Answers:
1. c) Nearly two-thirds (63%) of Canadians believe that reducing waiting lists for diagnostic services like MRIs and CAT scans should be a top priority for more health care spending.
2. b) 94% of Canadians would put their trust in a firefighter. Pharmacists are close behind at 91%, with doctors at 85% and airline pilots at 81%.
3. c) 93% of everyone plugged into the net use it to send e-mail (what the other seven per cent is doing I'm not sure). The number two thing we do is check the weather (65%). Only half (50%) use instant messaging and 53% use the web for online banking.
4. c) 43% of Canadians feel the world is changing too quickly and this is a major cause of stress. Frighteningly, the percentage of Canadians who agree there has been a time when they've been under so much stress that they've wanted to commit suicide is 17.
5. a - c - d - b: a) 50% would share with family, c) 39% would donate to charity, d) 35% would travel and b) only 23% of us would use it to pay off debt. Only 10% would quit their jobs!
6. d) 95% of parents in Saskatchewan and Manitoba are worried about funding their children's education. Atlantic Canada follows at 93%, with Ontario at 86% -- parents in Quebec are the least worried at 74%.
7. a) 40% of Canadians will tromp through the snow to enjoy a juicy flame-broiled burger, and most of these brave souls hail from Alberta (in fact, 57% of all Albertans will barbecue all year round).
8. d) Swimming and piano top the chart with 16% of all Canadian kids enrolled. Soccer is next at 15% with hockey close behind at 13%. Only 6% of kids are doing martial arts after school.
9. b) Women are far more likely to remember to brush their tongues than men (62% vs. 47%). Women also floss more (69% vs. 55%) and check their gums more (57% vs. 49%). There were no stats on regular brushing, and frankly we just don't want to know.
10. a) 80% of Canadians look for how much fibre is in their food. Vitamins are close behind at 79%. Counting calories is important to 74%, and 67% look at total fat, while just 63% observe saturated fats.
11. b) 33% of us hide what we have paid for something from our spouses. The next highest item was hiding a child's behaviour or grades at 13%, failure at work took 7% and damage to the car rested at 5%.
12. b) Saskatchewan -- more people have suffered a broken heart there than anywhere else. Interestingly, the place where you are least likely to get a broken heart is Quebec (ah, l'amour!). 43% of all Canadians say they have suffered a broken heart at one time or another.
13. c) 69% of pet owners allow their pets in their beds at night -- well, 69% admitted to it.
14. c) Over one-third (33%) of Canadians think Newfoundlanders have the best sense of humour. 13% think Quebeckers are funny while only 1% think Prince Edward Islanders can get a laugh.
15. b) British Columbians are most likely to say we are different from the Americans. The
province whose residents are least likely to think so is Alberta.
Score:
11 - 15
Congratulations! You have your finger on the pulse of what Canadians think today. Celebrate with a 100% all-Canadian beef burger cooked outside on the barbecue.
6 - 10
Not bad! It's hard to predict a collective brain of 35 million, so great effort. Go snuggle in bed with Mr. Whiskers and read a good Canadian magazine.
0 - 5
You live deep inside the Canadian Shield with your eyes closed and fingers in your ears. Try to get out a little more.
