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 suppor t for its aging population and analyses public opinion regarding polic y alternatives designed to either increase revenues or reduce expendit ures for seniors. This paper provides a test of an argument derived fr om the political economy of aging perspective which suggests that wide spread acceptance of the population aging crisis scenario predisposes the public to accept policy options that might otherwise be undesirabl e. Furthermore, a test is provided of McDaniel's (1987) thesis that po pulation aging has become a dominant problem 'paradigm' with a potenti al for influencing public policy discussion. The data are drawn from a 1989 survey of a representative sample of the adult residents of Edmo nton, 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 ben efits to lower income seniors, and is opposed to across-the-board cuts in the levels of benefits paid to seniors. In addition, the data sugg est that acceptance of the crisis scenario is associated with a willin gness to accept policy changes such as increased levels of taxation an d the targeting of old age security benefits. These findings are consi stent with the political economy of aging perspective and are generall y supportive of McDaniel's (1987) argument that population aging has b een widely defined as a problem 'paradigm'. Finally, given that attitu des did not vary significantly by age, the findings do not support the argument that population aging necessarily leads to intergenerational conflict.