VANCOUVERITES MORE LIBERAL ON DRUGS, GAYS: POLL

Vancouverites are more likely than the rest of British Columbians to
support same-sex marriage, the safe-injection site and decriminalizing
possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Those conclusions are from an Ipsos-Reid poll of 800 adults done in the
second week of October.

The three questions got a slim majority of support when results for the
province as a whole were tallied up as 55 per cent backed same-sex
marriage, 56 per cent were for the safe-injection site and 54 per cent were
in favor of decriminalizing small quantities of pot.

But in Vancouver, same sex marriage got 70-per-cent support, the
safe-injection site 66 per cent and marijuana 69 per cent.

Vancouverites are "certainly more open to change," said Ipsos-Reid
vice-president Kyle Braid.

And the rest of the province just doesn't follow Vancouver's lead.

"When you look at B.C. as a whole, people are more divided on these issues
than they are speaking with a common voice -- which, to me, was a little
surprising," said Braid.

"People tend to talk about the Left Coast or B.C. being progressive and
liberal and open-minded," he said.

'But, in fact, when you look at B.C. as a whole, you certainly don't find
there's an awful lot of agreement on issues like these -- depending on the
region."

Full results of the poll can be found at www.ipsos-reid.com.