SSM Polls: You get what you pay for--or is it who you pay for?

CTV Online Poll -- makes no claims to scientific objectivity

vs

Poll: The Globe and Mail / The Strategic Counsel / Allan Gregg / Peter Donolo -- There is no political connection whatsoever, we can be certain.

CTV: It seems 55% do NOT want SSM.

Do you think the next government should let same-sex legislation stand or should they repeal?

It should stand 2557 votes 45%
It should be repealed 3143 55%
Total 5700 votes

The poll quoted in various news reports today that tell us Canadians want to keep SSM came from The Strategic Counsel.

If I had not checked, I might have missed the list of pollsters.

The Strategic Counsel is a dedicated team of market-research professionals. ... 2005 Gregg, Kelly, Sullivan & Woolstencroft: The Strategic Counsel.
www.thestrategiccounsel.com/ - 8k - 16 Jul 2005

If you check, you will find several principals involved, among them:

Peter Donolo, Executive Vice-President

Peter Donolo leads The Strategic Counsel's strategic communications practice.

From 1993 to 1999, Peter served as Director of Communications in the Prime Minister's Office and chief communications strategist for Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his government. In that position, Peter established a strong record in developing successful communications strategies for the most important government initiatives and most contentious political and public policy issues of the past decade. . . .

Following his tenure in the PMO, Peter served for two years as Canadian Consul General to Milan, and later as Senior Vice President Corporate Affairs and Government Relations at Air Canada.

and a familiar CBC guest

Allan Gregg, Chairman

As one of the co-founders of The Strategic Counsel and the founder, in 1979, of Decima Research, Allan Gregg is known and respected as one of Canada's senior research professionals. Over more than two decades, he has brought his skills to bear on such important policy issues as budget measures, transportation and fishery policy, physicians' fees and privatization of Crown corporations. He has also consulted widely in the business community on issues ranging from corporate image and reputation to communications and marketing challenges.

Allan was a pioneer in the integration of consulting, public-opinion research, public affairs and communications. He not only has an intimate knowledge of the dynamics of policy-making but also a deep understanding of the communications processes necessary to forge a public consensus around government initiatives. Much sought after for his analysis, he is widely published and quoted. He appears on a weekly CBC National News panel, and is the host of two popular and respected talk shows - Gregg and Company and Allan Gregg In Conversation With.

Of course, this has nothing to do with achieving particular results. It might be worth checking who has donated to the Liberal Party or to PM's campaign.

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