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14 + WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, January 16, 2008 Research firm Ipsos Reid is donating three sets of nationâ€" ally significant opinionâ€"poll data to Wilfrid Laurier University â€" a gift that represents a gold mine for researchers looking Ipsos Reid donates opinionâ€"poll data to Wilfrid Laurier University Jn At m"sday, January 17, 10.am â€" 2 pmp CITRUS TRUCKLOAD SALE 20 ib BOX of FLORIDA Seediess Navel Oranges 20.00 or Ruby Red Grapefruit PER BOX I‘VE TRIED EVERYTHING, BUT I JUST CAN‘T SEEM TO LOSE ANY WEIGHT! Antique Warehouse (beside St. Jacobs Market) ) C WHY DON‘T YOU SEE A NATUROPATH? for insight into the views of Canadians during important periods in the counâ€" try‘s recent history. The announcement marks Ipsos Reid‘s firstâ€"ever donation of polling data and signals the beginning of a relaâ€" tionship that will see the company proâ€" vide Laurier with a regular stream of data donations. "By giving this important cultural artifact to Laurier, the university will have the ability to tell Canada‘s story through the eyes of the millions of peoâ€" ple we‘ve had the privilege to interâ€" view," said Darrell Bricker, the president and chief operating officer of Ipsos Reid public affairs and a Laurier graduate. "We want to give academic researchers what they desperately need: access to highâ€"quality primary data, and we want to see our research have a life beyond the shortâ€"term commercial purpose for which it was created." The first raw data set represents 55 national telephone surveys of 1,000 more permanent solution to the growâ€" ing homelessness problem in the region, but these little things are someâ€" thing that can be done to improve his guests‘ quality of life. Savage told the kids a story about the pair of socks one of his guests received with a little note in it saying "have a nice day." He said the man called out excitedly to share his little find and couldn‘t hide what it Continued from page 10 Personal touches make gifts more meaningful respondents each that were conducted monthly between 1990 and 1995. The second is the 2006 Canadian federal election day poll â€" the largest conductâ€" ed across the country. It contains inforâ€" mation on 90 socioâ€"political and demoâ€" graphic variables from more than 36,000 respondents. The third data set is Ipsos Reid‘s recent exit poll from the October 2007 Ontario provincial elecâ€" tion, which included 7,000 respondents. Taken together, the three sets of data represent the opinions of more than 98,000 Canadians over nearly 20 years. "This poll data is extremely signifiâ€" cant," said David Docherty, Laurier‘s dean of arts and a political science proâ€" fessor. "We can now trace and analyze changes in opinions over time, which is critical to understanding voting behavâ€" iour, national behaviour, and how Canadians relate to the state and to each other. "The data set from the early ‘90s captures an important period in Canaâ€" "That‘s what really makes the proâ€" gram so rewarding, the little things" said Savage. "You would never think that would mean so much to someâ€" body, but this guy was just so ecstatic. "I really can‘t describe it." Savage encouraged the kids to feel free to put more messages of hope in the socks they collect. It restores a little bit of humanity to people who have lost so much. meant to him. "Somebody went out of their way dian history," he added. "The GST had just been in for a little while, the Charâ€" lottetown Accord debates occurred, the Free Trade Agreement was signed and massive immigration was taking place." "With this raw data, researchers and reporters can run their own analysis about particular issues in recent Canaâ€" dian history, which wasn‘t possible with the summary data previously availâ€" able," said LISPOP director Steven Brown. "For example, we can look at gender gaps on particular issues over time, we can go back 20 years to see how much interest Canadians have shown in the environment as a problem or we can examine the views of Canadiâ€" ans on capital punishment and how that‘s changed over time." "It‘s just that little personal touch that makes a difference. I tell them most of my socks come from Winston Churchill public school." The primary user of the Ipsos Reid data will be the Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy (LISPOP), but researchers and memâ€" bers of the community will have access to the raw data through LISPOP. for them," said Savage. "They were able to connect with another person on some level. Anyone else who would like to donate to Sock It To Me can contact the school at 519â€"884â€"3722. They can also drop off donations of clean socks in good repair to the school located at 100 Milford Ave. Workshop looks at raising kids in two cultures