Your voice: CARP Action readers skeptical of politicians

Our readers are politically active – but skeptical of ability of politicians to make changes

Readers of CARP Action Online report being politically active – but are dubious about the ability of politicians to make changes.

Over 1,400 people responded to last month’s survey on political activism.

20% said they belong to a federal political party, while 16% belong to a provincial political party.

The numbers were higher when it came to expressing their opinions on political or other societal issues. Half of the respondents have written a letter to their federal or provincial representative, and half have written a letter to an editor or made their views known in some other public forum.

Respondents were enthusiastic about participating, should CARP call on its members to get involved on a public policy issue that was important to them. 57% said they would participate, while 40% weren’t sure and only 2% said no.

Respondents were not excited about the effectiveness of politicians.

About half thought that politicians do care what their constituents think (but of this total, only 7% strongly agreed, and 43% somewhat agreed), while 13% weren’t sure and 35% strongly or somewhat disagreed.

More seriously (for the politicians), 62% strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement, “I don’t think politicians have much ability to make changes; everything is decided by bureaucrats.” Only 29% strongly or somewhat disagreed with this statement, while 8% weren’t sure.

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