Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site water.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!water!jbtubman
From: jbtubman@water.UUCP (Jim Tubman)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Public Awareness
Message-ID: <178@water.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 14-Dec-84 15:02:26 EST
Article-I.D.: water.178
Posted: Fri Dec 14 15:02:26 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Dec-84 00:30:41 EST
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 28

I heard an interesting bit of information today on the CBC radio news.
Apparently some sort of general knowledge test was given to community
college students in Manitoba.  The exact figures escape me, but it showed
that only a minority of the students tested (something like 40%) knew that
the NDP was in power in Manitoba; a large number said the Conservatives
were, and six percent (I remember this one) said that the Liberals formed
the Manitoba government (the Liberals hold no seats in the Manitoba
legislature).

In the realm of Art, not many knew that the Group of Seven were Canadian
painters -- some said that they were the presidents of the major banks,
while others thought that the Group of Seven were members of the FLQ.

If someone else comes across the correct figures, could you post them?

I see no reason to believe that Manitobans, or even community college
students, are any less intelligent or informed than the average person.
This has interesting (and perhaps disturbing) implications for those who
advocate that political or moral or economic questions should be decided on
the basis of polls.

Please note that I am not advocating ignoring what the majority of the
people say, either.

Any comments?

					Jim Tubman
					University of Waterloo