WHEN Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reporter Mike Wise came up with an idea to get Canadians talking, he certainly didn’t expect abortion to be the primary issue Canadians wanted to talk about.

The CBC launched the Great Canadian Wish List May 28, in association with Facebook and a group called Student Vote. The Wish List forum invited users to post a wish for Canada’s future, and invited discussion. The results would then be reported on Canada’s birthday,  July 1.

In his online introduction, Wise said the List was intended “to get people talking about the country’s future.” He was hoping for ideas such as John A. MacDonald’s 1867 dream of a national railroad – and urged people to “make wishes that push the limits of our collective comfort zone.”

Pushing those limits was precisely what happened. Right from the beginning, Wilfrid Laurier University student Dave Gilbert’s wish to “abolish abortion in Canada” soared to first place – and remained there. The second most popular entry was Kirsten Van Houten’s “wish that Canada would remain pro-choice,” with 8,008 participants. Some 32,000 Canadians participated in the forums, making 1,600 wishes; and 9,543 joined the discussion of Gilbert’s wish.

Pro-choice supporters joined the Gilbert discussion, and pro-lifers joined Van Houten’s. The discussions became so heated that Gilbert and Van Houten made an agreement to defend each other’s supporters from abusive comments.

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The third place wish was “for a spiritual revival”; it was balanced somewhat by the 22nd wish, that “Canada were atheist.”  A wish to “restore the traditional definition of marriage” came fourth; and the wish that gay marriages “continue to be legal” came 11th. Other popular topics included tuition fees, the environment and health care.

Some online critics complained the list had been “hijacked by special interest groups,” and that some groups were “cheating” by mounting campaigns in support of their sites. Pro-life Catholic blogger Suzanne Fortin of Ottawa mobilized people to keep “abolish abortion” in top spot. Pro-choice groups did the same for their cause.

Wise told BCCN Facebook had expected its users to mount campaigns. He said the format was never intended to be a scientific poll – and that it measured “depth of feeling.” He said the results revealed “large pockets of strong feeling” on both sides of some issues. Noting most participants were fairly young, Wise said the strong pro-life showing demonstrates this issue “is not closed in a lot of people’s minds.”

Although he is a Presbyterian church elder, Wise said he was careful not to let his personal opinions intrude in the process. He said many critics thought the CBC might try to control the results, but comments were not censored. Almost 300 participants even wished to “abolish the CBC.”

Wise was very pleased with the result. “The participation levels were great,” he said, adding the discussions “for the most part were serious and on topic.”            – Jim Coggins

August 2007