We consider elastic electroweak lepton-deuteron scattering as a means to extract information on both vector and axial-vector isoscalar currents, and thus the strange- (and heavier-) quark content of the deuteron. Parity violation in electron-deuteron scattering is examined in some detail. Numerical estimates are made, using a simple model when required, to find the sensitivity to strange-quark components of the various form factors. We find that backward angles are in general best to isolate axial-vector and magnetic vector components. Figures of merit relevant to future experiments are given, using existing limits on {ital s}-quark contributions to nucleon form factors where possible.