Need a Source? Measuring Canadians' Knowledge about the First World War and
Attitudes Towards Remembrance

TORONTO, April 7 /CNW/ - On April 9, Vimy Ridge Day, Canadians will be taking part in a National Commemoration Ceremony to honour the passing of John Babcock, the last of more than 600,000 Canadians who served in the Great War.

The Historica-Dominion Institute would like to remind of results from recent survey that measure Canadians' knowledge of the First World War and their attitudes towards remembrance. Some highlights include:

Two in ten (20%) Canadians - some 4.8 million adults - said they would attend an official Remembrance Day service on November 11, 2009. In 2008, 16% of Canadians - some 4 million adults - say they attended an official service on Remembrance Day. (Source: Ipsos Reid survey (http://www.historica-dominion.ca/en/news/7369_new-survey-by-the-historica-dominion-institute-for-remembrance-day-two-in-ten-20-canadians-say-they-will-attend-an-official-remembrance-day-service-on-november-11th-this-year--up-from-16-in-2008), November 2009)

Over 3 million adult Canadians (14%) have a direct relative who they know served in the First World War. (Source: Ipsos Reid survey (http://www.historica-dominion.ca/en/news/7369_new-survey-by-the-historica-dominion-institute-for-remembrance-day-two-in-ten-20-canadians-say-they-will-attend-an-official-remembrance-day-service-on-november-11th-this-year--up-from-16-in-2008), November 2009)

Less than half (46%) of Canadians knew that Remembrance Day marks the end of the First World War. Only 42%of Canadians aged 18-34 could correctly identify what this date commemorates. (Source: Ipsos Reid survey (http://www.dominion.ca/DI%20Factum%2007112008.pdf), November 2008)

Just 16% of Canadians could identify both Germany and Austria from a list of five countries against which Canada fought in the First World War. Nearly one quarter of Canadians (22%) were unable to identify Germany as one of Canada's opponents. (Source: Ipsos Reid survey (http://www.dominion.ca/DI%20Factum%2007112008.pdf), November 2008)

Nine in ten (92%) Canadians 'agree' (59% strongly/33% somewhat) that 'it is important to commemorate Canada's military history', and a similar proportion (90%) 'agrees' (53% strongly/37% somewhat) that we should 'be doing more to educate our young people about our military history'. (Source: Ipsos Reid survey (http://www.dominion.ca/DI%20Factum%2007112008.pdf), November 2008)

37% of Canadians thought that the United States entered the First World War before Canada. 45% of Canadians aged 18-34 thought the same. (Ipsos Reid survey (http://www.dominion.ca/DI%20Factum%2007112008.pdf), November 2008)

In 1997, 31% of Canadians aged 18 to 24 knew that the Battle of Vimy Ridge was an important victory for the Allies in the First World War. In 2007, 37% of Canadians aged 18 to 24 knew this fact. (Source: Ipsos Reid survey (http://www.dominion.ca/RemembranceDayPoll_nov12.pdf), November 1997 & 2007)

Additional resources from the Institute on the First World War include:

Read John Babcock's story (http://66.241.252.164/digital-archive/profile.cfm?collectionid=1691&cnf=wwI) on The Memory Project Digital Archive.

Search the stories of First World War veterans (http://66.241.252.164/digital-archive/search-results.cfm) on The Memory Project Digital Archive.

Find out more about Canada's participation in the Great War on The Canadian Encyclopedia (http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/), the definitive source on all things Canadian.

The Historica-Dominion Institute is a national charitable organization that was launched on September 1, 2009 through the amalgamation of two existing organizations: The Historica Foundation of Canada and The Dominion Institute. Its mandate is to build active and informed citizens through a greater knowledge and appreciation of the history, heritage and stories of Canada. Some of its signature programs include: Encounters with Canada, The Memory Project, Passages to Canada and The Canadian Encyclopedia. You are invited to discover the Historica-Dominion Institute at www.historica-dominion.ca.

For further information: or to schedule an interview, please contact: Chantal Gagnon, Media Relations, [phone], [email protected]