A new Angus Reid poll shows almost half of Canadians believe there should be some limit on abortion. The survey was conducted in the wake of the latest Roe v. Wade discussion south of the border.
According to the survey, 8% of Canadians say abortion shouldn’t be available at any point during a pregnancy, while 15% believe it should be available up to 15 weeks. Nine per cent think it’s okay after a heartbeat commences but before viability, referring to the time when a fetus could survive outside the womb, generally considered to be about 24 weeks.
Another 3% say abortion should be an option after fetal viability outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, while 14% said they aren’t sure.
Of the respondents, 52% say abortion should be available at any point during a pregnancy.
The Angus Reid Institute conducted the online survey from Aug. 29-30, 2022 among a representative randomized sample of 1,805 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum.
Canada currently has no abortion laws, meaning there is no restrictions to access abortion. However in the United States, even liberal states such as New York and California have some time window restrictions on abortion access.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau waded into the issue after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States.
“My heart goes out to the millions of American women who are now set to lose their legal right to an abortion. I can’t imagine the fear and anger you are feeling right now,” Trudeau tweeted in June.
“No government, politician, or man should tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her body.”
The government then announced $3.5 million to fund abortion services in Canada.
Despite Trudeau’s firm stance, the Angus Reid poll shows Canadians are quite divided on the issue of abortion.
Overall, half of Canadians identify as “completely pro-choice” and believe abortion is acceptabe at any point during a pregnancy. Another 8% say they are “completely pro-life” and believe that abortion is never acceptable except under exceptional circumstances where the physical health of the mother is in danger. Two-in-five (41%) say they don’t identify with either side of this debate and find themselves somewhere in between.
The survey also found that women between the ages of 18 and 34 are notably most likely to be either “completely pro-choice” (65%) or “completely pro-life” (14%).
Individuals who say religious faith plays an important role in their lives are most likely to identify as completely pro-life (40%), while the same number (39%) say that they are somewhere in between the two extremes, and one-in-five say they are completely pro-choice (21%).
Among women who’ve had an abortion, the number who believe abortion should be available at any point during a pregnancy rises to 58%. Another 6% of these women say it shouldn’t be an option at any point during a pregnancy.
Among respondents who carried an unplanned pregnancy to term, 44% say abortion should be available at any point during a pregnancy, while 13% don’t want abortion to be an option at all.
