IAN GRAHAM / THOMPSON CITIZEN
Memorial University (MUN) graduate student Bonnie Bishop will be back in Thompson this summer to complete the second phase of her two-year research study gauging Thompsonites’ attitudes towards wolves and the idea of the city becoming the wolf capital of the world.
Her focus this summer will be on surveying aboriginal and youth respondents, who were underrepresented among respondents to the 2014 survey, which saw 502 questionnaires with 101 questions regarding wolves and related topics distributed and 389 returned, a 77 per cent response rate and a large enough sample to make the results statistically significant.
The 2014 survey found that 65 per cent of respondents like or strongly like wolves and that more than 70 per cent like or strongly like the wolf statues in Thompson. Eighty-four per cent of respondents said they’d seen a wolf in the wild and over 83 per cent of respondents said they do not fear wolves. On the topic of whether they wanted Thompson to be the wolf capital of the world, just over 53 per cent of people say they would be proud to live in a city that was called the wolf capital of the world, while 10.9 percent say they would not be proud. In addition, 68.6 percent of respondents said becoming the wolf capital of the world would benefit Thompson, while only 8.9 percent disagreed.
With regard to the question of whether they wanted a wolf exhibit in the city, just under 69 per cent of survey respondents said they would visit a wolf exhibit, with only 13.3 percent saying they would not.
The survey also asked respondents which of four groups they would believe the most when information about wolves was provided. Manitoba Conservation came in first place with 38.4 percent believing everything they say and 43.9 per cent saying they believe most. Then it was Parks Canada with 40.1 per cent saying they believe most, and 35.4 per cent of people saying they believe everything. Thirty-two-and-a-half per cent of people believe most of what Spirit Way says, and 16.1 percent believe everything. The previous Thompson city council came in last place with 8.7 believing most of what the council said, and only 5.2 percent of people believing everything.
Fourteen per cent of the respondents in 2014 identified as aboriginal, significantly lower than the 35 per cent of Thompson residents who identified as aboriginal in the 2011 census. Only two per cent of the respondents last year were between the ages of 19 and 25, while the 2011 census results showed that nine per cent of Thompson residents were members of that age group. Bishop said the discrepancy could have been the result of using the telephone directory to randomly select survey recipients, since young adults are less likely to have landlines and be listed in the phone book.
This year’s work will include the distribution of a questionnaire to high school students, pending final ethics approval, as well as interviewing visitors to Thompson at the airport, train station and the Boreal Discovery Centre.
The board of Spirit Way Inc., one of the supporters of Bishop’s study, were encouraged by last year’s results, Spirit Way president Marion Morberg said in a new release.
“The strong survey results from the general public support our efforts to continue to become the Wolf Capital of the World,” she said. “We hope the 30 per cent who are neutral will become supporters as they see the economic and positive benefits for the region, and that we are promoting and protecting wolves, which is not common in North America.”
Full survey results can be obtained by contacting Spirit Way at thompsonspirit way@gmail.com and residents with questions or comments can contact Bishop at thompsonwolfsurvey@gmail.com or by visiting her MUN Thompson Wolf Research Facebook page.
The plan is for Bishop to present her research results at the Wildlife Society Conference in Winnipeg in October, which will include Spirit Way in partnership with Travel Manitoba as one of its sponsors.
The 2014 portion of Bishop’s research study was funded and supported by MUN, Calm Air, the Meridian Hotel, Parks Canada, Linda Markus, Partner4Growth/Province of Manitoba, the provincial government’s Tourism Secretariat and Travel Manitoba, with letters of support from the City of Thompson, Wabowden and Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation. Spirit Way is seeking other funders and partners to support the 2015 research.