Mainstreet - Panama Papers

THE PANAMA PAPERS
METHODOLOGY
Mainstreet surveyed a random sample of 2,513 Canadians by Smart IVR on April 6th, 2016. A mixture of landlines and cell phones
were surveyed. Margin of error: +/- 1.95%, 19 times out of 20. Regional margins of error: Atlantic (ATL): +/-5.46%; Quebec (QC):
+/-4.03%; Ontario (ON): +/-4.01%; Prairies: +/-5.39%; Alberta: +/- 5.41%; BC: +/- 5.28%; 19 times out of 20. Results were
weighed by geography, age and gender based on the 2011 Canadian Census.
A2
"Exclusive Mainstreet/Postmedia polls are protected

by copyright. The information and/or data may only
be rebroadcast or republished with full and proper
credit and attribution to Mainstreet/Postmedia.
81% SAY THE RICH ARE NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE
April 9, 2016 (Ottawa, ON) A new Mainstreet/Postmedia poll nds 81% of Canadians do not believe the
rich are paying their fair share. The survey on tax avoidance and tax evasion comes after the publication
of the Panama Papers, an unprecedented leak of les from the database of a major international law rm.
The Mainstreet/Postmedia Poll has a margin of error of +/- 1.95%, 19 times out of 20.
It's pretty clear from these numbers that Canadians don't believe the one percent are paying their fair
share of taxes, said Quito Maggi, President of Mainstreet Research. Over 80 percent of Canadians
believe they are not paying their fair share in fact, with just 10% believing they do and almost another 10%
unsure. It's unclear whether people believe the wealth of the 1 percenters has inuence on political parties
but when asked which party is likeliest to be inuenced by them, 34% said the Conservatives, followed by
Liberals at 21%, the NDP at 17%, just 6% were not sure.
Over 6 in 10 Canadians also believe that oshore tax havens are very damaging to the Canadian
economy. Experts estimate there is over $100 billion in assets in these foreign tax havens that cost the
federal government an estimated $7.8 billion in revenues every year.
There is a public sentiment against wealth, and the perception of inuence it buys. Recent revelations in
the Panama papers show a pattern of tax avoidance and evasion that conrms what many people believe
about the super-rich and that is driving these results.
It should also be noted that these numbers reveal some lack of nancial literacy in the distinction
between tax avoidance and tax evasion. Tax avoidance is the reduction of taxes paid through legal means.
Deductions that could include RRSPs, TFSAs, transit and childcare expense deductions. Further research
would be required to determine to what extent the literacy plays in to these opinions. It's likely that to
some extent, people feel the tax system has more deductions for those who make more, nished Maggi.
About Mainstreet Research
Mainstreet is a national public research rm. With 20 years of political experience at all three levels of
government, President and CEO Quito Maggi is a respected commentator on Canadian public aairs.
Dierentiated by its large sample sizes, Mainstreet Research has provided accurate snapshots of public
opinion, having predicted a majority NDP government in Alberta, a majority Liberal government in British
Columbia and a majority Liberal government in Ontario. Mainstreet has been the most accurate polling
rm in several by elections and the most recent Toronto mayoral election. Most recently, Mainstreet was
the only polling rm to correctly predict a Liberal majority government in the 2015 federal election.
-30Available for Interview from Ottawa: Quito Maggi, quito@mainstreetresearch.ca
For more information: David Valentin, (514) 913-5524 - david@mainstreetresearch.ca
A3
Some Canadians utilize legal methods to minimize the

amount of taxes they pay. This is known as tax
avoidance. In your opinion, how acceptable is it to
legally avoid paying taxes?
5%
7%
11%
17%
29%
31%
Completely Acceptable
Slightly Acceptable
Very Acceptable
Moderately Acceptable
Not At All Acceptable
Not Sure
A4
Some Canadians utilize legal methods to minimize the

amount of taxes they pay. This is known as tax
avoidance. In your opinion, how acceptable is it to
legally avoid paying taxes?
18-34
35-49
50-64
65+
Male
Female
4%
7%
9%
9%
10%
4%
Very Acceptable
10%
11%
11%
13%
12%
10%
31%
29%
29%
29%
28%
30%
Slightly Acceptable
32%
31%
31%
29%
28%
33%
19%
18%
15%
15%
16%
18%
Not Sure
4%
5%
6%
5%
5%
5%
Sample
391
494
778
850
1195
1318
BC
AB
Prairies
ON
QC
ATL
5%
7%
9%
9%
5%
5%
Very Acceptable
9%
11%
12%
12%
9%
13%
23%
33%
31%
30%
30%
26%
Slightly Acceptable
39%
28%
28%
27%
32%
36%
19%
16%
15%
16%
20%
14%
Not Sure
6%
5%
5%
5%
3%
5%
Sample
344
328
331
598
590
322
A5
And have you ever done anything to legally avoid

