Times certainly have changed our thinking about many things…..or have they? A recent Angus Reid poll concerning one of our longest held traditions, marriage, is a case in point. According to the poll, a slight majority of us now say getting hitched is simply not necessary at all. Of course the numbers vary when you break down generations, genders and minority groups as to their feelings about whether tying the knot still plays a key role in the fabric of our society. For example, 60% of women aged 18-34 disagree with the notion that marriage is as relevant today as it has ever been compared to 48% of men of the same age. Older Canadians tend to still think marriage is important. Yet while that slight majority of Canadians say they feel marriage isn’t all that important, most believe it is a more genuine form of commitment than a common-law relationship. 40% of Canadian adults have never been married. However, most say they wouldn’t “not” walk down the aisle, meaning they wouldn’t rule it out. A good number of those 18-34 year-olds mentioned the price tag that can accompany a wedding as a reason they wouldn’t walk down the aisle and 70% would be more inclined to do so if weddings were less expensive and stressful. So if we can knock down the price and stress of planning a traditional wedding maybe the institution will survive after all.
That’s Coffeetalk. I’m Vic Dubois.