Highlights by Citizenship

Among Canadians, perceptions of political parties differ notably based on citizenship status. For those identified as citizens, the NDP receives the highest average POLIS Index score at 3.14, followed closely by the Liberal Party at 3.07, with the Conservative Party trailing at 2.47. This mirrors trends seen in other subgroups, where the NDP is often viewed as the party most aligned with ethical values like benevolence, fairness, and transparency. Citizens appear to reward the NDP with the highest evaluations of ethical credibility, despite their lower vote share in national polling.

In contrast, among non-citizens, the rankings shift: the Liberal Party is rated highest with a score of 3.08, followed by the Conservatives at 2.91, and the NDP at 2.88. This inversion of party rankings is particularly striking. The NDP, which enjoys strong ethical perceptions among citizens, falls to third place among non-citizens. Meanwhile, the Conservatives see a significant boost in perception among non-citizens—nearly half a point higher than among citizens. These differences suggest that citizenship status shapes how political parties are evaluated through an ethical lens.

One intuitive explanation for this shift could lie in differing expectations and experiences of institutional inclusion. Non-citizens may view the Liberals as the party most associated with immigration pathways, multicultural policy, or institutional openness—factors that influence perceived legitimacy and fairness. This could explain their higher scores on values like procedural fairness and legitimacy. The Conservatives, on the other hand, may be seen by non-citizens as competent or efficient—attributes potentially appealing to long-term residents navigating Canadian institutions or the labor market—even if they are not traditionally associated with inclusivity.

Among citizens, however, perceptions seem more critical, particularly toward the Conservative Party, which receives its lowest POLIS scores from this group. This may reflect long-standing concerns about the party’s stance on transparency, benevolence, or accountability in government. The NDP’s high score among citizens reinforces its image as a party aligned with ethical ideals—even if those ideals don’t always translate into electoral support. The Liberal Party’s consistent mid-level ratings in both groups suggest a perception of balanced legitimacy and institutional credibility.

Together, these results highlight how access to political participation—such as the right to vote—may shape not only political preferences but also value-based evaluations of parties. Citizens appear to evaluate parties through a more critical, perhaps pragmatic lens shaped by long-term political exposure and accountability expectations. Non-citizens, meanwhile, may prioritize signals of inclusion, administrative competence, or institutional openness in forming their ethical impressions. These differences suggest that parties project different ethical images depending on their audience, and the POLIS Index offers a meaningful way to track these shifts in perception.