A recent poll indicates that two-thirds of Canadians favor sending troops to countries like Poland if Russia were to invade. The survey, conducted by Leger, highlights a significant divide in opinions based on gender and age.

Andrew Enns, Leger’s executive vice-president for Central Canada, remarked, "You’d like to think that this is really kind of a super hypothetical pie-in-the-sky kind of question. But unfortunately, crazy things are happening all around the world."

Support for troop deployment is notably higher among men, with 76% in favor, compared to 56% of women. Only 16% of Canadians oppose the idea. Enns noted, "You see a real gender divide on this question; it’s quite stark. Women, historically, have always been on the more peace side versus war side. The maternal instincts kick in, and I think that probably plays a big role."

Among different age groups, support drops to 58% for those aged 35 to 54, while it rises slightly to 61% among younger Canadians aged 18 to 34.

The poll also revealed that 57% of respondents have a positive view of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), with 62% of men expressing favorable opinions compared to 53% of women. Enns suggested that women may not see the military as a welcoming environment, citing a historical perception of the military as male-dominated and the impact of past sexual harassment complaints.

The survey found that 37% of Canadians believe the Armed Forces focus too much on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, while 26% are uncertain. Conservative voters (62%), men (45%), and those with negative views of the CAF (58%) are the most likely to express this concern.

Confidence in the government’s ability to meet recruitment targets is mixed, with 51% of Canadians expressing optimism about adding 6,500 regular force members and 75,000 reservists. Enns noted, "If you have a positive impression about the Forces, you are really confident (63%) they’re going to meet these targets. So, there is a little bit of, maybe it’s rose-colored glasses on the public’s part."

Support for encouraging civil servants to serve as part-time reservists stands at 55%, particularly among men (61%) and those with positive views of the CAF (66%). Enns expressed surprise at this finding, stating, "I’ll be honest … my first reaction was, ‘Are you crazy?’ The civil servants I know — I don’t think they’d make it an hour."

Regarding funding for military enhancements, only 27% of Canadians support increasing the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Additionally, 25% believe the age for old age security benefits should rise from 65 to 68 to strengthen the military, while 21% favor a 5% increase in income taxes for the same purpose. Enns commented, "There’s not a lot of appetite to raise much new revenue. There’s general support for re-arming the military … but paying for it, well, that’s a little bit different."

The poll also explored opinions on military equipment purchases. Twenty percent of respondents support buying F-35 stealth fighters for the Royal Canadian Air Force, while 30% prefer non-American aircraft and 18% would choose a mixed fleet. Conservative voters (32%) are the strongest proponents of the F-35s. Enns noted, "This is the public opinion result you get when you’ve endlessly debated something for over a decade. People are just all over the map."

Half of those surveyed believe the government should prioritize purchasing military equipment made in Canada, while 29% prefer the best and most cost-effective options regardless of origin. Enns explained, "We have, for decades, married the idea of re-arming the military with … economic development. Now the government is trying to pivot away from that, just saying we’ve got to re-arm our military as fast as we can."

The online survey included 1,579 participants and was conducted from November 28 to 30. The results were weighted based on various demographic factors. A margin of error cannot be applied, but a probability sample of this size would typically yield a margin of error of plus or minus 2.47%, 19 times out of 20.