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Plurality of Canadians Say Country Belongs to Indigenous Peoples, Leger Poll Finds

Released on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the online survey points to a pronounced generational gap in views of national belonging.

Overview

  • The Leger poll of 1,627 Canadians conducted Aug. 29–31 found 38% agree Canada belongs “first and foremost” to Indigenous peoples, 43% disagree, and 19% are unsure.
  • Support is far higher among young adults, with 58% of those aged 18–24 agreeing compared with 24% of respondents 65 and older.
  • Regional results vary, with 46% in Ontario expressing agreement versus roughly a third in Quebec, British Columbia and the Prairie provinces.
  • Foreign-born respondents show greater agreement than Canadian-born (50% versus 36%), and nearly three quarters of a small Indigenous subsample (n=41) agree.
  • The online survey cannot be assigned a margin of error, and experts say the divide reflects a broader generational narrative shift and regional-ideological differences.