paying taxes?
8%
11%
81%
Yes
No
Not Sure
A6
And have you ever done anything to legally avoid

paying taxes?
18-34
35-49
50-64
65+
Male
Female
Yes
7%
10%
13%
15%
14%
8%
No
84%
81%
80%
79%
78%
84%
9%
9%
7%
6%
8%
8%
BC
AB
Prairies
ON
QC
ATL
Yes
12%
12%
12%
12%
7%
12%
No
80%
80%
79%
81%
85%
80%
8%
8%
9%
7%
8%
9%
Not Sure
Not Sure
A7
If you were oered a chance to legally avoid paying

taxes how likely is it you would participate?
4%
7%
9%
13%
7%
60%
Completely Likely
Slightly Likely
Very Likely
Moderately Likely
Not At All Likely
Not Sure
A8
If you were oered a chance to legally avoid paying

taxes how likely is it you would participate?
18-34
35-49
50-64
65+
Male
Female
Completely Likely
7%
5%
7%
8%
8%
6%
Very Likely
8%
10%
10%
7%
10%
8%
Moderately Likely
13%
12%
14%
13%
12%
14%
Slightly Likely
6%
7%
6%
9%
7%
7%
60%
61%
58%
61%
60%
61%
5%
4%
4%
2%
3%
5%
BC
AB
Prairies
ON
QC
ATL
Completely Likely
7%
7%
8%
8%
5%
8%
Very Likely
10%
8%
9%
10%
7%
9%
Moderately Likely
12%
14%
9%
15%
10%
13%
Slightly Likely
8%
7%
8%
6%
9%
7%
59%
58%
61%
58%
65%
59%
5%
5%
4%
3%
4%
4%
Not At All Likely

Not Sure
Not At All Likely

Not Sure
A9
In Canada, the very rich, sometimes known as the 1%,

earn an average income of over $454,000 a year.
Thinking about most Canadian politicians, how
inuenced do you think they are by the 1 percent?
23%
29%
14%
15%
19%
Very Inuenced
Somewhat Inuenced
Not At All Inuenced
Not Too Inuenced
Not Sure
A10
In Canada, the very rich, sometimes known as the 1%,

earn an average income of over $454,000 a year.
Thinking about most Canadian politicians, how
inuenced do you think they are by the 1 percent?
18-34
35-49
50-64
65+
Male
Female
Very Inuenced
30%
28%
27%
31%
30%
27%
Somewhat Inuenced
15%
16%
15%
13%
15%
15%
Not Too Inuenced
19%
20%
19%
19%
16%
22%
Not At All Inuenced
14%
13%
15%
14%
14%
14%
Not Sure
23%
23%
23%
23%
24%
22%
BC
AB
Prairies
ON
QC
ATL
Very Inuenced
29%
22%
25%
31%
31%
23%
Somewhat Inuenced
15%
12%
13%
16%
15%
14%
Not Too Inuenced
24%
36%
12%
15%
19%
17%
8%
5%
22%
17%
13%
17%
24%
24%
28%
21%
22%
29%
Not At All Inuenced

Not Sure
A11
Which political party do you think is the most

inuenced by the very rich, or 1 percent?
30
25
20
15
10
Liberal
NDP
CPC
Green
Not Sure 6%
BQ 15%
Green 7%
CPC 34%
NDP 17%
Liberal 21%
Undecided
A12
Which political party do you think is the most

18-34
35-49
50-64
65+
Male
Female
Liberal Party
17%
20%
24%
19%
23%
19%
Conservative Party
41%
35%
30%
39%
29%
39%
NDP
13%
17%
21%
16%
18%
16%
Green Party
7%
7%
6%
7%
7%
7%
Bloc Qubcois
18%
15%
12%
14%
16%
14%
Not Sure
5%
6%
7%
6%
6%
6%
BC
AB
Prairies
ON
QC
ATL
Liberal Party
15%
25%
27%
21%
23%
14%
Conservative Party
38%
22%
21%
33%
40%
42%
NDP
21%
25%
18%
16%
14%
13%
Green Party
6%
5%
8%
8%
7%
7%
Bloc Qubcois
14%
18%
18%
16%
11%
17%
Not Sure
6%
5%
7%
6%
6%
7%
A13
Which political party do you think is the least

