What does Canada really think? Shachi Kurl knows. She’s the executive director of the Angus Reid Institute – one of Canada’s leading independent research organizations – and uses public opinion data to help Canadians better understand the issues we face. She’s also one of the most well-recognized pollsters, having offered analysis on CBC’s At Issue panel, in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Globe and Mail and even to policymakers, having testified on various subjects in the House of Commons. Her commitment to researching context stems from her background as a journalist – Shachi began her career as a political reporter. She is a recipient of the prestigious Jack Webster Award for Best TV Reporting and is an Alumnus of the US State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
We met with Shachi at her office overlooking Vancouver’s Coal Harbour to get a better understanding of Canadian perspectives – and how those perspectives shape the choices we make at the intersection of the environment and the economy.
What do you think?
- What did you learn from Shachi’s story?
- Does polling inform better policy? Does it help create more empathy for those we disagree with?
- How valuable is it to have unbiased, impartial research to better understand public opinion?
- Do you believe polling to be unbiased, or can the questions that drive the research be loaded or leading?
- How do we create more movements that unify, rather than divide?
- Do moments have value? Or are sustained movements the only way to truly move the needle?