Series

Canadian National Elections Study (CNES) Series

The Canadian National Elections Study (CNES) Series is a collection of national surveys produced in part by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Canada Council, National Science Foundation, the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, and Canadian Facts. Initiated in 1965, the CNES has continued through every election since. The 1980 CNES includes the Quebec Referendum Panel Study and the 1993 CNES incorporates the 1992 Referendum Survey on the Charlottetown Accord. Interviews were conducted before and/or after national elections and in some cases prior and post major voting issues such as the Quebec Referendum. The studies are based on stratified multistage cross-section samples of voting age citizens living in private residences. Sample sizes range from roughly 1,000 - 4,000 respondents interviewed face to face, over the phone, and/or via mailed questionnaires. Many questions are replicated across studies, although each has questions not asked in the others. The major substantive areas consistently covered in all studies include respondents'expectations about the outcome of the election, perceptions and evaluations of the major parties, candidates and leaders, and overall assessment of government performance. Other topics, such as the perceived importance of a particular election, the party identification, political history, and voting intentions of respondents, their interest in politics, and their political motivation are also investigated. In addition, respondent opinions were solicited on political issues such as campaign spending, constitutional reform, unemployment, inflation, taxes, education, environmental issues, Canada/United States relations and the proposed separation of Quebec from Canada.