79% of Canadians Want an Immediate Hard Cap on Emissions

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Conservative and Liberal governments are out of touch with the majority

From a Canwest News Services report dated March 25, citing a survey conducted by McAllister Opinion Research. The figures are considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Overall, 79% of Canadians and 81% of Albertans said that greenhouse gas emissions from the sector should be "capped at current levels and then reduced" because of the impact on global warming, according to the McAllister Opinion Research poll. Only 12% of respondents, both in the province and in the country as a whole, said that emissions from the oilsands sector should be "allowed to exceed current levels" so as to encourage economic growth.

Should new tar sands projects be allowed?

52% of Canadians said they should not be approved until "environmental management issues are resolved," versus 32% who said they should be "permitted so as not to curb economic growth." In Quebec, 59% wanted to suspend new projects to resolve environmental issues versus 24% who said they should be allowed to continue to protect economic growth.

The numbers were closer in Alberta where 48% supported a suspension of new projects versus 40% who did not.