75% Canadians do not know Narendra Modi: Survey

In a survey conducted by the Angus Reid Institute (ARI) across 1,500 respondents in Canada, nearly 75% people did not know who Narendra Modi was. The few who had heard of him, attributed him to being influential, strategic and strong, according to a Hindustan Times report.

ARI conducted the poll ahead of the 44^th G7 Summit, currently underway in Quebec, Canada. They included leaders of other BRICS countries in the survey. Participants of the survey were given 24 words to choose and describe what they felt about various world leaders.

In a similar survey conducted in 2014, the lack of familiarity was similar. Despite Modi’s Canada visit in 2015 and his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in February, Canadians are largely unaware of Modi.

Shachi Kurl, Executive Director at ARI said, "We don’t have data, but I might speculate that Modi isn’t an English-speaking fixture in the Western media, nor does he attract a lot of notoriety in the Western and European press. Canadians recognise the relationship it has with India, via the diaspora, and through business ties, but Modi is not a big personality or celebrity in Canada the way he is at home.”

He also felt that lack of awareness was because the Canadian public related to Trudeau’s visit to India on lines of ‘their PM’s gaffes’. They are not aware of his relationship with Modi.

As far as other world leaders are concerned, US President Donald Trump was described as being arrogant, a liar, bully, and dishonest, ARI said. Trudeau received mixed responses ranging from charismatic to weak and arrogant. Most respondents felt that Russian President, Vladimir Putin is corrupt and China’s President Xi Jinping is influential.