A recent poll reveals a notable divide in Canadian views on the ongoing war involving Iran, with younger adults showing unexpected support for the Iranian regime against the United States and its allies.
Youth Support Stands Out
Among Canadians aged 18 to 24, 20 percent believe Ottawa should politically support Iran’s current leadership. In contrast, just 8 percent in this group back the U.S., Israel, and other allied nations in the three-week-old conflict.
Older age groups present a sharp difference. Support for Iran drops to nearly zero: 3 percent among those 45-54, 1 percent for 55-64, and 0 percent for those 65 and older. Meanwhile, 23 to 26 percent in these cohorts favor bolstering traditional allies.
Expert Insights on Misinformation
Jack Jedwab, President and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies (ASC), expressed concern over the youth trends. He attributes it to social media influencers, stating, “You’ve got one end of the spectrum that’s at zero and you’ve got that other group that’s disproportionately probably more and more susceptible to following direction from influencers on selected social media.”
Jedwab also notes that 32 percent of young respondents mistakenly believe Iranian Canadians oppose military actions against the regime—double the rate among those 35 and older. More than half overall said they did not know.
“Medium to long term, there may be some unlearning that needs to be done amongst persons that are adopting such positions that clearly are not well informed if they think the majority of Iranians are not supporting the Iranian regime,” Jedwab added. “That’s incorrect.”
Strong Push for Neutrality
Half of all respondents across ages and employment statuses advocate for Canada to remain neutral. About one-fifth expressed uncertainty. This pattern holds in other questions, reflecting a desire for peaceful resolutions.
Jedwab links this to Canadians’ self-image as peacemakers, citing a November 2024 ASC poll where 92 percent favored peace, though half doubted unilateral concessions could end a war. “Things are going to be more complex than that,” he said. “I think some of that thinking underlies part of the neutrality view.”
Knowledge Levels Influence Views
Those closely following Middle East events show stronger pro-ally leanings: 29 percent support the U.S. and partners versus 6 percent for Iran. Half still prefer neutrality, and 10 percent are unsure.
Informed respondents also view the potential collapse of Iran’s regime positively (60 percent), compared to 30 percent of the less engaged, over half of whom were uncertain.
“We’re unpacking further what underlies this in terms of the extent to which people self-assess having knowledge or following it or understanding what’s going on,” Jedwab explained.
Government Stance and Future Challenges
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated in the House of Commons last week that Canada supports efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear program and terrorism exports but will not join the U.S. and Israel’s offensive.
Jedwab sees this as balancing neutrality with ally expectations. “That’s a challenging position to take and we’ll see what types of pressure are exerted in the coming days and weeks on the part of the U.S. and its allies for middle powers like Canada to get more engaged,” he said.
About 45 percent of respondents—31 percent of Millennials—believe a diplomatic solution is unattainable. Only 18 percent see it as possible, with over a third unsure.
Jedwab acknowledges anti-Trump sentiment among youth might suppress U.S. support but stresses the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ terrorist designation by Canada. “That is not something that can be taken lightly at all in trying to see one’s way clearer in this war,” he noted.
Poll Methodology
The web poll, conducted by Leger from March 6 to 8, surveyed 1,579 adults. As a non-probability sample, it carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percent, 19 times out of 20, comparable to a probability sample.
