NOTE: This is part I of a CJAD 800/The Gazette election poll. See part II here.

A poll commissioned by CJAD 800 and The Gazette finds anglophones feel they have little influence in these elections and believe they have no choice but to vote Liberal.

The Leger marketing poll asked whether Quebec anglophones have real influence in provincial elections. 57% of anglophones said no.

The large majority, 72 %, of anglophones respondents also agreed with the question: "For the anglophones, other than the Liberal party, there is no real alternative in this provincial election.

But Jack Jedwab, the executive director of the association for Canadian studies, says the francophone response to this question was even more surprising. "What struck me even further is that even francophone agree there was no other alternative for anglophones," he says.

41% of francophone said the Liberals were the only option for the province's English community. The poll included 400 anglophones, 800 francophone, and 50 allophones.

Francophones included in the poll largely believe that Quebec's anglophones have a real influence in these provincial elections. 65% agreed with that statement.

But, anglophones massively disagreed. 57% said they felt ignored. On top of this, people from anglophones and allophone communities were more likely to say that their vote would not matter (28% for francophone, 37% for anglophones, 44% for allophones).

While all groups massively said they plan to vote, that intention was slightly lower among anglophones and allophones.

Sovereignty

A substantial number of francophones (45%) do not believe Pauline Marois will actually call a referendum in the next 4 years if the PQ gains a majority. The number reaches 52% after factoring out undecided respondents.

But anglophones and allophones believe the exact opposite: 61% of English-speakers say the PQ will launch a new effort to break from Canada. 66% of allophones say it will. This number climbs even higher, to 70% and 72% respectively, for decided respondents.

Schoolboards

Anglophones widely believe that the CAQ's proposal to scrap schoolboards will have an impact on their communities. 61% said they were concerned by this possibility.