PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF THE POPULATION AGING CRISIS

This study examines the extent to which the general public anticipates a future crisis regarding Canada's ability to provide economic support for its aging population and analyses public opinion regarding policy alternatives designed to either increase revenues or reduce expenditures for seniors. This paper provides a test of an argument derived from the political economy of aging perspective which suggests that widespread acceptance of the population aging crisis scenario predisposes the public to accept policy options that might otherwise be undesirable. Furthermore, a test is provided of McDaniel's (1987) thesis that population aging has become a dominant problem 'paradigm' with a potential for influencing public policy discussion. The data are drawn from a 1989 survey of a representative sample of the adult residents of Edmonton, Alberta (n = 443). The findings suggest there is a widely shared perception that Canada in the future will have difficulty supporting its elderly population. Furthermore, the public appears to be willing to accept increased taxation, is divided on the issue of targeting benefits to lower income seniors, and is opposed to across-the-board cuts in the levels of benefits paid to seniors. In addition, the data suggest that acceptance of the crisis scenario is associated with a willingness to accept policy changes such as increased levels of taxation and the targeting of old age security benefits. These findings are consistent with the political economy of aging perspective and are generally supportive of McDaniel's (1987) argument that population aging has been widely defined as a problem 'paradigm'. Finally, given that attitudes did not vary significantly by age, the findings do not support the argument that population aging necessarily leads to intergenerational conflict.