Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 20293015
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED202749 AUTHOR:
TITLE: Discrimination in Canada: A Survey of Knowledge,
Attitudes and Practices Concerned with Discrimination.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1979
NOTE: 29 p.
ABSTRACT: To identify attitudes of the Canadian public
toward discrimination, the Canadian Human Rights Commission
surveyed a representative sample of 2,000 Canadians. This
document describes the survey, presents highlights, and
explains how the survey is being used. The specific purpose
of the survey was to provide information on public opinion
regarding discriminatory practices based on factors having
nothing to do with the activity from which a person is
excluded. Five categories of questions were presented to
respondents--(1) knowledge, judgments, and attitudes
relative to human rights agencies and legislation in
Canada, (2) personal knowledge and experience of
discriminatory practices, (3) changes in patterns of
discrimination, (4) special programs or affirmative action
for disadvantaged groups, and (5) the extent of tolerant
attitudes. Findings from analysis of responses to questions
in these categories indicated that 68% of respondents
considered the commissions effective in removing
discrimination. The most commonly mentioned grounds on
which respondents believed people are discriminated against
are race/color, female sex, handicap, disadvantageous
social situation, official language, religion, age, and
ethnic or national origin. Seven percent of respondents
experienced discriminatory exclusion in the past 12 months.
The conclusions are that findings from surveys can help
agencies such as the Canadian Human Rights Commission
anticipate public response to certain initiatives
in human rights programs and that similar surveys should be
repeated regularly in order to study the evolution of the
attitudes of Canadians concerning discrimination. (DB)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Age-Discrimination; Civil-Rights
Legislation; Language-Proficiency; National-Surveys;
Questionnaires-; Racial-Discrimination; Religious
Discrimination; Sex-Discrimination
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Attitude-Measures; *Majority-Attitudes;
*Social-Discrimination
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This file was generated from data base DP on 06/25/02.
Data base DP was last revised on 12/95/ .
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