As people attempt to navigate the coronavirus crisis, it’s clear the way political leaders are communicating is something that is crucial to building trust. When communication is poor, public trust and confidence tends to dissipate. Worse still, when politicians fail to deliver clear and unambiguous messages, this creates a landscape for misinformation to spread.
The company Proof has delved into these issues during the time of coronavirus and has launched its fifth annual 2020 CanTrust Index. This is an in-depth survey of Canadians’ trust in government, public institutions and companies.
The research contains several key findings that help to contextualize what public perception is right now during the time of the global coronavirus pandemic. For example, politicians may take comfort from the fact that the survey has found that trust in the news media is proving resilient. From 2019 to 2020, a willingness to trust in the news media among Canadians increased from 40 to 44 percent. While this remains below half-of-the-population, it at least stems the tide of the public becoming more sceptical about the way that the media is presenting and interpreting data.
Another important finding, in relation to social and healthcare provision, is that Canadians report a high level of trust in public services. For instance, trust in local hospitals is at 66 percent and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is at 61 percent. This is encouraging given the increased reliance upon these services.
Despite overall strong trust in Canada, a notable exception is the falling status of CEOs and senior managers. With the business community, trust in CEOs (standing at 38 percent) is at an all-time low, having dropped from 55 percent in 2018. Moreover, the standing is now at its lowest among younger and lower-paid employees.
Bruce MacLellan, CEO at Proof Inc. stated in relation to the data: “Trust is more critical now than ever. Actions taken throughout the COVID-19 crisis and recovery will not only impact an organization’s reputation, but also its long-term survival.”
