INDEPTH: CANADA DAY SURVEY 2003
Canada's role in world events since 1945
CBC News Online | July 1, 2003
It was a shocker for some, and pretty much the result others expected. The Dominion Institute, an association promoting awareness of Canadian history, recently asked four historians to prepare background materials for a quiz about Canada's role in the international community since the Second World War.
Only half of the people given the test got a passing mark. Which means, of course, that half of them failed the grade. The questions, predominantly about military and conflict issues, were posed to 1055 Canadians in June 2003.
Because of the low test scores, the institute has recommended that a Canadian history quiz be given to citizens aged 15-25 when they apply for a passport. Those who score well would be rewarded with a special passport identifying them as a "Canada Youth Ambassador."
Test scores
Dominion Institute Survey Results
Grade Chart |
Grade | Correct answers /10 | Per cent of Canadians
receiving grade |
| "A++" | 10/10 | 2% |
| "A+" | 9/10 | 6% |
| "A" | 8/10 | 10% |
| "B" | 7/10 | 10% |
| "C" | 6/10 | 10% |
| "D" | 5/10 | 10% |
| "F" | less than 5/10 | 50% |
percentages are rounded off and may not equal 100% |
The historians
Dr. David Bercuson has published in academic and popular publications on a wide range of topics specializing in modern Canadian politics, Canadian defence and foreign policy, and Canadian military history. He has written, co-authored or edited over 25 popular and academic books and does political commentary for television and print media.
Margaret MacMillan received her PhD from Oxford University and is provost of Trinity College and professor of history at the University of Toronto. Her writing includes Paris 1919, the best-selling account of the peace conference following "the war to end all wars." MacMillan, who lives in Toronto, is the great-granddaughter of David Lloyd George, British prime minister 1916-22.
Jack Granatstein researches and writes on 20th century Canadian national history – foreign policy, Canadian-American relations, the military, the public service, and politics. He comments regularly on historical questions and public affairs in the media. His many scholarly and popular books include Who Killed Canadian History?, Yankee Go Home? Canadians and Anti-Americanism and Our Century.
Serge Bernier, an economist by training, was named director of the Observatoire de la culture et des communications in June 2000 and currently works at the Institut de la statistique du Québec. He was the initiator of the culture statistics program of the ISQ, and has written on the indicators of cultural activities.
The four historians were asked to list the top 10 world events in which Canada played a role. Here are their lists:
David
Bercuson
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Jack
Granatstein
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Margaret
MacMillan
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Serge
Bernier
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1. WWII: The Battle of the Atlantic
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1. Liberation of Netherlands (1945)
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1. WWII
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1. WWII
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2. WWII: Battle of the Scheldt Estuary
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2. Suez (1956)
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2. NATO
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2. Peacekeeping since 1948
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3. Canada’s role in World Bank, IMF, GATT
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3. Statute of Westminster (1931)
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3. Cyprus
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3. NATO commitment
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4. NATO founding
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4. Cyprus (1964)
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4. 1st cease fire in Kashmir
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4. Colombo Plan
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5. NORAD
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5. Diefenbaker and South Africa
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5. Ending apartheid in South Africa
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5. Marshall Plan
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6. The Suez Crisis/ Peacekeeping
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6. NATO treaty (1949)
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6. Korean War
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6. Land mines ban
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7. Korean War
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7. Oil sanctions re Abyssinia (1935)
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7. International Criminal Court
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7. Human Rights Declaration
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8. Canada’s fight against apartheid
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8. NAFTA (1991)
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8. D-Day
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8. Korean War
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9. Current War against terrorism
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9. Troops to Korea (1950)
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9. Human Rights Declaration
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9. NORAD
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10. NATO and War in Kosovo
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10. D-Day
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10. Suez
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10. NAFTA
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^TOP
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 TEST YOURSELF |
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| CBC COVERAGE |
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| SURVEY METHODOLOGY |
The survey was conducted via telephone as part of the Ipsos-Reid Canadian Express omnibus on behalf of the Dominion Institute between June 10th and June 12th, 2003. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,055 adult Canadians.
With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within ± 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled.
The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population.
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