As universities across the country celebrate convocations, some of Canada's largest institutions do so in the face of pro-Palestinian encampments entrenched on university grounds for more than a month.
New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds the camps' welcome on campus wore out weeks ago in the eyes of many Canadians. Two-in-five (42%) Canadians say it is acceptable for students to set up protest camps overnight; half (50%) disagree. And that's where acceptance peaks. Two-thirds believe it is unacceptable for encampments to last weeks (64%) or several months (66%).
Canadians are not unified in their views on this subject; there is a stark generational contrast. A majority (53%) of 18- to 24-year-old Canadians believe an encampment lasting several months is fine. The proportion who share that belief shrinks considerably with age, down to one-in-10 (9%) of those older than 64 who would agree.