Vaccinated people more likely to support harsh anti-Russia measures – poll — Analysis
Canada’s unvaccinated have a much wider range of opinions about the Russia-Ukraine war, according to a survey.
A survey conducted by polling firm EKOS shows that Canadians who have received “three or more doses” of a Covid-19 vaccine tended to express significantly more support for aggressive anti-Russian measures with regard to the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine.
It was taken between March 9th and 13 and included responses from an unscientific random sampling of 1,035 Canadians.
Surprisingly, over 80% supported increasing sanctions and seizing assets from Russian nationals who are associated with President Vladimir Putin. They also supported cutting off oil shipments to Russia. The idea of sending military planes to Ukraine’s Army was supported by more than 50% of respondents. 30% of those vaccinated agreed that Canada should have its own military force to assist the Ukrainian Army.
82% of those vaccinated believed that Canada should put tougher sanctions on Russia. However, this would require them to pay higher prices in Canada and have slower economic growth.
On the other hand, respondents who said they were unvaccinated seem to have differing opinions, with the majority (52%) saying they don’t support any of the anti-Russian measures mentioned by the pollsters, and 75% saying they refuse to pay the price by having prices at home skyrocket.
The poll also revealed how the two groups feel about the reasons for the conflict, with 88% of vaccinated respondents saying the repression of Russian speakers in the Donbass region does not justify Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The unvaccinated, however, are more split on the question, with 26% saying Russia’s military operation is justified, 27% saying it isn’t, and 35% saying they neither agree nor disagree with it.
The vaccinated also say, almost unanimously (88%), that Russia is guilty of war crimes in Ukraine, while only 32% of unvaxxed respondents agree, and 42% say they don’t believe it is happening at all.
Frank Graves, President of EKOS, stated that he was alarmed by the results and suggested that those who refused to take vaccines were at fault. “much more sympathetic to Russia,”It also showcased the “highly corrosive influences of disinformation.”
“This is definitely a new and bluntly insidious force that’s contributing to polarization and disinformation and poor decision-making. And it doesn’t seem to be going away. Things are getting worse,”According to the Toronto Star, Graves stated these words.
“I don’t think this is because those people had an ingrained sympathy to the Russians. They’re reading this online, they’re consuming this from the same sources that were giving them the anti-vax stuff.”
Others have taken the results of the poll as an example of how fast mainstream media narratives change, and how easy it is for the masses to transfer their support to one topic depending on the current crisis.
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