Canadians aren’t known for their patriotism, but according to a new Ipsos poll, the state of the union may be worse than we thought.
On Monday April 9, Ipsos released the results of a survey revealing that only 16 per cent of Canadians could correctly identify the Vimy Monument. The survey was released on Vimy Day, which commemorates Canada’s role in the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France during the First World War.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The battle lasted for four days, and is considered by many to be one of the first times Canada emerged from the shadow of the British Commonwealth. From coast to coast, Vimy Ridge is considered a crucial part of Canada’s military history.
WATCH: ‘Lest we forget, we will remember:’ Lethbridge commemorates Vimy Ridge
The Vimy Monument is featured on both the Canadian $20 bill and the toonie. Furthermore, upon being shown a photo of the monument, over 70 per cent of those surveyed weren’t even confident enough to guess.
“I think it’s sad,” said Simpson. “I think it’s a sad state of affairs when only 16 per cent can identify the monument that sits on the most important battlefield in Canadian history.”
Of the 30 per cent that were brave enough to guess, approximately half thought they were looking at a photo of something else. Monuments among the guesses included the Canadian War Memorial, the First and Second World War Memorials, the Washington Monument and the Twin Towers, as well as others.
WATCH: Vimy Ridge Anniversary
“It’s probably a function of us not learning about these things to the extent that we should in school, or not paying attention to these things throughout our daily lives,” Simpson added.
The survey also revealed that of the age groups surveyed, millennials were the least capable of identifying the Vimy Monument, with just 13 per cent of respondents answering correctly.
“The fact that millennials were the least likely to be able to identify the monument is upsetting because they are the future of remembrance,” Simpson said.
WATCH: Looking for the lost soldiers of the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Coming off a year of Canada 150 celebrations, Canadian patriotism would seem to be at an all-time high. Simpson argues, however, that while patriotism is likely increasing, the brand that’s being celebrated is a current vision of Canada – not a historical one.
He notes that Canada’s “roots as a Eurocentric country are slowly being replaced by greater ties to the Pacific.” He went on to explain that Canada’s foundation of multiculturalism makes it more difficult for citizens to celebrate shared historical and cultural ties.
The best way to bring our current Canada and our historical Canada together, he explained, is to make sure Canadian history is an entrenched part of our education system and that historical institutions continue to be funded.
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“We need to ensure that Canadian history, Canadian military history and key moments like the Battle of Vimy Ridge are incorporated into school curriculums from coast to coast.”
He added that we should begin incorporating Vimy remembrances into our daily lives, similar to wearing poppies on remembrance day.
“I’m wearing my Vimy pin right now,” he said.
Exclusive Global News Ipsos polls are protected by copyright. The information and/or data may only be rebroadcast or republished with full and proper credit and attribution to “Global News Ipsos.”
This Ipsos poll on behalf of Global News was an online survey of 1,002 Canadians aged 18+ and was conducted between April 3-5, 2018. The results were weighted to better reflect the composition of the adult Canadian population, according to census data. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is considered accurate to within plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
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