Canadians Talk World War II: Family discussion of the subject more frequent than assumed Jack Jedwab Executive Director Association for Canadian Studies November 10, 2005 This year represented the 60 anniversary of the end of World War II. The Association for Canadian Studies commissioned the firm Environics to inquire into how often Canadians talk about World War II with their families with a focus on the frequency of such discussions. Over 2 th th 000 Canadians were surveyed between June 20 and July 11 , 2005 (the margin of error of 3.5 points, 19 times out of 20). A similar question was put to over 20,000 adults in 13 countries by the ® firm Harris Interactive working closely with IMAS International, a Harris Interactive Global Network member company, to gauge their knowledge and attitudes about World War II. The ® Harris Poll #46, June 8, 2005 see note on bottom). The findings are to be used for discussion at an international symposium on Teaching the Second World War which will include experts from United States, Germany, Japan, Belgium and other countries. Organized by the Association for Canadian Studies, the symposium will take place on th th the 29 and 30 of October at the Westin Hotel in Edmonton (for more details visit the website at www.acs-aec.ca).
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In the years ahead testimonies from those who lived during the period will be fewer and conversations which play such a crucial role in transmitting the memory and lessons of the conflict will likely be fewer. In Canada some 22% say they discuss the Second World War frequently amongst family members putting us ahead of all countries in this regard with the exception of Russia and the Ukraine which holds the title for most such discussion. In Russia and Ukraine, the percentage who say they talk about it frequently is significantly higher than in other countries (27% in Russia and 31% in Ukraine).
When combining the answer on frequency of discussion with the percentage that do so occasionally the total places Canada slightly behind the US, Great Britain, France and Italy as well as Russia and the Ukraine. However it is ahead of Germany, Spain, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia. In the United States and Western Europe the percentages range from seven to 16 percent who say they frequently talk about the war to 47 to 61 percent who say they do so occasionally. In Germany and Eastern Europe the percentages are slightly lower with six to 11 percent saying frequently and 30 to 50 percent saying occasionally.
TABLE 1 May of this year marked the 60 anniversary of the end of World War II. Do you frequently talk about World War II, occasionally talk about it, or is it hardly ever mentioned in your family?"
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Base: All Adults Canada % 22 41 37 NA NA U.S. % 12 55 30 3 NA Great Britain % 13 55 27 4 1 France % 14 58 25 1 2 Italy % 16 61 19 2 2 Spain % 7 47 43 2 2 Germany % 8 30 62 NA NA
Frequently Occasionally Never Not Sure Decline to Answer
Russia Austria Frequently Occasionally Never Not Sure Decline to Answer % 27 61 12 NA NA % 8 40 52 NA NA
Poland % 11 48 41 NA NA
Czech Republic % 6 32 62 NA NA
Hungary Slovenia Ukraine % 10 50 40 NA NA % 9 40 51 NA NA % 31 56 13 NA NA
One observes some substantial differences on a regional basis when asked about the frequency of discussion with Quebec falling substantial behind the other regions of the country and displaying a pattern that more closely resembles Austria, Spain, Poland and Slovenia than it does the rest of Canada. Table 2 May of this year marked the 60 anniversary of the end of World War II. Do you frequently talk about World War II, occasionally talk about it, or is it hardly ever mentioned in your family?" Atlantic Provinces 24 44 33 Quebec 13 37 50 Ontario Prairies 26 41 32 21 41 37 British Columbia 24 42 33 1 Rest of Canada 24 42 34 th
Frequently Occasionally Never Not Sure/ Decline to Answer
On the basis of age frequency of discussion is more common amongst the oldest cohort of the Canadian population than it is the youngest surveyed. Still even in the 1-29 category the majority surveyed claim that they either frequently or occasionally discuss WWII with family members.
Table 3 May of this year marked the 60 anniversary of the end of World War II. Do you frequently talk about World War II, occasionally talk about it, or is it hardly ever mentioned in your family?" 18-29 16 39 45 30-44 21 40 39 45-59 22 45 33 60 + 26 39 34 1
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Frequently Occasionally Never Not Sure/ Decline to Answer
Nearly one-fifth of all Canadians are immigrants and much of the European immigration is a product of post war migration. The patterns of discussion amongst Canadians of European immigration more closely resemble that of persons in the Russia and the Ukraine in contrast to Canada’s non-European immigrants where the issue is rarely the object of family conversation. Table 4 May of this year marked the 60 anniversary of the end of World War II. Do you frequently talk about World War II, occasionally talk about it, or is it hardly ever mentioned in your family?" NonEuropean European Immigrants Immigrants Frequently 30 7 Occasionally 44 33 Never 28 59 Not Sure/ Decline to Answer 1 1 Note: The Harris POLL interviews were conducted among nationally representative samples of adults either online or face-to-face (depending on the country). In summary, in the United States 2,322 adults aged 18 and over, in Western Europe (Great Britain, France, Italy and Spain) 8,584 adults aged 16 and over, and in Eastern Europe (Germany, Russia, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Ukraine) 11,689 adults aged 16 and over were interviewed between January 15 and May 16, 2005.
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