Poll: Americans more likely to view mandatory mask ordinance as an infringement of freedom

An employee of the Montreal metro offers free masks to travellers who don’t have one with them at the Lionel Groulx station on July 13, 2020 as face coverings and masks become compulsory in all public transports in the Quebec province in Montreal, Quebec.  (Photo by Eric THOMAS / AFP)


By Thomas I. Likness
EBC Edmonton Bureau

EDMONTON (Eagle News) — People in the United States are more likely than Canadians to consider a requirement to wear a mask in public places as in infringement of their personal freedoms according to a public opinion poll released Tuesday.

The poll was conducted by Leger for the Association for Canadian Studies.

It found 41% of Americans believed mask ordinances compromised their personal freedoms. In contrast, only 27% of Canadians felt the same way.

But interestingly when asked whether governments should make masks mandatory in all public spaces, 72% of Americans and 67% of Canadians supported such a measure.

On the issue of enforcement, 58% of Americans and 68% of Canadians believed police should have the right to issue fines or arrest people who do not wear masks where they are required. As well, 52% of Americans and 62% of Canadians felt fines or arrests were appropriate for people who do not respect social distancing.

Americans are less optimistic than Canadians that we’ve made it through the first wave of the virus. The poll revealed just over one in four — 26% — of Americans and 40% of Canadians thought the end of the first wave is over.

When asked to look into the future, 72% of Americans and 80% of Canadians thought there will be a second wave of the virus.

Nearly half — 43% — of Americans said the government should slow down the pace of relaxing public health restrictions. Only 26% of Canadians felt the same way.

When asked about going out in public, in the U.S., 61% of those asked said leaving their homes is very stressful or somewhat stressful, compared to 46% of Canadians.

About six out of 10 people in both countries said they feared they will contract the COVID-19 virus.

The online survey was conducted from July10 to July 12, 2020. Leger polled 1,523 Canadians and 1,001 Americans, 18 years of age or older, randomly recruited from its online panel. No margin of error can be associated with a non-probability sample, a web panel in this case. However for comparative purposes, a probability sample of 1,523 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.51%, 19 times out of 20, while a probability sample of 1,001 would have a margin of error of ±3.1%, 19 times out of 20.


(Eagle News Service)