The results of a new poll conducted by Research Co. show that a majority of Canadians are in favor of the death penalty.
54% of respondents say they are ready to review the justice system to reinsert capital punishment for criminals convicted of murder. This is a rise of three percentage points from a similar poll taken in February 2022.
According to data from Research Co., Quebec is among the provinces with the lowest approval rate for this legal procedure: only 43% of residents of the province are in favor of bringing back the death penalty.
These figures increase to 62% in Alberta, 60% in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, 58% in Ontario and British Columbia, and 55% in Atlantic Canada.
Among some of the observations made by the research group is that the practice does better in older people. 59% of respondents aged 55 and over would like to review the death penalty; this number is 55% among 35-54 year olds, and 50% among 18-34 year olds.
Many arguments are used in this debate, both to reinstate this sentence and to keep it out of Canadian judicial practice. On the one hand, among the opponents, some fear that a miscarriage of justice could lead to the death penalty.
Others believe that it is the duty of citizens to help rehabilitate murderers within the community, and that they should serve their time in prison.
Those in favor of the death penalty, on the other hand, argue that they believe imposing it could help prevent certain crimes. Others believe that it is not up to taxpayers to continue to pay for the costs incurred by prisoners.
The death penalty was abolished in Canada in 1976. 710 executions were carried out when it was common practice. The last two to be executed were Arthur Lucas and Ronald Turpin, in 1962, in Toronto.