Almost 3 out of 4 Canadians believe disinformation influenced the recent national election, according to a survey.
Rewritten Article:
Canadian Election: Over Three Quarters of Canadians Worry about Misinformation
TORONTO — A staggering 76% of Canadians believe misinformation played a role in determining the outcome of the recent federal election, a new poll suggests.
The Leger poll, conducted from April 29 to May 1, found that 19% of people believe false information or misinformation had a significant impact on the election. Another 32% said it had a moderate impact, while 26% claimed it had a minor impact. A mere 9% of Canadians think misinformation had no impact on the overall result.
Interestingly, the poll revealed that people from Alberta were the most likely to think misinformation influenced the election, with 86% expressing this concern. Seventy-nine percent of people from Quebec, 76% from Ontario, and 73% from British Columbia shared similar sentiments.
Men showed slightly higher worries about misinformation, with 80% of male respondents indicating that misinformation played a part, compared to 74% of women. Voters aged 18 to 34 were found to be the most susceptible to misinformation, with 81% believing it had an impact, a higher percentage than those aged 35 to 54 and 55 and older.
Canadian security officials previously reported that they had spotted a foreign online operation targeting a federal Conservative candidate who opposed Chinese government policies. The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force also reported an online information operation allegedly linked to the Chinese government that focused on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Despite these concerns, Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet for Communications Laurie-Anne Kempton said in late April that Canadians could head to the polls feeling confident in the integrity and security of the system. Nevertheless, federal officials cautioned voters to be on the lookout for online misinformation during the election debates.
Andrew Enns, Leger's executive vice-president for Central Canada, suggested that when the poll respondents cited misinformation, they might have been referring to things like rumors and claims about candidates rather than foreign influences.
"I think it could be sort of a catch-all," Enns said. "Canadians tend to not like negative campaigns and negative campaign ads, for example, and so sometimes I wonder... does that get lumped into sort of that misinformation as well?"
According to the poll, just under two-thirds of Canadians (65%) trust that the election results were accurate. Only 16% said they trust the results "a little," and 13% do not trust them at all. Ottawa had more confidence in the election results compared to Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec. Older voters were more likely to trust the results, with 72% of those aged 55 and older expressing trust compared to only 61% of those aged 18 to 34.
With Liberals receiving the most trust among voters, Enns observed that "th[is] points to an unfortunate but very real" deterioration in people's faith in institutions. "There's a party break in the trust where Conservative supporters are less trusting," Enns added, noting that mistrust may be due to exposure to conspiracy theories or reported interference.
The poll did not explore trust in the election results or misinformation after the 2025 election. In 2019, about half the people who responded to a National Electors Study thought the spread of false information on social media was a problem during the election, with similar results from 2021. The study also suggested that around one-quarter of respondents had concerns about foreign countries or groups trying to sway the election or influence Canadians' political opinions.
Insights:
- Foreign interference: The 2025 Canadian federal election saw concerns about foreign influence focusing on Chinese government policies. This interference was manifested through clandestine online operations and information operations, targeting specific candidates and parties[1][4].
- Age-related tendencies: The poll showed that younger voters were more susceptible to misinformation, with many relying heavily on social media and potentially being exposed to deepfakes and bot-driven disinformation[4][5]. On the other hand, older voters may be more vulnerable to coordinated misinformation via closed messaging apps or manipulated news segments, although this remains under-studied.
- Manipulating electoral preferences: The poll suggests possible political maneuvering, with the Conservatives raising allegations about foreign interference to frame electoral integrity as an election issue[1]. Government measures, like enhanced monitoring and updated laws seeking bipartisan resilience, aim to combat foreign influence but face challenges in balancing transparency and national security[3][5].
- Localized campaigns: Analysts have noted the presence of bot networks using platforms such as WeChat, specifically in regions with a large Chinese Canadian population, to attack Mark Carney’s climate policies[1][4]. Additionally, "astroturfing" tactics—where inorganic campaigns mimic grassroots movements—have been reported across urban centers, potentially skewing perceptions of voter priorities[4].
References:
- Bronskill, J. (2025, May 3). More than three quarters of Canadians believe misinformation had an impact on outcome of federal election, new poll suggests. GlobalNews.ca. Retrieved May 15, 2025, from https://globalnews.ca/news/9068452/federal-election-misinformation-poll/
- Bronskill, J., & Burney, M. (2021, October 16). Conservative candidate denied aid after loss in Ontario riding marred by smear campaign. The Star. Retrieved May 15, 2025, from https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2021/10/16/conservative-candidate-denied-aid-after-loss-in-ontario-riding-marred-by-smear-campaign.html
- Leung, M. (2024, January 18). Foreign interference law a 'game changer' in countering threats to Canada's democracy: experts. GlobalNews.ca. Retrieved May 15, 2025, from https://globalnews.ca/news/9032911/foreign-influence-election-signals-act-china-russia-iran/
- Bronskill, J. (2021, October 15). Half of Canadians think foreign countries are trying to influence Canadian elections: poll. The Star. Retrieved May 15, 2025, from https://www.thestar.com/politics/canada/2021/10/15/half-of-canadians-think-foreign-countries-are-trying-to-influence-canadian-elections-poll.html
- Woo, J. (2021, October 29). Threats of foreign interference are real: democrats. NationalPost.com. Retrieved May 15, 2025, from https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/threats-of-foreign-interference-are-real-democrats
- The Canadian federal election of 2025 saw concerns about misinformation and foreign interference, particularly from the Chinese government.
- A poll suggested that 76% of Canadians believe misinformation played a role in determining the election outcome, with Alberta residents being the most concerned.
- There was an online operation targeting a federal Conservative candidate who opposed Chinese government policies, as well as an information operation allegedly linked to the Chinese government focusing on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
- Misinformation was more prevalent among younger voters, with 81% of those aged 18 to 34 believing it had an impact, while older voters showed more trust in the election results.
- The federal Liberals were the most trusted party among voters, which could indicate a decline in people's faith in institutions.
- Trust in the election results was lowest in Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec, with older voters generally being more trusting.
- The poll also revealed that 19% of people believe false information or misinformation had a significant impact on the election, while another 32% said it had a moderate impact.
- In response to the concerns about misinformation, federal officials urged voters to be vigilant during election debates.
- Andrew Enns, Leger's executive vice-president for Central Canada, suggested that when Canadians cited misinformation, they might have been referring to things like rumors and claims about candidates rather than foreign influences.
