The presidency of Donald Trump in the United States has presented a unique challenge for public opinion researchers. It used to be simple to present a policy to respondents, allow for a couple of days of data collection, and release the findings widely. In Trump’s White House, an unexpected statement at a press conference or a social media post at an odd time can send us back to the drawing board. The data that has already been collected becomes stale.

Last week, we asked Canadians about their perceptions of 12 well-known individuals, in the realms of politics, sports, activism and entertainment. The results suggest an extreme polarization in the case of some of these celebrities, as well as a deep sense of animosity towards the current American president.

Earlier this year, Trump’s purported endorsement of former National Hockey League (NHL) star Wayne Gretzky as “governor” angered some Canadians. In 2023, just over three in four Canadians (76 per cent) told us they had a favourable opinion of “The Great One.” This year, the proportion has fallen by 29 points, to 47 per........

© BIV