3 in 4 Canadians Hold Negative View of China: Survey

Flags of Canada and China are placed for the first China-Canada economic and financial strategy dialogue in Beijing on Nov. 12, 2018. Jason Lee/The Associated Press

Canadians overwhelmingly view China in a negative light, according to a recent survey conducted by Nanos Research.

The online survey asked Canadians to provide their opinions on several countries and whether each would make a valuable trading partner for Canada. Nearly three in four (73 percent) of the 1,080 Canadian adults surveyed say they have a negative (41 percent) or somewhat negative (32 percent) view of China.

Notably, the percentage of Canadians holding negative views of China has increased by over 10 percent compared with a similar poll conducted by the same company in 2019, where only 25 percent of respondents held negative views. Conversely, about 10 percent of Canadians hold positive or somewhat positive views of China.

“This speaks to how strained the relationship is between Canada and China,” Nik Nanos, chairman of Nanos Research, told CTV News.

The Canada–China relationship hit a new low after Ottawa recently expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei over an intelligence report accusing him of threatening Conservative MP Michael Chong’s family in Hong Kong. Chong became a target due to proposing a motion to recognize China’s treatment of Uyghurs as genocide. Beijing denied targeting the MP’s family and in retaliation expelled a Canadian diplomat in China, Jennifer Lynn Lalonde.

Conservative Member of Parliament Michael Chong speaks to reporters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on May 3, 2023. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

The issue has been referred to the House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs for further study, while members of the opposition continue to question why Zhao was not expelled sooner, given new revelations that the federal government had knowledge for several years that he was spying on Chinese dissidents in Canada and targeting Conservative MP Michael Chong.

China’s approach to advancing its interests appears “unsavoury” to some Canadians, Nanos said, citing allegations of Chinese interference as a concern. He noted that other countries prioritize transparency in their diplomatic activity, which is not always the case with China.

As Canada balances its trade potential with China against potential human rights violations, Nanos believes that the relationship with the communist regime will continue to feel like “a huge political risk” for Canada.

According to the survey, conducted between April 30 and May 3, Atlantic provinces have the highest proportion of those who hold a positive or somewhat positive view of China, at 15.1 percent, followed by those from Quebec at 11.3 percent, Ontario at 11 percent, Prairies at 12.1 percent, and British Columbia at 8.8 percent.

The survey also asked respondents which countries they are comfortable partnering with in terms of energy. Results showed that the majority of Canadians are uncomfortable partnering with China and Russia, with 72 percent and 85 percent respectively holding this view. Meanwhile, Canadians feel most comfortable partnering with Australia, Germany, and the United States as energy partners.

The survey was conducted by a hybrid of telephone and online random calls, carrying a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Noé Chartier contributed to this report.