The Ipsos-Reid/CTV/Globe and Mail poll showed that 59 percent of Canadians say that now that they see what is happening in the war they are glad Canada has decided to stay out of it.

But 45 percent of the 1,000 respondents say that even though Canada did not join the US-led war initially, it should now join and show military support for its closest ally and largest trading partner.

A few thousand people rallied on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on a rainy Saturday, raising British and US flags in support of the US-led war on Iraq.

Stephen Harper, leader of the official opposition party, the Canadian Alliance that is in favor of joining the US-led coalition, told the cheering crowd: "Our allies are going to win this war."

Canada has opted to official stay out of the war against Iraq, saying it did not want to support a war without a UN resolution for military action.

However, it does have three ships, a handful of planes, some 1,000 troops in the region. Among the troops are 31 soldiers, some of whom integrated in coalition forces on the ground in Iraq, officials have said on background. Ottawa refuses to confirm this officially.

Two-thirds, or 67 percent, of those polled say that by not going along with the United States, Canada has shown it is an independent player on the world stage; but 47 percent say they feel that by not participating, Canada has turned its back on its closest friend in a time of need.

Earlier this week, US Ambassador to Canada Paul Cellucci chastised Ottawa for not fully supporting the United States in its war in Iraq, saying Washington would automatically and "without hesitation" lend a helping hand to Canada if its defense were in question.

Sixty-one percent feel that the government's decision not to participate in the battle will have serious, negative economic consequences for Canada.

Cellucci hinted at that Tuesday, saying Canada's decision to stay out of the war would place a short-term strain on US-Canadian relations, which include the largest trading relationship in the world.

The poll, randomly conducted between March 25 and March 27, has a 3.1-percentage-point margin of error.

WAR.WIRE