A displaced Palestinian child waves the Palestinian national flag as he stands on the rubble of a destroyed building at the Bureij camp for refugees in the central Gaza Strip on Sept. 22.EYAD BABA/AFP/Getty Images
A majority of Canadians say they support Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to recognize Palestinian statehood, according to a new poll, despite the repercussions they say it will have on Canada’s trade relationship with the U.S.
A poll by Nanos Research conducted for The Globe and Mail and CTV found that 65 per cent of the Canadians surveyed support or somewhat support the government’s decision last month to officially recognize Palestine as a state.
It also found that 19 per cent oppose and 6 per cent somewhat oppose this decision. One in 10 Canadians, or 11 per cent, remain unsure.
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The Prime Minister said in a statement last month that Canada is “recognizing the State of Palestine, led by the Palestinian Authority.”
The official recognition, which came just ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, put the country at odds with U.S President Donald Trump, who said Canada’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state would complicate efforts to reach a new trade deal.
During a speech at the UN assembly on Sept. 22, Mr. Carney defended his decision, saying it was necessary because the possibility of a negotiated settlement was being “steadily and gravely eroded” by both Hamas and the government of Israel.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking at a United Nations conference in New York, said Canada now formally recognizes a Palestinian state. He said for decades, Canada has called for a two-state solution – a Palestinian state existing in peace alongside Israel.
The Canadian Press
Trade talks are expected to continue as Mr. Carney travels on Monday to Washington for a second time this year to discuss the numerous U.S tariffs Mr. Trump has imposed on Canada. He will be accompanied by Dominic LeBlanc, Minister Responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly.
The Nanos poll, which surveyed 1,052 people between Sept. 29 and Oct. 1, also asked Canadians whether they thought the recognition of a Palestinian state will affect Canada’s trade relationship with the U.S. The poll is considered accurate to within 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
More than half of Canadians – 57 per cent – said Mr. Carney’s recognition will have a negative or somewhat negative impact on Canada’s trade relationship with the United States.
Another 21 per cent think it will have no impact, and only about 10 per cent think it will have a positive or somewhat positive impact. Another 13 per cent remain unsure about the impact.
Pollster Nik Nanos said the survey results show that while there is noticeable support for the recognition of a Palestinian state, which is “likely driven by sympathy for the Palestinians,” Canadians expect that this recognition “may cause turbulence in the relationship with U.S. President Trump.”
In addition, Mr. Nanos said an earlier poll conducted this summer showed that a majority of Canadians lacked confidence that a new demilitarized Palestinian state, without its own armed forces, formed through elections excluding Hamas, would maintain peaceful relations with Israel.