OPINION – As 2016 reaches its end, most Canadians say ‘good riddance’

While ArmchairMayor readers are evenly split (see poll in sidebar on this page) on whether 2017 will be better or worse than 2016, most Canadians agree the current year has been one of the worst ever.

A new poll by the Angus Reid Institute says Canadians feel largely gloomy about the past 12 months. The pollster notes there’s no definitive way to declare a year “the worst ever” but there are a lot of bad-news examples in 2016.

“From the humanitarian crises unfolding in Syria to terror attacks, world-re-ordering election outcomes and a parade of celebrity deaths – for many, this year seemed marked by more sadness and more uncertainty than previous ones,” the institute said today (Dec. 28, 2016) in a press release on its findings.

“Asked whether the year has been good or bad for themselves, their country, and the world at large, Canadians take a dim view of all three.

“Equal numbers say the year was good and bad on a personal level, while Canadians are more likely to say 2016 was bad for Canada than to say it was good. They feel even more negatively about the year’s impact on the United States and the rest of the world.”

Key Findings:

• Some two-in-three Canadians (65%) say the year in which Americans elected Donald Trump president was a bad one for their neighbours to the south
• More than half (53%) say 2016 was bad for their own individual province, and more Canadians say it was bad for their country (38%) than good (25%)
• Canadians are split over whether the last 12 months have been good to them personally, though those under age 35 are more positive about the year they’ve had

Link to the poll here.