60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
Liberal
NDP
CPC
Green
CPC
3%
60%
Liberal NDP
6%
17%
11%
3%
10
BQ
UD
Green
Undecided
A14
Which political party do you think is the least

18-34
35-49
50-64
65+
Male
Female
Liberal Party
9%
15%
10%
11%
10%
12%
Conservative Party
18%
17%
17%
15%
18%
16%
NDP
4%
5%
8%
8%
7%
5%
Green Party
62%
58%
60%
60%
57%
63%
Bloc Qubcois
4%
2%
2%
3%
4%
2%
Not Sure
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
BC
AB
Prairies
ON
QC
ATL
Liberal Party
14%
11%
11%
12%
7%
14%
Conservative Party
24%
12%
17%
19%
12%
17%
5%
7%
9%
5%
8%
6%
54%
65%
57%
60%
63%
57%
Bloc Qubcois
2%
2%
2%
1%
8%
3%
Not Sure
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
NDP
Green Party
A15
Do you think the 1 percent in Canada are paying their

fair share?
9%
10%
81%
Yes
No
Not Sure
A16
Do you think the 1 percent in Canada are paying their

fair share?
18-34
35-49
50-64
65+
Male
Female
Yes
8%
10%
11%
11%
12%
8%
No
82%
81%
80%
81%
80%
82%
Not Sure
10%
9%
8%
8%
8%
10%
BC
AB
Prairies
ON
QC
ATL
Yes
9%
12%
12%
10%
9%
9%
No
82%
78%
80%
80%
83%
83%
Not Sure
9%
10%
8%
10%
8%
9%
A17
Which ountry do you most closely associate with tax

avoidance or tax evasion?
8%
11%
29%
3%
3%
9%
22%
15%
Cayman
Panama
Switzerland
Sweden
Other
Virgin Islands
Not Sure
Maldives
A18
Which country do you most closely associate with tax

avoidance or tax evasion?
18-34
35-49
50-64
65+
Male
Female
Cayman Islands
33%
28%
28%
27%
28%
30%
Panama
20%
20%
23%
24%
19%
24%
Switzerland
16%
15%
15%
14%
17%
13%
Virgin Islands
11%
8%
8%
9%
11%
8%
Maldives
2%
3%
3%
4%
3%
3%
Sweden
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
A Dierent Country
6%
15%
12%
11%
11%
11%
Not Sure
9%
8%
8%
7%
7%
9%
BC
AB
Prairies
ON
QC
ATL
Cayman Islands
30%
28%
29%
30%
28%
29%
Panama
23%
21%
21%
21%
24%
20%
Switzerland
14%
16%
16%
16%
14%
14%
Virgin Islands
9%
13%
9%
8%
9%
12%
Maldives
3%
2%
4%
4%
2%
2%
Sweden
4%
2%
2%
3%
3%
4%
A Dierent Country
11%
10%
11%
10%
12%
12%
Not Sure
8%
7%
8%
8%
9%
8%
A19
Some nancial analysts estimate that oshore tax

havens cost the federal treasury as much as $7.8 billion
in lost tax revenues annually. How damaging do you
think the use of oshore tax havens is to the country?
13%
3%
8%
61%
15%
Very Damaging
Somewhat Damaging
Not At All Damaging
Not Too Damaging
Not Sure
A20
Some nancial analysts estimate that oshore tax

