Poll results include:
Gallup, 1977As long ago as 1977, the majority (52%) of Canadians supported legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Bibby and Potenski, 1985In 1980, 70% of Canadians supported legislation prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination.
Gallup poll of 1,043 Canadians, September 198570% of Canadians in a 1985 poll believed it should be illegal to discriminate against people because of their sexual orientation. 23% did not agree. 80% of those aged 18-29 agreed that sexual orientation discrimination should be illegal, compared with 70% of those aged 30-49 and 59% of those aged 50 and over.
Angus Reid/Southam News poll of 1,504 Canadians, October 8, 199481% of Canadians believe that gays and lesbians are subject to discrimination in the workplace. The percentage believing this was particularly high amongst those who personally know a gay or lesbian person, women and younger Canadians.
81% of Canadians would either speak out in support of a lesbian or gay co-worker facing discrimination or would be bothered by it. Only 12% would neither be bothered by nor speak out against such discrimination. Those least likely to speak out include Reform Party supporters and people who claimed not to know anybody gay or lesbian.
Fully 77% of Canadians say that, if they knew someone who was gay or lesbian, their relationship with that person would not be strained. 48% of Canadians report personally knowing someone who is gay or lesbian, including 12% knowing a gay or lesbian family member.
As far as we know, there has never been a poll showing anything less than majority support for prohibiting discrimination against gays and lesbians.