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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsDomestic PolicyStarted 13yrs agoActive 2yrs ago

Should the government be able to monitor phone calls and emails?

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 222k Canada voters.

34%
Yes
66%
No
15%
Yes
64%
No
13%
Yes, but only by court order
2%
No, and enact legislation preventing government surveillance of citizen communications
3%
Yes, but only for those with criminal backgrounds
3%
Yes, this is necessary to combat terrorism

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 222k Canada voters.

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Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 222k Canada voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Canada voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @B8PLDGL from Ontario  answered…7mos7MO

Only if they have been previously charged with murder, rape, terrorism, arson or any extreme crime that involves in loss of life or severe trauma or injury.

 @B5ZV455from Ontario  answered…12mos12MO

Yes, but only for the people who are under investigation with the evidence of criminal activity only for a particular case

 @B5ZS6K4from Ontario  answered…12mos12MO

no unless the person has a criminal recorded or is in reason that the police believe they could cause harm to many people

 @9VTFF29from Nova Scotia  answered…2yrs2Y

Only by court order on a case by case events.

 @9SXNRYKfrom California  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, so long as the country maintains a strong rule of law. As long as your right to free speech is protected, you do not need privacy in my opinion.

 @9QZCYDNfrom Ontario  answered…2yrs2Y

Only if they have reasonable cause to believe somebody needs to be monitored, like if they're a criminal or there's police evidence. In addition there needs to be a court order to give permission.

 @9LTNCX4from Ontario  answered…2yrs2Y

No, unless the person is a registered offender or someone else that must be kept tabs on for safety reasons.

 @9L2P5YGfrom Ontario  answered…2yrs2Y

Depends. If the person is under government radar for illegal activities, then yes. But if the person is off radar or reformed and is completely fine, even with criminal background, then should be occasionally monitored but not strictly.

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 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...…2yrs2Y

Should the government incentivize the construction of affordable housing?

Yes

▲  2.7k3 replies2 agree

About This Data

Based on 222k responses to this question.

These results come from iSideWith's ongoing political issues survey. We collect over a million responses per day, filter out duplicate and multiple submissions, and break the results down by political party, ideology, age, state, and census demographics (income, race, education, household).

iSideWith is non-partisan — we don't advocate for any party, candidate, or position. We report what the public tells us.

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Cite This Poll

iSideWith. (2026). “Should the government be able to monitor phone calls and emails?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://canada.isidewith.com/polls/292655967

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