Complete results of the poll (PDF)
Parents want to know their child’s sexual orientation
Conducted for Fondation Émergence for the International Day Against Homophobia on May 17, 2007, a Léger Marketing survey has revealed that 87% of Quebeckers and 78% of Canadians feel it is important for parents to know their child’s sexual orientation.
Education
As for knowing whether parents’ influence is a determining factor in a person’s sexual orientation, 58% of respondents think that it is not. On the other hand, 31% feel that parents’ influence can impact children’s sexual orientation. The survey results are nonetheless reassuring as to the issue of how to educate children. The vast majority of respondents, 72% in Canada and 81% in Québec, feel that it is preferable to talk about heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual orientations when children are being educated on sexuality.
Sexual Orientation is Not a Choice
The theme for the 2007 Awareness Campaign is “Sexual Orientation is Not a Choice”. The survey teaches us that perceptions are quite divided on the idea that people may or may not be able to change their sexual orientation. 21% of Canadians (29% of Quebeckers) feel that a person is able to change his or her sexual orientation, while 40% of respondents (37% in Québec) are not of this opinion. In addition, 26% of Canadians (30% of Quebeckers) think that a person is able to change his or her sexual orientation at will.
The survey was conducted between April 18 and April 25, 2007 among 1502 Canadians.