TORONTO -- If Prince Harry and Meghan are looking for more privacy, then Canadians think they're moving to the right country, a new survey reveals.
The Nanos Research survey found that Canadians believe the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be afforded more privacy by both the media and ordinary citizens than in the U.K.
More than two-thirds of respondents said that they believed Canadians will respect the royal couple's privacy more than Brits have, while another 23 per cent said the level of respect for privacy would be the same in both countries. Only four per cent responded that Canadians would be less respectful of the couple's privacy.
Along similar lines, 31 per cent of respondents said Harry and Meghan will face much less media scrutiny in Canada and 40 per cent more said they expected somewhat less media scrutiny of the couple here.
This may fly in the face of reality, as lawyers representing the Sussexes have already issued legal warnings to paparazzi in Canada about tracking the royal couple's every move.
Quebec was a clear outlier in both questions, with only 61 per cent of respondents saying Canadians would respect the Sussexes' privacy more and only 50 per cent saying they would receive less media scrutiny in Canada.
Buckingham Palace announced last month that Harry and Meghan are giving up some royal duties and moving part-time to Canada "to live a more independent life." It is not clear where in Canada they plan to settle, but Vancouver Island has often been cited as the leading candidate and has been their temporary home, at the very least, in recent weeks.
SECURITY COSTS AND THE MONARCHY
The survey also examined Canadians' views on paying the Sussexes' security tab and on how the Queen handled their decision to step back from royal duties.
There was a clear consensus on the security costs, as 77 per cent of respondents said they do not think Canadian taxpayers should have to pay the costs because Harry and Meghan are not in Canada as representatives of the Queen. This sentiment was strongest in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
Nineteen per cent of respondents said they were OK with Canadian taxpayers covering part of the costs, while four per cent said they were unsure.
It is not clear what level of security the couple will receive while in Canada or who will pay for it. The federal government has only said that discussions are ongoing.
When asked about the Queen's handling of the situation, 40 per cent of respondents said she had done a good job and 21 per cent said she had done a very good job. Only six per cent described her approach as poor and three per cent as very poor. Women and older Canadians were more likely to approve of how the Queen handled Harry and Meghan's step-back.
What might be more concerning for royalists is that only 32 per cent of respondents said they unreservedly support Canada maintaining its ties with the Royal Family through Canada's status as a constitutional monarchy, with another 28 per cent somewhat supporting that notion. Fifteen per cent said they are somewhat opposed to maintaining the monarchy, and 20 per cent said outright that they are opposed.
METHODOLOGY
Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land- and cell-lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,003 Canadians, 18 years of age or old, between Jan. 27 and 29, 2020 as part of an omnibus survey. The margin of error for a random survey of 1,003 Canadians is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
This study was commissioned by 麻豆影视 and the research was conducted by Nanos Research.