havens cost the federal treasury as much as $7.8 billion
in lost tax revenues annually. How damaging do you
think the use of oshore tax havens is to the country?
18-34
35-49
50-64
65+
Male
Female
Very Damaging
62%
61%
61%
60%
58%
63%
Somewhat Damaging
16%
15%
14%
14%
16%
14%
Not Too Damaging
5%
8%
9%
10%
8%
8%
Not At All Damaging
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
Not Sure
13%
14%
13%
13%
14%
12%
BC
AB
Prairies
ON
QC
ATL
Very Damaging
60%
60%
61%
61%
62%
61%
Somewhat Damaging
14%
14%
16%
15%
15%
17%
Not Too Damaging
9%
12%
9%
8%
6%
6%
Not At All Damaging
3%
2%
4%
3%
3%
3%
Not Sure
14%
11%
10%
13%
14%
12%
A20
SCRIPT
Some Canadians utilize legal methods to minimize the amount of taxes they pay. This is known as tax
avoidance. In your opinion, how acceptable is it to legally avoid paying taxes?
Very Acceptable
Slightly Acceptable
Not Sure
And have you ever done anything to legally avoid paying taxes?
Yes
No
Not Sure
If you were oered a chance to legally avoid paying taxes how likely is it you would participate?
Completely Likely
Very Likely
Moderately Likely
Slightly Likely
Not At All Likely
Not Sure
In Canada, the very rich, sometimes known as the 1%, earn an average income of over $454,000 a year.
Thinking about most Canadian politicians, how inuenced do you think they are by the 1 percent?
Most Canadian Politicians are very inuenced by the 1 percent
Most Canadian Politicians are somewhat inuenced by the 1 percent
Most Canadian Politicians are not too inuenced by the 1 percent
Most Canadian Politicians are not at all inuenced by the 1 percent
Not Sure
Which political party do you think is the most inuenced by the very rich, or 1 percent?
Liberal Party led by Justin Trudeau
Conservative Party led by Rona Ambrose
NDP Led by Tom Mulcair
Green Party led by Elizabeth May
Bloc Qubcois led by Rheal Fortin
Undecided
A22
SCRIPT
Which political party do you think is the least inuenced by the very rich, or 1 percent?
Liberal Party led by Justin Trudeau
Conservative Party led by Rona Ambrose
NDP Led by Tom Mulcair
Green Party led by Elizabeth May
Bloc Qubcois led by Rheal Fortin
Undecided
Do you think the 1 percent in Canada are paying their fair share?
Yes
No
Not Sure
Which country do you most closely associate with tax avoidance or tax evasion?
Cayman Islands
Panama
Switzerland
Virgin Islands
Maldives
Sweden
A Dierent Country
Not Sure
Some nancial analysts estimate that oshore tax havens cost the federal treasury as much as $7.8
billion in lost tax revenues annually. How damaging do you think the use of oshore tax havens is to the
country?
Very Damaging
Somewhat Damaging
Not Too Damaging
Not At All Damaging
Not Sure
ONLY WE
CALLED
THE
LIBERAL
MAJORITY.
I recommend "Raiders of the Lost Campaign Arc," released Oct. 18, because its an interview
with a pollster that everyone who follows politics should hear. Quito Maggi, of Mainstreet Public
Research, was the only pollster I saw call the Liberal majority with such condence, a week
before we voted.
Maggi also has the distinction of being the guy who predicted the BC Liberals would win in 2013,
in deance of the majority of the polls.
His technique involves picking a true bellwether riding and polling it thoroughly. His explanation
for how he does it is well worth a listen and should be required research for anyone running a
political campaign. - Shannon Rupp, The Tyee, November 4th, 2015
Mainstreet Research | 1322255B Queen Street East
| Toronto | Ontario | M4E 1G3 | Canada
Mainstreet is a national public research rm. With 20 years of political experience at all three
levels of government, President and CEO Quito Maggi is a respected commentator on Canadian
public aairs.
Dierentiated by its large sample sizes, Mainstreet Research has provided accurate snapshots of
public opinion, having predicted a majority NDP government in Alberta, a majority Liberal
government in British Columbia and a majority Liberal government in Ontario. Mainstreet has
been the most accurate polling rm in several by elections and the most recent Toronto mayoral
election. Most recently, Mainstreet was the only polling rm to correctly predict a Liberal majority
government in the 2015 federal election.
CONNECT WITH US:
WEBSITE
mainstreetresearch.ca
TWITTER
@MainStResearch
FACEBOOK
fb.com/mainstresearch
2016 Mainstreet Research. All rights reserved

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THE PANAMA PAPERS

"Exclusive Mainstreet/Postmedia polls are protected

Some Canadians utilize legal methods to minimize the

Not At All Acceptable

Some Canadians utilize legal methods to minimize the

Not At All Acceptable

Not At All Acceptable

And have you ever done anything to legally avoid

And have you ever done anything to legally avoid

If you were oered a chance to legally avoid paying

Not At All Likely

If you were oered a chance to legally avoid paying

Not At All Likely

Not At All Likely

In Canada, the very rich, sometimes known as the 1%,

Not At All Inuenced

Not Too Inuenced

In Canada, the very rich, sometimes known as the 1%,

Not Too Inuenced

Not At All Inuenced

Not Too Inuenced

Not At All Inuenced

Which political party do you think is the most

Which political party do you think is the most

Which political party do you think is the least

Which political party do you think is the least

Do you think the 1 percent in Canada are paying their

Do you think the 1 percent in Canada are paying their

Which ountry do you most closely associate with tax

Which country do you most closely associate with tax

Some nancial analysts estimate that oshore tax

Not At All Damaging

Not Too Damaging

Some nancial analysts estimate that oshore tax

Not Too Damaging

Not At All Damaging

Not Too Damaging

Not At All Damaging

CONNECT WITH US:

2016 Mainstreet Research. All rights reserved

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