out by CROP. The “ethnic nationalist dynamic” strikes everywhere, including in Quebec, indicates Alain Giguère, who is sad to see the “humanist” fiber of the Quebec nation fraying.
Quebecers also do not agree on the severity of the measures to be taken to fight climate change and protect the environment, the size of the state or the role of Quebec and Canada on the international scene… But, generally speaking, “there is not such great polarization” in Quebec, observes the leader of CROP.
“Are people on each side of the spectrum able to talk to each other, share concerns, and then find ways forward in terms of public policy, government actions? » asks Malorie Flon, from the INM. “This is the great challenge of democracy. The reason why polarization is so worrying — in the United States, in particular — is because there are blockages, because the supporters of each end of a spectrum are no longer able to talk to each other. Then it can go so far as to cause government dysfunction. »
Quebec is not there.
The CROP-INM survey was conducted online from May 16 to 23 with 1,000 respondents from a web panel aged 18 and over.