A new poll suggests most Canadians believe the federal government should remain neutral in the ongoing war involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
The survey found that 67 per cent of Canadians think Canada should avoid supporting either side in the conflict. About one in four respondents said Canada should back the United States and Israel in their attacks on Iran.
The poll also showed that 13 per cent of respondents believe Canada should support Iran, while another 13 per cent said the government should try to support both sides.
The survey was conducted online between March 13 and March 16 and included responses from 1,608 Canadians.
Analysts say the results may reflect public uncertainty about the conflict and concerns about international law and the role of the United States in the war.
The poll found notable differences between men and women. About 33 per cent of men said Canada should support the United States and Israel, compared with 18 per cent of women.
Political affiliation also influenced opinions. About 77 per cent of Liberal and Bloc Québécois supporters said Canada should remain neutral, while only 53 per cent of Conservative supporters shared that view.
Among Conservative voters, 45 per cent said Canada should support the United States and Israel. By comparison, only 18 per cent of Liberal voters supported that position.
The survey also asked Canadians whether they support the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran. A majority of respondents — 58 per cent — said they oppose the war, while 25 per cent said they support it.
The poll found Canadians are also worried about the broader impact of the conflict. About 70 per cent said they are concerned about the risk of terrorist attacks in Canada linked to the war.
Nearly the same number said they are worried Canadian military personnel could be drawn into the conflict.
Economic concerns ranked even higher. Ninety-one per cent of respondents said they are worried the war could push up gasoline and grocery prices, while 82 per cent fear the conflict could trigger a global economic recession that leads to job losses in Canada.
The poll also asked about possible military involvement. Nearly 60 per cent said they would support sending Canadian troops to defend a NATO member country if it were attacked by Iran.
More than half of respondents said they would support deploying Canadian forces to protect oil refineries and shipping routes to safeguard the global economy.
About 40 per cent said they would support sending troops as part of an international coalition to change Iran’s government.
The survey also found strong support for expanding Canada’s energy production. Nearly three-quarters of Canadians said the country should increase oil and natural gas output to help offset global shortages caused by the war.
Researchers noted that online polls do not use random sampling and therefore cannot be assigned a traditional margin of error.