With just one week remaining until the General Election, a poll at urbanmoms.ca provides a snapshot into how moms across Canada may vote next Monday. The two polls were conducted this weekend from January 13 -15.
Poll Results:
Forty (40%) of respondents indicated they would vote for the Conservative Party, while the NDP is just edging out the Liberals with twenty seven per cent (27%) and twenty five per cent (25%) respectively. Four per cent (4%) indicated their support for the Green Party and, not surprisingly for an English language community, there were no votes indicated for the Bloc Quebecois. One per cent (1%) are saving their vote for other political parties, and only three per cent (3%) indicated that they were undecided or would not vote.
When asked "Does being a parent affect how you will vote in the upcoming election?", seventy seven per cent (77%) of the participating moms indicated that being a parent will impact their vote.
It will be interesting to see how these poll results are reflected in the official Election outcome next week. What is really important for all political parties to note is how strongly moms are signalling being a parent impacts their vote.
Please share your comments below. If you have any questions about this poll or anything else on urbanmoms.ca, please email jen@urbanmoms.ca.
I think that it is sad and scary that the “parent vote” could be bought by the conservative party. This $100, which will be taxed, is not enough to make be sway.
Where will we put our children without any childcare spaces? It is pittance. But at least, judging from the fallout of the Ontario Harris government and Harper’s Reform background we can count on reduced social programs, questioning a woman’s right to choose and the opportunity for our children to enlist in the increased military of the future to get through school…
If this is a question about how being a parent may reflect in our choice of government and our children’s future, I guess you can put me down in your poll as NOT voting conservative — anything but.
Perhaps we should stop looking at the quick cash that won’t add up to much in a dreary future. Sure that money would help out, but I want to teach my children about kindness compassion, self respect, human rights and generosity. Generally how to try to be good people in an increasingly greedy world.
Being a Mom of 2 under 5, I am a bit disheartened by the poll’s results, particularly given the Conservative’s plan for childcare. Even though I was fortunate to find childcare for my son, and am now in a position to stay home with my second, I can’t believe that the “baby bonus” is a solution, especially since it scraps the childcare arrangements finally set up as a first step between the federal and provincial governments. The max $1200/ child is a mere pittance which would barely cover 1 month’s childcare fees anyway – even if you can afford it, the spaces can be very difficult to find. It’s getting to the point now that you have to get on a waitlist even if you are just thinking about getting pregnant!
I was never very interested in the specific platforms of the individual parties and often voted based on a vague understanding of the issues. Now that I am a mom, I am much more invested and pay close attention.
This time around my vote will definitely reflect my views as a mom!
The political leaders and parties should listen very carefully to those of us raising the future generation of Canada.