Infrastructure, health care important; Brad Bucks not so popular

August 28th, 2008 (Saskatoon, SK). The poll, conducted by Insightrix Research, Inc. of Saskatoon was administered by telephone to a random and representative selection of 800 Saskatchewan residents between August 5th and August 13th, 2008.  The results are considered accurate to within ±3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Survey respondents were asked what the funds should be spent on, without hearing suggestions from the interviewer.  The most common top-of-mind suggestion is infrastructure (25.3% mentioned it first, and 48.6% mentioned it overall) which just edged out Health Care for most total mentions (21.7% mentioned Health Care first and 46.3% mentioned it overall).  A cash rebate like the one in Alberta received mentions by just 3.9% of respondents overall, with 2.6% suggesting this first.

Debt repayment (19.8% gave first mention, 26.8% overall) and education (10.4% and 30.1% overall) were also suggested by more than one quarter of Saskatchewan residents.  Less common answers include tax reduction, including both property and income tax (5.5% first mention, 14.1% overall) as well as housing (4.4% first, 9.8% overall). 

The most commonly mentioned area overall among men is infrastructure (52.4% vs. 45.2% of women) and the top mention among women is health care (54.9% vs. 37.2% of men).  Women were also more likely to mention education (38.5% vs. 20.9%) and housing needs (13.0% vs. 6.0%) compared to men.

The most common first mention among older respondents is provincial debt repayment (28.5% of those 55+ and 20.3% of those 35-54 vs. 8.8% of those 18-34).  By contrast, young respondents were much more likely to mention education first (18.8% of those 18-34 compared to 8.6% and 5.7%).

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