IN a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll among 1,440 Canadian voters, the majority (57%) express approval of the Conservative Party’s reintroduced “Life Means Life” legislation, which would see the most serious murderers locked away for the rest of their lives.

Three-in-10 disapprove (31%) and one-tenth don’t have an opinion (12%).

Support is especially strong among Gen X (45 to 54 – 63%), females (61%), mid income groups ($40K to $80K – 61%), in Alberta (65%), among Conservatives, obviously (81%), but not among New Democrats so much (45%), among Francophones (61%), mothers with children (65%) and the least educated (high school or less (71%).

However, one-half of voters see the “Life Means Life” legislation as just an election ploy to play on voter fear (51%) rather than a genuine attempt to deal with violent crime (34%), and this is especially common to the youngest (56%), males (55%), the wealthiest ($100K to $250K – 56%), in Atlantic Canada (57%) and in the prairies (59%), among the best educated (61%) and among New Democrats (69%) and Liberals (58%) but not, unsurprisingly, among Conservatives (13%).

“This policy is a no-brainer. Everyone knows it’s a good idea to shut cop-killers up for the rest of their lives. The problem is, that it’s so obviously a populist policy, that even the populace can see through it,” said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.