In March and April 2000, Canadian Labour and Business Centre mailed 4442 survey questionnaires to business, labour and public sector leaders. The questionnaires were identical in content. By the end of April, 790 responses had been received, for an overall response rate of 18%. The mailings, responses, and response rates for individual constituencies were as follows:
| Business leaders: | 1966 sent; 345 returned; 18% response rate |
|---|---|
| Labour leaders: | 2147 sent; 303 returned; 14% response rate |
| Public Sector leaders: | 329 sent; 142 returned; 43% response rate |
The intent of the survey was to identify the perspectives of opinion leaders from each constituency. Accordingly, respondents to the survey were identified as leaders and senior officers of their respective organizations. For individual constituencies, the identification of respondents was as follows:
Private Sector and Public Sector Labour: Questionnaires were sent to the executive officers of the Canadian Labour Congress, its affiliates, all provincial federations of labour, and major district labour councils. The Directory of Labour Organizations in Canada, published by the Workplace Information Directorate of Human Resources Development Canada, was a major source for these mailings. In the analysis and text that follows, responses were disaggregated into public sector labour and private sector labour.
Private Sector Business: Questionnaires were sent to lists of individuals provided by the Alliance of Manufacturers & Exporters Canada, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and the Canadian Construction Association. Each association list included its Board of Directors together with a selection of CEOs or Vice-Presidents of other important member companies. Some associations included members of their human resources or related committees. Regional representation was assured either through including the directors/members of associations’ regional/provincial divisions, where they existed, or directly through a selection of member companies in certain regions, or both. In some regions, the sample was supplemented by inclusion of CEO’s and/or Vice-Presidents from companies listed in a commercial database. In the analysis and text that follows, this constituency is also referred to as business and private sector management.
Public Sector Management: Questionnaires were sent to the presidents of Canadian universities and community colleges, the Board of Directors of the Canadian Health Association, and senior federal, provincial, and territorial government officials at the Deputy Minister/Assistant Deputy Minister level, with responsibility for employment, labour, or labour market matters.