Spot the Albertans
Always helpful, our columnist has developed a handy quiz to help you indentify who is actually who
by Rick Spence
Writing a column from Toronto on eastern views of Alberta, I regularly face a dilemma: am I here to expose East-West stereotypes, confirm them, or ruthlessly exploit them?
For this one-time Albertan, my answer is typically Canadian: I will be as positive as possible, under the circumstances. So in the name of East-West understanding, here’s a game to help you explore the differences for yourself. It’s called Spot the Albertans.
Here are questions taken from recent surveys by two national polling firms. Each question has two possible answers: one is from respondents in Alberta and you, of course, have to guess which one that is.
Sometimes the answer will be obvious, sometimes less so. I’m not trying to trick anyone (I told you, I’m trying to be constructive today).
1. From a Leger poll on “Canadians and Income Tax (May 2004). How many Albertans think the dollars they pay in income tax to the federal government are well spent: 35% or 41%?
2. From a Leger poll (February 2004). How many respondents in Alberta agree with the statement that the Quebec-Liberal sponsorship fiasco represents “the way they do politics in Canada:” 25% or 31%?
3. From a Leger poll on dating services (July 2004). How many Albertans believe that people who use Internet chat rooms or online dating services don’t dare admit it: 49% or 55%?
4. From a Leger poll on tolerance toward homosexuality (May 2004). What percentage of Albertans are in favor of same-sex marriages: 40% or 44%?
5. From a Leger “Lifestyles of Canadians” poll (October 2004). What percentage of Albertans claim they work more than 40 hours a week: 25% or 32%?
6. From the same Leger “Lifestyles” poll. How much time did Albertans say they spend exercising or playing sports: 6.8 hours a week or 7.1 hours a week?
7. From a Leger pre-Olympics poll (July 2004). How many Albertans believe the federal government should give more money to elite amateur athletes: 41% or 43%?
8. From an Ipsos-Reid poll on household finances (October 2004). How many Albertans said they have savings amounting to at least three months of personal or household expenses: 27% or 19%?
9. From an Ipsos-Reid/Air Miles survey on “Living Free” (October 2004). If they had no bills to pay for one year, how many Albertans say they wouldn’t change a thing: 22% or 27%?
10. From a Leger poll (February 2004). When asked “Which country is Canada’s best friend?,” 50% of Canadians said the United States. Which was the correct percentage from Albertans: 57% or 42%?
Answers:
1. An easy one to get you started. Only 35% of Albertans respect Ottawa’s fiscal probity, versus 41% of Ontarians. The national average was 39%.
2. Another easy one. At 31%, Albertans were the most cynical observers in the country. (Quebec’s neighbours in Atlantic Canada came second, at 30%).
3. 55% of Albertans seem to think there’s something shameful about Internet dating. Could they
really be less secure than their eastern counterparts.
4. 44% of Albertans said they were in favor of same-sex marriages. That’s the lowest in Canada – but just seven percentage points off the national average.
5. 32% of Albertans work more than 40 hours a week. Ontarians were second at 25%. Those surprising Atlantic Canadians came third, at 21%.
6. Albertans spend just 6.8 hours a week on fitness. Let’s get pumped: B.C. was first, at eight hours a week.
7. Yep, more Albertans (43%) favour handing over money to elite athletes than do Ontarians. But Albertans also watch more of the Olympics on TV (23% of Albertans said they’d watch the Olympics regularly, versus 18% of Ontarians).
8. Just 19% of Albertans have a personal heritage fund worth three months of expenses – versus 31% of Manitobans.
9. 22% of Albertans wouldn’t change a thing. The Canadian average: 28%. Hmm.
10. Just 42% of Albertans think the U.S. is our best friend, versus 57% in Ontario. Must be the shopping in Buffalo.
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