Study finds feelings of antisemitism, Islamophobia ‘most intense’ in Quebec

A study by the Angus Reid Institute has found that feelings of antisemitism and Islamophobia are significantly more common in Quebec than in the rest of Canada.

The study found that Quebecers were twice as likely than those in the rest of Canada to have a negative opinion of Judaism as a religion (32% vs 16%).

Additionally, 52% of Quebecers say they have a negative opinion of Islam, much higher than the average in the rest of Canada, at 39%.

“Activists and government officials have been concerned in recent years as attacks against Muslims in Canada have risen, including a 71% increase from 2020 to 2021. This violence was most tragically evident in 2017 when six individuals were killed at a mosque in Quebec City.”

The study also found that Quebecers were the least likely in Canada to support the wearing of the hijab (55%) and kippa (65%) in public spaces, noting that “Quebecers show a unique aversion to the Jewish kippa not noted elsewhere in the country.”

Quebec’s “Act respecting the laicity of the State”, or Bill 21, is a statute that prohibits the wearing of religious symbols for individuals in certain public positions of authority while they are on the worksite. Passed in 2019, recent research has shown that the law has, in fact, increased feelings of alienation and discomfort among Muslims in the province.”

The Angus Reid study also found that negative views of Islam and Judaism in Quebec increase with age and lack of education. The older or less educated someone is, the more likely they are to have a negative opinion of each religion. (For the complete table of results, please see page 1 in the report here.)

The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from Feb. 8 – 10, 2023 among a representative randomized sample of 1,623 Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum.

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