Bankers gaining more Canadians’ trust, poll suggests

Seventy-two per cent of Canadians say they trust bankers, according to Leger Marketing’s annual ranking of professions, a seven percentage point increase from last year.

Although the annual survey does not include financial advisors, only 46% of those surveyed said they trusted insurance brokers.

Firefighters topped the list, at 96%, conducted by Leger for the Canadian Press since 2002. Nurses were a close second followed by farmers, doctors, teachers, engineers, police officers and judges.

“Our annual ranking of professions demonstrates that the Canadian population’s level of trust in judges has increased 6% this year. Undoubtedly, Judge John Gomery’s performance as president of the inquiry into the sponsorship scandal is mainly responsible for this increase,” Leger said.

Seven professions obtained a result above 80%, Leger added, noting that the top five had essentially the same score as 2005. “Engineers, a new category, are part of a select group equal to that of teachers. Police officers, however, are down two percentage points compared to last year. “

Economists, another new addition to the list this year, scored 62%, while journalists received a 49% ranking.

Among the other professions that rank 50% or less, politicians continued their downward spiral, Leger said, losing two percentage points to 14%; in last place and widening the gap between car salespeople, who scored just 19%.

“Professions related to the sponsorship scandal have very low credibility, especially in Quebec, except for judges,” Anne-Marie Marois, assistant general manager of Leger, told Canadian Press.

Leger Marketing conducted phone interviews among a sample of 1,500 adult Canadians last month. The results are considered accurate within 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Filed by Doug Watt, Advisor.ca, doug.watt@advisor.rogers.com