Canadians more concerned about radical Islam than white supremacy behind attacks: poll

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – While Canadians are a bit less concerned about the threat of homegrown terrorism than they were after the 2014 shooting on Parliament Hill, it’s still seen as a “serious threat,” according to a new poll.

Shachi Kurl with the Angus Reid Institute says Canadians are a bit more concerned about the threat of radical Islamic terrorism than they are white nationalist terror, but almost half of Canadians say both are concerning.

“As we experience as a country threats to our security and our sense of safety, Canadians are thinking about both kinds of potential terrorism as ones that are serious threats to the country,” she says, citing examples like the Quebec City mosque shooting of 2017 and the Toronto van attack this past spring.

She adds a majority of Canadians are of the view that the Muslim community is a partner in the fight against radicalization in this country — especially when it comes to radical Islamic terrorism. “Indeed that is the majority view. Nearly three quarters of British Columbians share that view.”

However, she says it’s a view that is less shared in places like Alberta or Saskatchewan where many see the Muslim community as part of the problem of radicalization.

“I think what we’re finding in the last three years is that notions of radicalization and homegrown terrorism are growing more complex, and are really not just about one community anymore or one type of thought. But indeed, we’re seeing that people can be radicalized to different kinds of violent philosophy, largely online, and not just necessarily just subscribing to one line of thought.”

Angus Reid’s survey has also found BC is a bit of an outlier in some cases.

“British Columbians are most likely in the country to view white supremacist attitudes with a great deal of concern,” Kurl says.

The poll goes on to indicate that British Columbians are generally convinced police and intelligence agencies can help stop homegrown terror.

“But what it notable is that in British Columbia that level of confidence is significantly lower than we see in places such as Quebec, for example, where two thirds of Quebecers think that that is the case, or in Ontario where more than half think that is the case.”

In BC, fewer than 40 per cent said they had confidence in Canadian security services, like CSIS, the RCMP, and local police, to be able to prevent attacks.

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